Avoid Orballo Printing for P3Steel

So I ordered a P3STEEL kit from them on May 4th.I thought it odd that their kit doesn't actually include any hardware such as screws(you have to order them for a seperate fee) Against my better judgment I placed the order because the website states 3-4 day shipping(this is a lie to get you to purchase through them). Anyways it's not May 14th and there is still no update on the order or even that it's shipped. I found it odd that none of my emails were replied to and that their online chat option Is always(offline). I did finally get a response May 10th with a one liner stating that they are printing the z axis ends. That's all they wrote... This is just a heads up if anyone wants to upgrade their printer avoid this place and go else where!

They did finally ship the frame after two weeks and the shipping did arrive in about 3 days. So the shipping parts true but they just don't mention the two weeks before shipment. I think the P3steel is great I'm currently assembling it. Seems to be solid. Their 3d printed parts they include are sub par. Was missing a few things from that so save your money and just print your own.

Hi,

Sorry for delay. We have had lack in the production and cause some delay. At this moment have the Prusa Steel in stock and we ship on time. Thank you for your understanding.

Best regards

I cannot recommend Orballo Printing, I purchased their printed parts for the P3steel and each piece they sent broke before I could even use the printer. I find out to be because they do not infill their printed pieces maybe 10% at most so each piece broke and some actually had gaps so you could see right through the piece. I ended up having to throw them out but I'll post pictures of the poor quality. Sucks because I paid a lot for them.

One of these is the belt tensioner which broke while tightening, luckily they sent two so I used the other one and two seconds later it broke. The other is the X axis motor mount you can see how thin the print is also tried to use a screw to attach a accessory and the screw ripped out because their was nothing to grab onto inside.



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 06/20/2018 07:26PM by Fiyero88.

Do you need anything printed to get your 3D Printer working good enough that you can reprint those awful prints.

I would have thought the P3Steel shouldnt have any 3D Printed parts, or very few.

P3Steel Plastic Parts, Not many



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 06/22/2018 07:57AM by Roberts_Clif.

They should have never sent those parts, they are substandard.

Anyone who knows anything about reprap machines knows those are horrible prints.

I think I would politely ask for much better replacement parts be sent to me.

Quote
orbitalair
They should have never sent those parts, they are substandard.
Anyone who knows anything about reprap machines knows those are horrible prints.
I think I would politely ask for much better replacement parts be sent to me.

Ditto!!!!!!!!!!

Bugger. Asked for opinions on the Duet forum on P3Steel machines (generically rather than Orballoprinting) and didn't think to search this one.

I'll pre-print some spare parts while I wait for the printer to be dispatched!

How was the printer once you resolved the printed parts issue?

With regards the printed parts the website currently states a 65% fill density, which is far greater than pictured. If this was what was stated when you ordered the machine then they were being very dishonest, not even to go into the other very poor print quality issues.

Edited 2 time(s). Last edit at 11/27/2018 01:44AM by WesBrooks.

I too ordered the P3Steel from Orballo and also had some trouble with my order to arrive. Customer support told me that something went wrong. They said they couldn't make a connection between my order and my payment. I can not remember precisely when I ordered this but it might possible be that it was at roughly the same time as OP ordered his/hers or maybe a bit earlier.

What I think is, that Orballo is collecting orders and cut those frames as soon as enough accumulated in the order basket.
You can't blame them for that either. I guess they are a rather small company. I personally would do the same.

My P3Steel came without the plastic parts. I printed them myself. The quality of the frame is good.

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Their website advertised next day delivery messages when I ordered. I realised this was unlikely to apply to orders sent overseas but it should have been dispatched sooner.

No complete build manual for the entry level offering. No wiring guide for the RAMPs board. Electricsl enclosure didn't fit RAMPs board.

Printed parts were weak, and didn't appear to be the infill levels advertised.

Screen was missing from original order, as was the screen mount. Sender rectifed the missing screen.

Motors were not what was advertised, smaller units dispatched. Refused to give me details of motors on my system dispite being asked multiple times.

