3Dnatives Lab: Testing the Adventurer 5M Pro 3D Printer From Flashforge - 3Dnatives (2024)

Founded in 2011 in Jinhua, China, Flashforge is a long-standing player in the desktop FDM/FFF 3D printer market, with flagship models such as the Creator, Finder, Guider and Dreamer. More recently, the brand has extended its offering with a range of resin 3D printers, including the Hunter and Foto models. We had the opportunity to test the Flashforge Adventurer 5M Pro, an entry-level FDM 3D printer from the Chinese manufacturer, priced at under $600. Check out our full review of the Adventurer 5M Pro in the 3Dnatives Lab below.

Unpacking the Flashforge Adventurer 5M Pro

As soon as you open the box, you’ll notice that the 3D printer has been sturdily packaged to protect it during transport. The machine is placed in a thick cardboard box with foam protectors to prevent any potential damage. Once the plastic film has been removed and the foam blocks removed, the Adventurer 5M Pro reveals itself.

The printer features a compact square design, measuring 380 x 400 x 453 mm, making it easy to place on a desk. The steel frame, combined with black plastic panels, gives the whole unit a robust appearance. The printer’s design is well-thought-out from an ergonomic, aesthetic and functional point of view.

In addition, the transparent front door and hinged top cover provide easy access to the 220 mm³ build chamber and enable print monitoring.

The box includes a range of accessories for use and maintenance of the printer: Allen keys, a Phillips screwdriver, a tube of grease for care and maintenance, a tube of glue, a pair of wire cutters, a USB key, the quick start guide, a hotend with 0.6 mm nozzle and a spool holder.

At a price starting at around $600 (if not on sale), you cannot expect anything revolutionary in terms of design and functionality, but the Adventurer 5M Pro does feature several interfaces and connectors:

• A USB port, a power button and a 4.3″ color touchscreen on the front panel to control printing.
• An RJ45 port for connecting the machine if you wish to benefit from connectivity features without using Wi-Fi, and the power socket on the rear.

On the hardware side, the printer is equipped with a CoreXY motion system, which moves the print head along linear steel rods. At first glance, the Flashforge Adventurer 5M Pro appears to be an attractive entry-level desktop machine with a neat design, despite its plastic construction and a screen that leaves something to be desired in terms of size and responsiveness.

However, there’s no multi-material printing system, a feature that has become almost standard on this type of machine.

Installing the 3D Printer

Setting up the Flashforge Adventurer 5M Pro is fairly straightforward, thanks to the machine’s pre-assembly. Once out of the box, the first step is to remove the protective materials inside the printer. Opening the transparent top door reveals new foam blocks designed to protect the moving internal components during transport.

Next, to release the print tray, remove the four transport screws. These screws, located at the corners of the tray, hold it in place to prevent movement during shipping. The Allen keys supplied are used to remove these screws, allowing the tray to move freely.

The next step is to connect the PTFE tube between the extruder and the hotend. This tube, which guides the filament to the printhead, must be securely connected at both ends. Ensuring the tube is securely in place guarantees a smooth filament feed. At the other end of the PTFE tube, at the rear of the machine, the spool holder is attached using the two screws supplied.

Then connect the printer to a power source and turn it on using the switch on the rear. The front-panel color touchscreen lights up and guides the user through the interface. The Adventurer 5M Pro features an automatic calibration system, accessible via the touchscreen. This procedure, which takes around 15 minutes, automatically adjusts the platen height and printhead position to ensure accurate printing. No manual interaction is required during this operation, greatly simplifying the set-up process.

Once calibration is complete, the printer is ready for use. Simply load the filament using the assisted procedure from the control screen and start the first print.

Orca-Flashforge Software

Originally, the Adventurer 5M Pro was supplied with FlashPrint and compatible with Orcaslicer. However, Flashforge has since developed its own customized version of Orcaslicer called Orca-Flashforge. This slicing software connects to the 3D printer via the Internet to send prints and monitor them remotely, offering greater flexibility in managing remote printing processes.

Orca-Flashforge capitalizes on Orcaslicer’s growing popularity, offering an intuitive user interface that makes it easy for new users to get started, while providing advanced options for experienced users. Note that during our tests, we noticed that the pre-configured profiles in Orca-Flashforge were currently only configured for Flashforge filaments, limiting the variety of compatible materials without manual adjustments.

One drawback was the transition between the software. Orca-Flashforge was released after the printer, which may have created some confusion for existing users already using FlashPrint. In addition, despite the development of Orca-Flashforge, certain aspects of OrcaSlicer were copied without customization, resulting in some superfluous parameters on the slicing interface, notably the choice of printing plate and AMS bay. To enjoy the benefits of Orca-Flashforge, it is important to update your printer firmware before switching to Orca-Flashforge slicing software, to ensure that your printer runs smoothly.

Despite this limitation, Orca-Flashforge remains a solid choice for Adventurer 5M Pro users looking to take advantage of cloud connectivity and remote management features.

First Prints With the Adventurer 5M Pro

In our tests, we printed various models using materials such as PLA, PETG, ABS and PA-CF. The 3D printer demonstrated reliability and print quality, with tolerances down to 0.1 mm. The print head can reach 280°C and the build plate can be heated up to 110°C, enabling the use of a wide range of thermoplastics.

During our tests, we used the manufacturer’s filament supplied in the box, as well as third-party materials for which the default Flashforge material profiles worked. For PA-CF, a material not included in the default profiles supplied with Orca-Flashforge, we had to create our own print profile.

Having printed with several materials, we regularly had to change filaments, a procedure made easy via the control screen. We are, however, less fond of the fact that the filament spool is located at the rear of the printer, making it sometimes difficult to access (this location is becoming increasingly popular on machines of this type).

When printing over a large area of the tray, we noticed marks on the underside of our prints. This is because the flexible magnetic steel tray includes white marking elements on the PEI coating, which can leave imprints on prints placed on this part of the tray. A minor problem that can be solved by turning the tray upside down.

Capable of speeds of up to 600 mm/s and 20,000 mm/s² acceleration according to the manufacturer, the Adventurer 5M Pro offers serious performance on paper. Although such performance is very rarely achieved during normal use, we noticed the speed of the Adventurer 5M Pro and were able to adjust the profile to produce parts even faster. The CoreXY motion system ensures precise movement at high speeds, while the auxiliary cooling fan ensures rapid cooling of the material to prevent warping.

During our prints, we used the printhead with the 0.4 mm and 0.6 mm nozzles, both supplied as standard with the printer. Changing the hotend is quick and easy, thanks to the quickswap system developed by Flashforge for this printer.

However, for users wishing to print larger or multi-material parts, the Flashforge Adventurer 5M Pro has its limitations. In addition, initial compatibility problems with the new Orca-Flashforge software and its late release may have confused existing users.

Service and maintenance of the Adventurer 5M Pro are made easy by a detailed user manual, available on the Internet, and a comprehensive wiki. In addition, Flashforge’s online store will enable you to purchase new hotends (available with 0.25, 0.4, 0.6 and 0.8 mm nozzles), flexible magnetic trays and HEPA filters.