"Although Artillery has been in the 3D printer market since 2018, today it is considered one of the most successful players in the industry."
The brand of the Chinese company Shenzhen Yuntuchuanghzhi Technology Co. made its debut in 2018 with the FDM printer Artillery Sidewinder X1. Sidewinder X2 is a new, improved version with a plastic casing, similar to Artillery Genius.
Today we will take a closer look at Sidewinder X2. If you are curious about how it works, what its features are, and what sets it apart from other 3D printers, you are in the right place!
General characteristics of Artillery Sidewinder X2
To start with, here is what the printer's packaging includes. Besides the machine itself, when you purchase Artillery Sidewinder X2, you also receive a bag with accessories and tools and a USB flash drive.
Now let's move on to the first thing that is noticeable in the 3D printer, namely its functionalities and design.
Functionalities
Similar to its predecessor, the volume of the Sidewinder X2 is also 300 x 300 x 400 mm. Its extruder features a direct drive in Titan style with a hot end in volcano style, plus power loss and a filament detection module. Additionally, it has a fast-heating bed with AC and clean flat wiring, again inherent to the Sidewinder X1.
What sets the Sidewinder X2 apart is the type of bed. While in the previous model it is silicone, here it is ceramic, which contributes to faster heating. As for the price/quality ratio, you certainly won't regret it if you decide to purchase this printer, as you will get a highly functional machine at a great price.
Design
From a visual standpoint, the blue injected part marked "Sidewinder" is the most noticeable difference between the Sidewinder X2 and X1. Aside from this detail, the new model from Artillery looks exactly like its predecessor.
The print head of the 3D printer Sidewinder X2 is made from the Titan extruder, which is closest to the nozzle. This allows for direct drive, enabling you to print flexible filaments like TPU without any difficulties.
The aluminum profiles that make up its structure are wider and larger than most standard printers. This favors more stable movements of both the head and the plate.
One thing is for sure. With the 3D printer Sidewinder X2, you will have a product that can reproduce small and large objects with impeccable surface finish and enviable precision. The revolutionary full-color touchscreen helps you change and monitor various parameters while keeping track of the progress of the building process of the elements you are working on.
Wiring
The most important change in this 3D printer is the new protected cable connections. In the Sidewinder X1, the manufacturers made the design decision to make the cables flat. However, the elegant design of the flat cables made them much more fragile and prone to breaking.
Fortunately, with the Sidewinder X2 3D printer, this problem has been resolved. Artillery has equipped the new printer with a sturdier cable support for all its connections.
"The problems with ribbon cables often plague the owners of the Artillery Sidewinder X1 and Artillery Genius. The good news is that Artillery made several improvements in the Sidewinder X2 to prevent such issues. One of these changes includes the ribbon connectors. They now have locking clips that press the connector against the pins."
In addition, the X2 also comes with special plastic clips. This is one of the most important changes in this model from Artillery. The moving supports on the Z-axis are now made of cast aluminum. But what is actually interesting is what is inside the metal blocks themselves. In the new model 3D printers, these supports use a spring that presses the wheel with the V-shaped opening against the extrusion.
Power supply
Since the Sidewinder X2 3D printer has a heat bed powered by AC, you won't need much energy to run the rest of the product. Its 200W fanless power supply is more than enough. The interesting thing here is that you can choose the voltage level - between 110V and 220V.
Distinctive qualities of Artillery Sidewinder X2
Simple yet exceptional design
The Sidewinder X2 3D printer has the same classic design and style as the Sidewinder X1. It has the same quintessence but is much better than its predecessor with its elegant appearance and perfect texture.
Intelligent functionality
"As Artillery sets the standard for the industry, you can expect excellent quality from the 3D printer Sidewinder X2. It features a built-in cable design, with an innovative appearance. Not only that, but it also has a high level of integration and stable performance. Furthermore, the machine is easy to maintain."
32-bit motherboard
Sidewinder X2 has a 32-bit Ruby motherboard that provides strong computing power.
Titan extruder with modular nozzle set
This 3D printer features a Titan extruder with a modular volcano nozzle. As a result, the machine extrudes faster and offers high-precision printing.
Platform made of tempered glass and heating bed with alternating current
Thanks to the tempered glass platform, the elements are printed much more smoothly and have solid adhesion. The 3D printer also offers good thermal conductivity for quick heating. You can heat it up to 110°C in just two minutes.
