The Cadet is a lucky exception to the rule that 3D printers typically come in enormous boxes, arriving in a relatively small 16.7 by 11.4 by 11.4-inch carton. A slightly smaller, padded box that holds the Cadet and a bag of accessories is tucked securely inside the larger box. In addition to tools like Allen wrenches, a USB cable, a microSD card and card reader, a glue stick, an extra sheet of tape for the build plate, and a small coil of filament are also included. A sticker with a QR code is attached to the top of the Cadet, allowing you to quickly download the user manual.
Design
The majority of printers targeted to the same audience are typically fragile, basic devices. Even worse, it’s clear that no study was done to enhance how people actually use the printer. The MP Cadet is thankfully not one of those 3D printers. Instead, the Cadet appears to be fairly robust, weighing a few pounds more than comparable machines while still being manageable to transport with one hand. We also appreciate the filament feeding tube’s visibility, placement, and usability. The user interface with the screen and turn-knob is cleverly positioned on top of the device as well. Therefore, you can begin a project without ever having to approach the print bed. Even though the MP Cadet has a straightforward design, the small details make it incredibly simple to use for both adults and kids.
Monoprice Cadet review: Features
Although it may not be the printer with the most features available, it wasn’t made to be. They kept the number of bells and whistles to a minimum because it is designed for beginners. It is, in our opinion, the most user-friendly 3D printer ever made. It is a lovely, easy-to-use unit. However, autoleveling is a significant plus. It is not necessary to take your time setting the print bed to the ideal location. It makes minor adjustments to the print head rather than the print bed by using sensors to sense the print bed. It will be able to make up for any slight errors on your part. The only manual adjustment required is a quick calibration when you first set it up. The layers in the final product of this printer’s fused filament creation are not visible. This is constantly a problem given that the bed is not heated. But this model performs admirably in that regard. This printer is as simple to use as it gets in terms of simplicity. Simply choose your source on the screen, followed by your model, to complete the process. Simply tell the printer to print, and it takes care of the rest. The model comes off without leaving any residue. The PoloPrint Mobile App, which can be downloaded for free from the Apple App Store and Google Play, is required to use it. It is also convenient because it supports wireless printing.
User Interface
The Monoprice Cadet’s user interface consists of a 2.4-inch monochrome LCD and a navigational click wheel with lighting. This combination may appear a little dated, but it works well for this printer because it offers exactly the right amount of information without being overbearing. also you can check our article on Monoprice Cadet review. The LCD shows pertinent data while printing, such as the temperature of the nozzle, the speed of the fan, the amount of time left, and more. Surprisingly, the Cadet’s power button is found on the power cable rather than the printer. The power cable has a sizable switch on it that can turn the printer’s power on and off, much like a lamp cord.
Monoprice Cadet review: Printing quality
Dragon.gcode, Fortune cat.gcode, and Ear ring.gcode are three demo files that are provided on the microSD card that comes with the Cadet. My first print was a cat model, and the printer started producing it after heating the nozzle and automatically calibrating the Z offset. Since there is no heated bed, the printer will begin printing as soon as the nozzle is heated, eliminating the need to wait for the bed to heat up. The Monoprice Cadet finished printing the model after around two hours and moved the construction platform to the front of the device so we could take it out. The adaptable build platform looks and feels like a magnet for refrigerators. A strip of yellow tape has been applied to the magnetic surface to aid in the PLA plastic’s adhesion to the otherwise cool and smooth surface. We lightly flexed it after we removed it from the printer, and the print immediately came off. We were left with a finished lucky cat model after the raft was easily detached. The Fortune cat.gcode model is a good one for evaluating overall quality because it has organic curves, some overhanging surfaces, and a lot of embossed detail (whiskers, nose, etc.). Sharp detail, uniform layer stacking, and the absence of any under-extrusion or banding that might point to a printer mechanical problem. The result of printing without a component cooling fan was made evident by the subsequent print, dragon.gcode. The head and neck of this dragon model are shaped like a wine glass, making it difficult for the printer to cool the layers quickly enough while printing. This led to several uneven layers and a rough surface finish. The underside of the overhangs looked messy and unfinished, but the rest of the model printed well. However, without a part cooling fan, it’s likely that the part will always have some degree of roughness on the underside of an overhang. This type of defect could be reduced by lowering the print temperature and/or speed. also you will learn our article on Monoprice Cadet review
Monoprice Cadet review: Slicing Software
Wiibuilder, a slicing program with a predefined profile for the printer on the supplied microSD card, is used by the Monoprice Cadet. With the simple-to-use app Wiibuilder, you can import.STL files, make toolpaths for 3D printing, and export.gcode files that the Cadet can read. Along with this fundamental functionality, Wiibuilder also produces estimates for build time and material consumption, as well as a complete toolpath preview that you can check for any potential issues before printing. When creating a file, Wiibuilder provides two options: basic and advanced. We could change the layer height, speed, infill density, and a few other fundamental variables in Basic mode without delving too deeply into configurable parameters. This is just the right amount of information for a beginner to understand without getting bogged down in all the variable parameters available in Advanced mode. The Advanced mode will let you make adjustments to variables like toolpath width, retraction length, and other settings that are more likely to confuse a new user than to actually produce helpful changes once you’ve gained some experience with the Basic mode.
Conclusion
This printer more than fulfilled its intended role as a basic, kid-friendly 3D printer. Even though we did experience a hot end jam, we think most people should be able to unpack and print even if this shouldn’t happen frequently. Our daughter adores “her” 3D printer utterly. She enjoys selecting the material and the model before printing these tiny toys and trinkets herself. As she gets older, we expect that her curiosity will increase and she’ll start to want to model some things. A very competent printer is the MP Cadet. It’s not the cheapest 3D printer available at $250, but it has some nice features and more than holds its own. It doesn’t print quickly, but what matters is that it prints well.
