[3D Printing] A Comparison of UltiMaker 3D Printers S5/S7/S8/Factor 4

[3D Printing] A Comparison of UltiMaker 3D Printers: S5/S7/S8/Factor 4

Which one is the best?
It all depends on your needs.
UltiMaker's four 3D printers are designed to meet specific applications and budgets.

If you require high-temperature engineering cables, please select Factor 4 .
Because it is a device with stronger thermal control capabilities, it can prevent parts from warping.

If your printing material needs are closer to the carbon fiber/nylon category, choose the S8 . The S8 offers a speed advantage over the Factor 4.
However, if your budget is limited and you cannot afford the S8, please choose the S7 or S5 .
Because they have many things in common, you won't be disappointed with the S7 or S5.

Speed ​​and efficiency
With a speed of 500 mm/h, the S8 is the company's fastest 3D printer, comparable to the Bambu Lab X1C.
The speed increase is thanks to a new technology called Cheetah in the printer's motion control, as well as other advanced technologies, which improve speed without sacrificing quality.

Material
The UltiMaker S series 3D printers (S5, S7, S8) support the same range (over 300 types) of filaments, including:
PLA – Easy to print, suitable for general purposes.
ABS – strong and heat-resistant, requiring a sealed construction chamber.
PETG - durable, chemically resistant, and slightly elastic.
Nylon – flexible, abrasion-resistant, and moisture-wicking.
CPE is similar to PETG, but has stronger chemical resistance.
CPE+ – More heat resistant than standard CPE.
TPU 95A – flexible and rubber-like.
Polycarbonate – high strength, high temperature resistance.
PP - lightweight and fatigue resistant.
PVA – Water-soluble support material.
Separable support material – replaces PVA and is easy to remove.

Third-party and experimental materials:
UltiMaker printers also support third-party filaments, including metals (such as stainless steel) and advanced composites (such as carbon fiber reinforced filaments, wood-filled PLA, and special engineered materials).
Taken together, UltiMaker’s materials, along with third-party materials that have printable profiles, give you one of the longest material menus in any FDM.

Factor 4 focuses on engineering-grade materials, so you can't use the entire 300+ series of the S series, but you can use high-temperature materials such as PPS-CF and PEKK.

Metal wire
S5 and S7 can print stainless steel parts using the optional UltiMaker Metal Extension Kit .
It is currently unclear whether the S8 is compatible with the Metal Expansion Kit.
Actor 4 can print natively using stainless steel wire without any type of extension kit.

UltiMaker Smart Feeding Station
Although feed stations are now ubiquitous in FDM 3D printing, the UltiMaker smart feed station is one of the earliest material converters.
ltiMaker Smart Feed Station is a wire management system for S5, S7 and S8 3D printers.
All three printers use the same device and are optional accessories.

Factor 4 has different types of feed stations, and it is built into the machine.

One of the key features of the intelligent feeding station is its ability to accommodate up to six wire reels at the same time.
It can also achieve automatic wire detection, loading and switching, and eliminate manual intervention.
When one reel runs out, the system will automatically switch to another.

Humidity control is another important advantage of intelligent feeding stations.
It maintains a controlled environment with humidity below 40% RH, which helps protect moisture-sensitive materials such as PVA and nylon from absorbing water.

The intelligent feed station integrates with UltiMaker Cura software, supporting UltiMaker certification and third-party cables.

Technical Specifications
In summary, on paper, the S-series printers are very similar.
S7 enhanced reliability and productivity for advanced users; S8 builds upon this, offering even greater speed and accuracy.
Although the S5's performance is slightly inferior, it offers better value for money.
Factor 4 stands out with its focus on industrial manufacturing applications, featuring a robust steel and aluminum chassis, an active thermal control chamber, a triple-insulated build volume, a direct-drive extruder with a larger motor, and nozzles capable of reaching temperatures up to 340ºC, allowing the use of engineering-grade materials.

It's worth noting that the S5 doesn't have any air filtration unless you purchase the optional air filter located at the top.

	Factor 4	S8	S7	S5
Print volume	330 x 240 x 300 mm	330 x 240 x 300 mm	330 x 240 x 300 mm	330 x 240 x 300 mm
weight	120 kg (265 lbs)	29.1 kg (64.2 lbs)	29.1 kg (64.2 lbs)	29.1 kg (64.2 lbs)
Minimum floor height	60 micrometers	20 micrometers	20 micrometers	20 micrometers
XYZ resolution	6.25, 7.8, 2.5 micrometers	6.9, 6.9, 2.5 micrometers	6.9, 6.9, 2.5 micrometers	6.9, 6.9, 2.5 micrometers
Printing plate	PEI coated flexible steel	PEI coated flexible steel	PEI coated flexible steel	Glass
Maximum nozzle temperature	340 degrees Celsius	340 degrees Celsius	280 degrees Celsius	280 degrees Celsius
Nozzle diameter	0.25 mm, 0.4 mm, 0.6 mm, 0.8 mm	0.25 mm, 0.4 mm, 0.6 mm, 0.8 mm	0.25 mm, 0.4 mm, 0.6 mm, 0.8 mm	0.25 mm, 0.4 mm, 0.6 mm, 0.8 mm
chamber	Fully enclosed The actively heated chamber can reach temperatures up to 70ºC.	Fully enclosed passive heating	Fully enclosed passive heating	Partially enclosed, passive heating
air filter	HEPA filter	Replaceable EPA filter	Replaceable EPA filter	Air filter needs to be purchased separately.
File transfer	Wi-Fi (2.4 and 5 GHz), Ethernet, USB	Wi-Fi 2.4 and 5 GHz: IEEE 802.11a/b/g/n/ac; LAN: Ethernet; USB: 2.0	Wi-Fi (2.4 and 5 GHz), Ethernet, USB	Wi-Fi (2.4 and 5 GHz), Ethernet, USB

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