Not enough large CSA wire sent with machine. Wire not standard colours for mains use. Power switch only cut live, not live and neutral. All of the supplied stepper and switch wires were too long and needed cutting and re crimping.

Heater plate was half the resistance that it should have been. I ordered a mosfet unit and fuse in order for the unit not to smoke on first heat up.

Cut frame was a good quality, but then again so was the one I ordered since from ebay.

All in all they are over stretched, and while I appreciate this is likely either a one man band or similar they didn't proove themselves capable of supplying the service that is expected at the price they are offering. Too many corners have been cut in an order to reach their target price point.

Edited 9 time(s). Last edit at 04/15/2019 02:34AM by WesBrooks.

As a complete kit on the EU market shouldn't this product be CE marked?

I must state that I only ordered the frame. I sourced electronics myself and printed the parts beforehand. Parts are also up on eBay sometimes.
As for CE, I am not into the matter but then all the dirt cheap stuff in our printers comes to 99% from obscure chinese factories. Judging by the price Orballo offers their stuff, I doubt they manufacture anything but the steel frame in Spain.
And a CE sticker is only a piece of sticky paper. If it comes to comply to specific country policies.
What could possible go wrong?!

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I'm not sure I follow your response.

The documentation behind CE marking is the manufacturer's responsibility, or in the case of items made outside the EU area the importers responsibility. It indicates the machine has been built to agreed standards, although many manufacturers push the printers through as home IT equiment rather than machines, giving themselves an easier ride.

I was reading up on the requiments to proove compliance with the relevant regulations, but the standards are inaccessible without cash up front.

There were things that made me think the kit I recieved wouldn't comply.

As for what could go wrong? If I had built it out of the parts supplied the draw would have been too great for the wiring and it would been a potential ignition point for a fire in my home. Had that of happened that would probably be enough for prosecution.

The other grumble was the stock firmware was using a version of Marlin at least 2 years old with the thermal run away detection disabled.

Edit: built to, or designed to with full instructions for complete kits.

Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 04/15/2019 04:27AM by WesBrooks.

Thinking about the single pole switch a little more that is seriously dodgy in europe where you can get the plug the wrong way around. Leaves bits after the switch live, and you could get a belt from 'neutral' to earth.

Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 04/15/2019 04:45AM by WesBrooks.

Okay I see what you mean. As for complience markings I wouldn't trust anything in the 3D printer market when it doesn't come from companies like Prusa or Ultimaker. IMHO the whole market is mostly a swamp of counterfeits reaching from fake stickers to outsourced cheaper power regulators to generally wrong dimensions of cables like you had that. We have to be cautious ourselfs with this whole flood of cheap reseller-forwarded DIY electronics from China. And it's our responsibility to have the firmwares not accidently ligthen up our roofs.
As for the single pole switch I don't know what you mean. Do you mean plug like power plug for the wall outlet? If so, afaik it doesn't matter how you put the plug in the outlet here in the EU. But I think I don't get you there.

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Just for clarity I'm hailing from the UK.

Two pole switch breaks both live (large ac voltage between live and protective earth) and neutral (negligable difference between neutral and earth fatality from contact highly improbable).

Single pole breaks just live.

Fuse is normally on the live side before the switch.

So, problem with a single pole switch is the mains powered items on the device still have a full 230VAC going to them, there is just no current draw as the neutral connection has not been made. This can be counter intuative (increased risk of shock to a novice working badly) and any short to earth currents (fault) will still conduct with the switch off.

Issue with reversable plugs is a short to earth relies on a fuse on the main supply to trip, rather than the fuse on the device. Distance between fault and an RCD breaker can reduce its effectiveness.

Best practice would be a twin pole earth leakage and overcurrent breaker instead of a standard fuse, not seen that used on desktop printers. I have an RCD and also a plug tester with me when working on other peoples machines so I can confirm there is a good earth conmection and live ane neutral haven't been miss wired.

Edited 2 time(s). Last edit at 04/15/2019 07:22AM by WesBrooks.