Creality CR-6 SE Add-ons Overview: What are the Best Upgrades for Your CR-6 SE?
Designed to be a workhorse 3D printer, Creality CR-6 SE delivers great print quality right out of the box. However, there is always room for improvement and enhancement when it comes to your 3D printer. When CR-6 SE was enjoying the crowdfunding campaign on Kickstarter, Creality provided backers a wide range of accessories for further enhancing the printing performance in the future.
The optional add-ons include a touch screen kit, extruder kit, 32-bit PCBA motherboard, auto bed leveling strain gauge, Carborundum glass bed, PEI build plate, nozzle kit, MK nozzle, hardened nozzle kit, Capricorn Teflon tube, and enclosure. All these add-ons will be available on the retail market for purchase in July. In this article, there will be a detailed introduction to each accessory, helping users make better decisions when purchase.
On CR-6 SE, the 4.3-inch full-color touch screen is providing a simpler UI interface for better user experience. Moreover, the new screen on CR-6 SE is of 24-bit color, displaying clearer views in better contrast. Compared to other LCD screens of Creality printer, the CR-6 SE full-color touch screen is more responsive as it has a 20 times faster display speed than before.
In addition, it is also very easy to install the screen to the machine, which only requires 2 screws to finish within 30 seconds. With a powerful PCBA motherboard, the screen provides sufficient storage space，and supports to store pictures in JPEG compression mode, further increasing the number of stored files.
With a clip added on the CR-6 SE extruder, the redesigned filament extrusion part makes the filament feed-in much easier and effortless, promoting faster and smoother filament extrusion to deliver higher quality prints.
On common desktop FDM 3D printers such as Ender-3, users have to press hard on the extruder clip with one hand and feed in the filament with another hand. However, it won’t be a problem with CR-6 SE anymore!
Three steps to finish filament feed-in:
1st. Prepare your filament
2nd. Open the extruder clip, and insert the filament into the extruder.
3. Make sure the filament is well fed in, and lock the extruder clip.
Originally, CR-6 SE is designed to have a built-in 8-bit motherboard. Creality later offered all backers a choice to upgrade 8-bit motherboard to 32-bit motherboard, and the 32-bit motherboard was set to an optional add-on for purchase.
Compared to the 8-bit motherboard, the 32-bit motherboard is more capable of effective voltage control, motion control, and faster data processing. Besides, the 32-bit will offer more possibilities for firmware upgrading.
A leveled bed is a prerequisite for an accurate 3D print. 3D printing users will encounter problems of nozzle clogging, poor adhesion, and even scratched prints if the bed is unleveled. On CR-6 SE, it utilizes a strain gauge to achieve automatic bed leveling within 48s, so as to provide the most hassle-free 3D printing experience.
Compared to other physical sensors such as BL-Touch, strain gauge achieves more precise corrections, requires easy maintenance, and has a long operating life. According to data from Creality Lab, the strain gauge on CR-6 SE can withstand 40,000 times of detection.
On CR-6 SE is equipped with a Carborundum glass bed. Compared to the aluminum platform, the glass platform is much flatter than the aluminum platform. Moreover, the Carborundum hotbed with excellent thermal performance promotes quick heating up, strong adhesion, and easy removal for prints.
Benefits of 3D Printer Glass Bed:
>>Flatness. Glass has a high modulus of elasticity and is thermally stable. Therefore, it remains flat and will ensure your bed’s leveling remains consistent throughout.
>>Smooth Finish. Glass guarantees such an exact finish, giving a mirror-like, glossy base that cannot be achieved by most bed surfaces.
>>Cost. In the longer term, a 3D printer glass bed will save you money and hassle from replacement and reapplication.
>>Easy Clean-up. Unlike most beds, it is easier to spot dirt on a glass platform because of its glossy nature. This makes it easier to clean a glass bed with acetone or a regular glass cleaner.
>>Easy Removal. No one wants to use force when removing a print from a bed surface because the print is stuck. Therefore, designers should opt for beds that don’t stick too much to the print.
>>Durability. Glass rarely needs replacement because it hardly wears out and it can be used for several prints without the need for a replacement. Durable glass like tempered glass will not easily shatter or crack when exposed to high strains because it is manufactured to be more tolerant.
>>Thermal Conductivity. Glass bed needs to have low thermal conductivity. Low thermal conductivity means you have a thermally stable platform that will not be affected by sudden rises or drops in temperature.
>> Scratch Resistance. Carborundum glass tends to be scratch resistant and is not susceptible to abrasive or chemical damage.
PEI has excellent mechanical properties, radiation resistance, high and low-temperature resistance, high-temperature stability, and high wear resistance as well as good flame retardancy, chemical resistance, and electrical insulation characteristics.
Pros of a PEI Sheet:
>> It is readily available, relatively cheap to purchase and easy to apply and remove.
>> It can provide excellent adhesion for a printed item, removing the need for tapes and glues.
>> It provides a smooth surface finish (while it remains undamaged).
>> It provides good thermal conductivity for a heated bed.
CR-6 SE has a versatile modular nozzle that is quite easy for component parts replacement, saving more time and effort in nozzle maintenance. When disabling the nozzle, users can change the heat block, heat sink, Teflon tube, or the nozzle tip.
More importantly, the nozzle equipped with powerful cooling fans improves heat dissipation by 30% (Note: Data based on simulation analysis from Creality Lab.）
In the world of FDM printing, the brass 0.4-mm nozzle is king. With the Ender 3, it’s no exception. What makes brass a good default material is that it’s cheap, easily formed, conducts heat well, and doesn’t tarnish or oxidize easily.
Naturally, brass also has its drawbacks, namely that it’s soft and doesn’t hold up well against the abrasive nature of more exotic filament types. Yet, given the Ender 3’s price point and the majority of hobbyists printing in your fundamental PLA, ABS, and PETG, accessibility and low price have made this nozzle the perfect match.
Hardened Steel: Heavy use with abrasive materials
Allows the maker to use abrasive materials and has a longer lifetime than stainless steel nozzles. This material is recommended for makers who find themselves using abrasive materials a lot, such as Nylon/ Carbon fiber/ Metal-filled filaments/ Exotic filaments, etc.
The filament just gets transported more hassle-free to the hotel.
Capricorn tubing is made from PTFE, so it should offer better flexibility, abrasion resistance, and chemical resistance. Also, the inner diameter is a bit bigger, so you can print chunky or out of spec filaments more easily.
It is made of flame retardant aluminum foil cloth.
Quick and easy installation/Foldable/
Constant Temperature
Dustproof noise reduction
Stable Structure