Not so many years ago, the idea of having a 3D printer in your home would have been a luxury. As with most modern technology, prices soon start to drop and now it is perfectly reasonable to have one in your home. 3D printers open the door to a world of creativity. Today, we will be going over the features and specifics of the Anet A6 vs Anet A8. There will be quite a few technical numbers, so we will put all of the information in a comparison chart.
Let’s start by taking a closer look at how the Anet A6 and the Anet A8 are similar.
Anet A6 vs Anet A8 – Similarities
Controls
The Anet A6 and the Anet A8 have LCD screens. With these screens, you can see the status of your printing and make slight adjustments, even during the printing process. There is a slight difference in the controls in that the A6 has a turn knob while the A8 has a keypad.
Operating Systems and Software
Both the Anet 3D printers can be used with Windows XP, 7, 8, 9, and 10, Mac, and Linux. The software included is Cura.
Nozzle
The nozzle functions with the single color filament. They have a diameter of 0.4mm, which will help with the intricate details of your printing. The temperature of the nozzles ranges from room temperature to 260 degrees C.
Layer Thickness
If you are new to 3D printing, the layer thickness is the thickness of the filament in each layer of printing. To add to the Anet A6 and Anet A8’s ability to capture detail, the layer thickness is as little as 0.1mm, and a material diameter of 1.75mm.
Accessories
You will receive the same accessories when you buy either the Anet A6 or the Anet A8. They come with an SD card that contains the installation instructions, a card reader, 4 hex wrenches, an open spanner, a nipper, a screwdriver, one filament of 10m, and an Aibecy cleaning cloth.
So, now let’s go over how the Anet A6 and the Anet A8 are different.
Differences Between Anet A6 and Anet A8
Appearance
You will recognize a 3D printer at first sight. The best way to describe them is metal bars with the printer component (similar to a normal printer) running along the bars.
Anet A6
It is considered the big sister/brother of the Anet A8 and therefore it is slightly larger. The assembled dimensions are 18.9 x 15.7 x 7.1 inches. It weighs 18.3 pounds. The maximum printer size is 220 x 220 x 250mm.
Anet A8
The dimensions are very similar at 20.1 x 13.6 x 8.5 inches. It weighs a bit more at 19.31 pounds. The maximum printing size is a tiny bit smaller at 220 x 220 x 240mm.
The Winner Is- The Anet A6
Read next: Flashforge Dreamer vs Creator Pro: Which 3D Printer is Better?
Material to Use
One might assume that a 3D printer will only print using plastic, especially printers within this price range.
Anet 6
You can use ABS, plastic, TPV, wood, nylon, PVA, pp, and luminescent. This is a great range of materials.
Anet 8
You will be able to use the same variety of materials with the exception of the TPV.
The Winner Is- The Anet A6
Accuracy
So, from your computer, you have sent the image you wanted to be printed to the 3D printer. The question is, is it going to print the same as you, and the computer had imagined. This boils down to the accuracy of the axises. Looking straight on to the 3D printer, the X-axis is the width the Y-axis is the depth, and the Z-axis is the heigh.
Anet A6
The accuracy is truly quite incredible. The XY axis has an accuracy of 0.012mm. The Z-axis has an accuracy of 0.004mm.
Anet A8
The XY axis has an accuracy of 0.015mm and a Z-axis accuracy of 0.005mm. Although less than the Anet A6, it is still very impressive.
Read next – Creality Ender 3 vs CR 10: Which 3D Printer is Better?
Printer Speed
It is not always about the speed of a printer. While we don’t want to have to wait forever, a 3D printer that goes too fast will become less accurate.
Anet A6
This has a printing speed of between 10-150mm per second.
Anet A6
The precise speed has been difficlt to nail down. Some product information has said a maximum speed of 100mm per second, others have said between 10mm and 120mm per second.
The Winner Is- A Tie
Read next – Creality Ender 3 vs Anet A8: Which 3D Printer is Better?
Pros and Cons
The following section is dedicated to the pros and cons of the Anet A6 and the Anet A8
Anet A6
Pros:
- Amazing value for money
- The LCD display has been improved and it is easier to use
- Excellent resolution and print quality
Cons:
- There is no power switch, it must be unplugged to turn it off
Anet A8
Pros:
- This is an ideal entry-level 3D printer
- The assembly is not too difficult
- Good construction on all of the moving parts
Cons:
- It is quite noisy
The Final Verdict
Both the Anet A6 and the Anet A8 are excellent value for money. They work extremely well and very accurate 3D printing. Neither will require a lot of follow up work to tidy up your projects. Although the Aent A6 is slightly more expensive, in this case, we decided that it was worth it. Anet has made various upgrades to A6’s LCD screen, the motherboard and the mainboard.
If you aren’t inclined to spend the extra money or you are just beginning in the world of 3D printing, you might be better off wth the Anet A8. For everybody else, the A6 will make a brilliant addition to your technology projects.
Last update on 2023-03-19 / Affiliate links / Images from Amazon Product Advertising API