Sovol SV01 – 3D Printer Review

The Sovol SV01 is a direct drive 3D printer offered within the lower price range of other DIY 3D printer kits. While the printer may take some time to assemble and use, this Sovol SV01 3D printer review gives you a head start on what to expect.

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Here are the technical specifications for the Sovol SV01 3D printer:

Sovol SV01 Technical Specs

Design & Features

One of the first things you’ll notice about the Sovol SV01 3D printer is the full aluminum extrusion frame which boasts stability and reliability. The sturdy frame isn’t the only thing providing stability with the Sovol SV01 direct drive 3D printer. There’s a Meanwell Power Supply housed in the print base that heats up the print bed and nozzle fairly quickly. It’s a certified source of power that can protect the Sovol 3D printer from unexpected power surges.

The Sovol SV01 saves the status of your builds in real-time. Should the power to the 3D printer be cut unexpectedly, the resume print feature kicks in to continue printing the job from where it stopped. Another useful feature is the filament end detector which sounds an alert when the coil is cut or if the spool is finished prior to the build’s completion. Thermal runaway protection is another alert installed on the Sovol SV01 3D printer as a safety precaution.

With all of the sensors in place, using the machine can be mastered in no time. The SV01 direct drive 3D printer uses the direct drive extruder in accompaniment with the dual Z-axis design to reduce vibrations, improve accuracy, and promote a smoother surface finish. Along with improving accuracy, improving the Sovol SV01’s operational memory is an included bonus with its Creality 2.2 mainboard with a 256k memory capacity.  The mainboard and other features can be accessed through the display screen. It’s a large LCD screen that uses a knob to navigate the menu and settings.

In navigating the settings, you’ll find the controls to manually level the print bed. There’s space near the extruder to add a BL-Touch sensor for an auto-leveling upgrade or continue using the large hand-twist nuts. The print bed is heated tempered glass which Sovol markets as a build plate with good adhesion without the use of hairspray or tape. Prints should stick through the build process and can be easily removed once the print bed cools off. 

Printing 

The SV01 3D printer can be used online tethered to a computer, or offline by downloading G-code files directly to the SD card which is located in the back of the machine. You can start printing right after assembling the printer since it comes with a generous 200-gram sample spool of PLA filament. The machine isn’t equipped with a quiet drive motherboard, so it isn’t the quietest printer in this price range. The cooling fan located in the base of the printer is fairly loud throughout the print process. 

The print process itself is decent but leaves room for improvement. With the widened X-axis, dual Z-axis setup, and direct drive extruder, printing with the Sovol SV01 3D printer can produce some stringing and visible layer lines even though these features are supposed to enhance stability and precision. Some other issues lie within the nozzle housing unit as there’s a plastic funnel-like piece the filament feeds through into the extruder where the material can roll and tangle within the piece clogging the hot end. Clogging is especially likely when printing with more exotic materials. 

When it comes to printing with a variety of filaments, the SV01 direct drive 3D printer can with PLA well, but the current hot end only heats to 250℃ which will cause issues with filaments that require a higher nozzle temperature. On the upside, the Sovol allows third-party filaments to be used with the printer. The 3D printer’s also able to print larger models with its 11.02 in x 9.45 in x 11.81 in build space.

Packing

The SV01 SV01 3D printer comes mostly assembled requiring minimum effort to get it ready to print. After bolting the gantry to the print base, attach the screen to the frame, and connect all of the wires. Be sure to give the direct drive printer a thorough check of its preassembled parts to tighten all of the screws and ensure every wire is connected properly. Connect the motors and end stop switches, adjust the settings, level the bed, and start printing. It shouldn’t take more than a few hours to put all the parts together. 

Take a look at all of the parts that come with the Sovol SV01 direct drive 3D printer:

• • 1 x Gantry Assembly
  • 1 x Print Base with Tempered Glass Print Bed
  • 1 x Large LCD Screen
  • 1 x Spool Holders
  • 1 x Toolkit
  • 1 x Pair of Wire Cutters
  • 1 x USB Printer Cable
  • 1 x Power Cord
  • 1 x Metal Scaper
  • 1 x SD Card
  • 1 x 200 gram Sample Roll of PLA Filament

Customer Support

The Sovol company offers a number of ways to support its customers throughout the purchase and after-purchase process. The website provides firmware downloads, shipping information, and troubleshooting tips. There are several video tutorials that include an assembly guide, how to fix the hot end clogging issue, and even how to replace the LCD screen. Sovol promises to respond to most email inquiries within 24 hours.

As far as the SV01 3D printer goes, there is a one-year warranty covering the printer and its parts. You’ll need to contact Sovol customer support for the specifics of what’s covered exactly. The company also offers a 30-day exchange and return policy should the printer not perform as expected or arrive damaged.

Sovol SV01 Pros & Cons

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Pros:

• The printer has a very large build area.
• The heated glass print bed heats quickly and provides good adhesion for builds that come off easily after it’s cooled down.
• The filament runout detector, resume print function, and thermal runaway protection are great features to promote successful builds.
• The SV01 can be used tethered or untethered from a computer.
• The sturdy aluminum frame with the wide x-axis, dual z-axis, and direct drive reduce vibrations.
• Third-party filaments can be used with the machine.

Cons:

• The hot end is prone to clogging, especially with softer and more exotic filaments. 
• The nozzle only heats up to 250℃ which doesn’t support printing with ABS that needs a hot end temperature of 255℃.
• The manual leveling process can hinder print preparation, but at least it can be upgraded to auto-leveling.
• Loose screws, wires, and connections within the preassembled parts can cause problems with the printer’s operation.

Verdict

Hopefully, this Sovol SV01 3D printer review has provided some clarity on how this direct drive 3D printer operates. It’s easy to use and can be assembled in under an hour. While it may not be the quietest printer, its ability to print large builds makes up for the noise.

The sensors make the print process run smoothly while manual leveling can slow down operations a bit. Luckily, there’s space for a BL-ouch sensor to upgrade the print bed. An upgrade to the hot end will be necessary for filaments requiring a nozzle temp that reaches higher than 250 °C. Being able to use non-proprietary filament is another bonus that helps sway the decision toward giving the Sovol SV01 direct drive 3D printer a try.

Last update on 2024-10-27 / Affiliate links / Images from Amazon Product Advertising API