Sovol SV06 Showcase: Pushing Boundaries in 3D Printing

Modern types of entry-level 3D printers contain capabilities that were previously only available on more pricey hobby machines. I reviewed the newest entry-level 3D printer from Sovol, the SV06, which is sure to raise the bar.

This assessment is completely objective, despite the fact that Sovol gave me the printer for free. This review was not compensated by Sovol and all opinions expressed here are my own.

Sovol SV06: Details and attributes

There are a lot of features on the new Sovol SV06, especially considering how cheap it is. Standard for this market sector, the build capacity of 220 x 220 x 250 mm (8.66 x 8.66 x 9.84 inches) is practical for most amateur applications. However, there are a few great qualities of the printer, such as:

• Levelling automatically
• Zebra axis alignment automatization
• Durable PEI construction platform
• End made of metal
• Revolutionary 32-bit controller for direct drive extruders using planetary gears and TMC2209 silent stepper motors

What excites me the most is the planetary gear direct drive extruder. My dislike of Bowden extruders has been voiced in numerous reviews before this one. The weight reductions are not justified by the retraction concerns that lead to poor print quality. A direct drive extruder is an excellent feature of the Sovol SV06. Plus, the extruder is small and light because to the planetary gears, which boost torque—a configuration that I predict will be ubiquitous soon.

Sovol SV06: Assembly and unboxing

I was not surprised to see the Sovol SV06 safely packaged in its usual robust foam-lined box. Poor packaging and broken printers were serious problems for some manufacturers in the past, but it seems that those days are over.

The 3D printer comes in parts, so the user has to put it all together. The time required is minimal, and the package includes all the tools you’ll need.

Putting it together includes screwing the extruder on, mounting the power supply, clipping the display module on, and connecting the upright supports to the main frame. There are only a handful of cords to plug in after that. Because the connectors are already on those cables, it’s a breeze to join them.

Assembling the SV06 required my undivided attention for at least 30 minutes. I could likely construct a second machine in less half an hour.

Sovol SV06: Software and setup

The Sovol SV06 requires you to adjust the Z-height offset, bed levelling, and automated Z-axis alignment the moment you power it on.

Even though it’s a plus, the SV06’s two Z axis lead screws need the Z axis alignment. However, you’ll need to make some adjustments to get the X-axis levels. The user-friendly interface streamlines the procedure. In a matter of seconds, the machine will do everything else once you choose the choice from the menu.

Instead of genuine bed leveling—which would necessitate a minimum of three motors to slant the bed—the SV06 offers standard bed mesh levelling. It reads the offsets of the bed’s points with an inductive probe and makes Z-axis adjustments during printing based on those calculations.

Finding the sweet spot for the nozzle-to-build-plate distance requires adjusting the Z-height offset. Although simple, this requires manual intervention from the user. To store the offset value, just place a piece of paper beneath the nozzle and turn the dial until the nozzle lightly holds the paper.

I tested with Sovol’s version of Cura, but you’re free to use any slicer software you choose. Using the Sovol version of Cura was an obvious choice for me since it is already my preferred slicer.

Sovol SV06: Run evaluations on paper

Sovol SV06: I used regular PLA filament for all of my experiments. The SV06, according to Sovol, is capable of handling a wide variety of materials. These include: carbon fibre, nylon, TPU, PETG, ABS, PC, ASA, and wood filaments. This isn’t an exaggeration; the all-metal hot end can manage high-temp materials, and the direct drive extruder is great for flexible polymers like TPU. However, to avoid warping, you’ll need an enclosure, which is available for purchase separately, and a hardened nozzle, which is included with the SV06, is necessary for the abrasive materials.

The default “draft” profile, which sets the speed to 60mm/s and the layer height to 0.2mm, was used for all of the testing. While users have the option to raise the pace, it is not recommended to go faster than 80mm/s due to the bed-slinger nature of the device. Like with any FFF printer, adjusting the layer height has a significant impact on print quality.

To begin, I used some white PLA that I had lying around to print a Benchy. With the exception of a little stringing, which I will blame on the filament and not the printer, the quality was excellent.

Then I made a test print of E3D’s E3DBuggy, a golf cart-shaped test print inspired by Benchy. Consider giving this model a go if you happen to have a surplus of Benchy test prints. Except for the stringing, everything was nearly flawless one again.

I placed an order for some fresh grey Anycubic PLA to replace the filament since I thought it might be the culprit of the stringing in my previous prints.

Following that, I put tolerances to the test using a small fidget pleasure stick that I picked out because of its print-in-place spring and two-piece design. The outcome was excellent. There was no longer any stringing, the parts were a perfect fit, and the spring was effective. A tiny, barely noticeable Z seam was the sole defect (although, of course, any object with a circular shape will have a Z seam).

The famous and creatively called “3D Printer Test” is the last test print I’d like to show you. This model is fantastic since it exposes typical issues with 3D printers through a battery of stress tests.

Even while it wasn’t flawless, it was excellent for a cheap entry-level printer. The overhangs were functional up to a 60-degree angle, and they were still tolerable at 70 degrees. Good cooling was shown by the thin towers maintaining their shape. As is usual with FFF printing, the holes were always half a millimetre too tiny. Fortunately, this is easily fixable. Both the bridges and the surface quality were of the highest standard. I expected bed-slinger printers to produce severe ghosting around the embossed lettering.

Sovol SV06: Summary

Sovol SV06: There is a lot of competition in the entry-level hobbyist 3D printer industry, and a lot of models in this class look the same. Since they are functionally and technically equivalent, most buyers let price be their deciding factor.

While not flawless, the Sovol SV06 is excellent. Its pricing is competitive with the market average, yet it stands out due to its unique set of features. Specifically, the automatic levelling system, two Z-axis lead screws, and planetary gear direct drive extruder.

Both the construction and the printed results are of the highest standard for an FFF 3D printer. With the exception of ghosting, the print quality of higher-end models isn’t noticeably better than the SV06’s, but they often have faster speeds, enclosures that allow for wider material compatibility, and larger build volumes.

Given the constant stream of new models and the abundance of competition, I am reluctant to declare this to be the top entry-level FFF 3D printer available. The Sovol SV06, though, has my unqualified recommendation. My buddy is interested in starting out with 3D printing, and I intend to offer her my review unit as a gift because I think it is a great choice.

You have the opportunity to win an SV06 from Sovol by simply following this link and entering the code “SV06Hackster” into the form.

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