Synchronized design with dual Z axis with patented connector
The Sidewinder X2 features a synchronized design with a dual Z-axis, closed synchronous belt, and dual lead screw. With the combination of these factors, the 3D printer delivers consistent, synchronized results.
Extended use after power interruption or thread run-out
Another impressive feature of Sidewinder X2 is its ability to detect power interruptions or thread leakage. Before the thread runs out, the 3D printer alerts you with an alarm. And in the event of power interruptions, it offers continued use after power is restored. These versatile features of the Sidewinder X2 make it a product you can rely on.
Ultra quiet stepper driver for silent printing
The Sidewinder X2 has an extremely quiet stepper driver that offers silent operation. This allows the machine to operate at low decibels, enabling you to use it indoors without disturbance.
Intelligent automatic leveling of the bed
"When using the Sidewinder X2, you won't need to deal with complicated manual leveling. It features matrix automatic alignment, which is proven to be smart, precise, and efficient."
Self-adaptive broadband power supply
The high-quality wide voltage power supply system of the Sidewinder X2 is supported by proven classic technology and stable power supply. For the convenience of all, the power supply has a switch to select the voltage between 100 and 220V.
Specifications for Artillery Sidewinder X2
The volume of Artillery Sidewinder X2 is 300 x 300 x 400 mm and has tempered glass with a coating for the printing surface. The product features an AC heated bed, a layer resolution of 0.1 to 0.35 mm and a movement speed of 250 mm/s.
As for the printing speed, this 3D printer Sidewinder X2 operates from 60 mm/s to 150 mm/s. It has one extruder, filament with a diameter of 1.75 mm, a frame made of extruded aluminum, and ABL calibration.
The Sidewinder X2 3D printer supports PLA, ABS, wood, HIPS, PVA, and other flexible materials. It uses FFF (Fused Filament Fabrication) technology and a Titan direct drive extruder. Additionally, its XYZ resolution is 0.05 mm, 0.05 mm, and 0.1 mm respectively.
The printer nozzle is of volcanic type with a size of 0.4 mm. The nozzle temperature ranges from 180°C to 240°C, and the heating time is less than three minutes.
The heating time for the build plate reaches 80°C in less than two minutes. Its operating consumption is from 100 to 240V maximum with the heating bed turned on. The control board used by the Sidewinder X2 is Artillery Ruby 32.
The maximum printing and movement speed of the 3D printer plus the temperature of the build plate is 150 mm/s, 250 mm/s, and 130°C. In terms of connectivity, the printer can connect via USB, USB flash, or TF card.
And finally, the machine itself has dimensions of 550 x 405 x 640 mm and weighs 12.9 kg.
How to Assemble the Artillery Sidewinder X2 - Practical Tips
The Sidewinder X2 3D printer has two parts: a base and a portal. Everything else, from the cables to the extruder, comes pre-assembled.
"The only thing you need to do is to place the frame and then screw it in using the four bolts. Just in case, check if the power switch is set to the correct voltage."
Here are the results that the Sidewinder X2 shows after checking the warm-up time:
The hot end reaches 200°C in 50 seconds and 250°C in just over a minute.
The heating bed reaches 60°C in 55 seconds and 100°C in just over two minutes.
The power of the 3D printer Sidewinder X2 is about 7 W. When both the heating bed and the hot end are heated, the printer uses about 560 W of power. During operation, the machine's power stabilizes at 80 W.
The printer produces impressive elements with high detail in an astonishingly short time. Also, the quality of parts printed in both PETG and PLA is almost perfect even for smaller figures.
What we learned about the Artillery Sidewinder X2
Artillery Sidewinder X2 is a descendant of the earlier released X1 and comes with a number of improvements. A key element in the updated design and functionalities of the printer is the feedback from customers, which Artillery has clearly taken into account.
Sidewinder X2 offers almost everything you would look for in a 3D printer. Testing it, we notice that it manages to achieve precise details on both small and large models. That is why we believe this printer is an excellent option for anyone interested in 3D printing - both for beginners and professionals. It offers a good print area, improved heated bed, and direct extrusion for achieving perfect prints. This is one of the best machines that offer a balance between print quality, affordability, and functionality.
You can purchase the 3D printer Artillery Sidewinder X2 today here or call us if you have any questions..
