What are the top 3D printers for manufacturing prototypes and models?

If you are looking for industrial and aerospace grade FDM components then Stratasys is the best in industry today. Else, if you are looking to print general prototypes and functional parts you can choose professional grade FFF printers from Ultimaker, Method XL, Raise 3D or Bambu labs printers. Choose a printer with temperature controlled chamber if you are working with engineering grade materials. FDM/ FFF allows you to work with wide range of industrial grade thermoplastics. In FDM/ FFF, print orientation plays a major role in the functionality of the part. Choose the orientation only after understanding the application. Orientation has to be optimised for aesthetics and support reduction as well.

Ultimaker 3D printers are ideal for beginners from various industries due to their user-friendly interface, high-quality prints, and versatility in materials. Known for precision and reliability, they support a wide range of materials, meeting diverse application needs. The robust community and extensive support resources, including forums and tutorials, assist new users effectively. Ultimaker's advanced software, such as Ultimaker Cura, simplifies model preparation, enhancing the printing workflow. Their printers are durable and scalable, suitable for both small and large projects, with options for customization and upgrades, making them a valuable investment for growing businesses.

My first professional choice in FFF before some years was Raise 3D N2+ and I'm still using it regularly. The machine is robust enough to allow printing engineering prototypes of medium large sizes. Updated hotends coupled with dual direct extruders by Bondtech made this choise ultimate for small-mid parts production. It supports wide viriety of materials and can be used for most SOHO applications. Raise Cloud TM is very usefull framework for remote printing and administration. The only small con I have to notice is relatively weak slicer utility (ideaMaker) the vendor supplies with the machine, however it gets improve with the time and with some experience and finetuning you can slice with another slicers available on the market as well.

SLA can produce smooth finish, transparent parts that mimics the properties of industrial grade plastics. If you are looking for large format industrial grade SLA printer, then 3D Systems leads the way. But if you are looking for an affordable desktop printer then Formlabs is the best solutions. With around 45+ materials Formlabs provides end to end solution for general prototyping, functional testing and tooling application with SLA technology. You also get bio compatible and dental materials with Formlabs SLA technology. Today you also get speciality resins in the form of FR grade, ESD, High Temp, Ceramic, Wax and Silicone like materials all in one printer.

SLS is one of the most widely used industrial 3D printing solution across the globe. Though EOS, HP and 3D systm are the big players in this segment, the industry has been disrupted with the arrival of desktop SLS solutions. Formlabs Fuse 1+ provides an easy to use budget friendly SLS printing solution to the industry. With a great user experience and speed of printing, Fuse has been widely accepted in the industry. It provides complete powder management solution in the form of Fuse Sift and a media blasting unit in the form of Fuse Blast. With a considerable size build chamber and fast cooling, Fuse customers currently use it for end use part production. Fuse printers reliability and high packing densities allows for lower cost per part.

The Carbon M2 uses Digital Light Synthesis (DLS) technology, providing excellent surface finish and mechanical properties. It offers a build volume of 190 x 118 x 326 mm and supports a wide range of resins, including rigid, flexible, and elastomeric materials. I employed the Carbon M2 to produce custom ergonomic grips for a consumer electronics project. The DLS technology provided exceptional surface quality and material properties, which were crucial for user comfort and product durability. This experience demonstrated the printer's capability to deliver production-quality prototypes that closely mimic final production parts. The Ultimaker 3 Extended offers dual extrusion capabilities and is known for its precision and reliability.