Whether you are building a 3d printer or looking for an upgrade for a cheaper printer, it’s always good to shop around for 3d printer parts for the best options.
This 3D printer parts buyer’s guide features the best parts currently available in one place so you can compare options quickly.
3D Printer Parts – Buyer’s Guide
Hotends
The ‘hotend’ the part of the extruder that gets hot. Makes sense, right?
E3D is a famous hotend, so when in doubt, go with one of those.
Also, remember not to skimp on a bad hotend. After all, this is the heart and soul of your extruder, and the last thing you want to do is get a hotend that clogs all the time or overheats.
![[Gulfcoast Robotics] All Metal V6 Bowden Extruder...](https://m.media-amazon.com/images/I/51JUjY-pBDL.jpg)
Nozzles
Different nozzles are good for different filaments and printer settings. It’s best to get a big pack of many different nozzles so that you always have what you need on hand.
For instance, wood filaments tend to work best with larger nozzles, 4 mm and up. That’s because they contain wood fibers that could clog smaller nozzles.
But smaller nozzles will produce lower layer heights, which might be more aesthetically pleasing. Just make sure to lower the print speed to adjust for the slower flow rate.
Table could not be displayed.Print Beds
Print beds are often heated, which is helpful for working with ABS and PETG filaments. You can buy a heating element and install it yourself.
Also, check out auto-leveling sensors and bed adhesion materials like Buildtak.
Table could not be displayed.Fans
It’s very important to have a few good fans working at all times while printing, especially fans for the hotend and the controller. Another fan can be aimed to blow air across the print bed to cool print layers quickly and evenly.
Hopefully, your power supply also has a fan built it, but if not, consider adding one just in case.
Heatsinks
Heatsinks are another great way to cool down electronic equipment. Attach them to surfaces that produce heat in order to increase the surface area that airflow from fans can reach.
Heatsinks are surprisingly easy to install but not every heatsink is efficient at wicking heat away from components. Try a few different kinds to figure out which ones work best for your printer.
Timing Belts
Obviously a timing belt is necessary to allow the stepper motor to control the extruder’s position. Sometimes they wear out or break when they get old and need to be replaced.
Most of the time, the only thing that really matters is that the timing belt has enough grip on the stepper motor for it function. All of the timing belts below will do the trick.
More information about 3D printer parts
The above list of 3D printer parts is by no means the only place to look for what you need. There is an entire world of 3D printer accessories and tools to check out as well.
In addition, check out reprap.org for in-depth information about things like how to make your own bowden extruder, hotend comparison guides, and detailed rundown how heated printer beds work.
Leave a comment if you found this list useful or have a question. The world of 3d printers is constantly evolving so things change quickly. If we missed something, let us know.
Happy printing!