Quick question guys… which one is better quality? 20 Microns or 100 Microns??
These usually refer to layer heights. A micron is 0.001mm, so 100 micron layer height is 0.1mm, and 20 microns is 0.02mm.
@Ryan_Besch
So 20 should look way better then 100… right? Thanks!
@Carlton_Dodd
wow! there should be a significant difference between the two of them! Thanks! 
@Ryan_Besch
wow… decisions to make… ultimaker 2 (20 microns) or printrbot metal plus (100 microns, out of stock)…
@javierymirna , good luck getting 20 microns out of the UM2 fresh out of the box. They’re not using any better quality materials (AFAICT) than the Printrbot. In other words, 20 microns vs 100 microns is just marketing.
20
@ThantiK Well, for one, a UM2 uses Metric screws, while AFAIK Printrbots still don’t. That alone could make that difference.
Still I’d agree that reliable 20um printing out-of-the-box is unlikely.
@ThantiK @Whosa_whatsis hhhmmm… I know I’ve been asking many questions lately… and I had already made my mind into buying the printrbot metal plus, but they are out of stock, and who knows when they’ll be available… there’s a lightly used ultimaker 2 for sale and that is available right away… I need a 3D printer as soon as possible… but I just dont want to make the same mistake I made buying the makerbot 5th generation…
If you could get 20 micron working at all, it would also take at least 5 times longer to print. For lots of prints, that’s going to be all day (or days). And technically, there’s nothing keeping someone from running a well-tuned printrbot at 20 micron, other than the fact that it’s probably not practical. But it’s probably not practical with the other machine either.
@javierymirna both machines are a good buy! You wouldn’t be making a mistake going either way. You’ve just managed to get the veterans jabbering. A lot of us are into the theoretical zone of things. 
UM2 is a solid printer, and the Metal Plus is supposed to be a good machine as well - I’ve just not had hands on experience with one.
Personally, while I have FFF printers that can reliably print at 50 microns, I almost never print at that resolution. 100 microns is much easier, but again, I rarely go that low for anything of any size.
When you start talking about SLA or SLS, low micron Z becomes much more relevant IMHO…
Both are solid but I prefer the motion of the um2 because it doesn’t have to swing around a heavy printbed when it moves the y axis.
@Ethan_Hall I would prefer the UM2, but it’s about 50% more than the Metal, so probably not the fairest comparison…
True, just make sure that the metal plus fits all your requirements for now and in the future because spending more now and keeping your printer for longer would be a better investment that buying a new printer once your needs change
Metal plus will be back in stock today or tomorrow. It prints better than anything we’ve made to date. And the cheaper simple metal is already incredibly good. I understand the theoretical argument. Not all printers print equally well at beyond .2mm layer height. I have examples at .05 that were almost indistinguishable from .1mm. I’m gone lower but it’s a pain. I question when people post claims beyond .1 because it gets so crazy slow and finicky at .05 and beyond with little to no improvement in the real world. If your use case demands ultra high resolution beyond .1, FDM is not recommended. Buy a form labs or b9creator.
I wouldn’t want to over promise and under deliver, so I under promise. All I can promise is incredible value when compared to other companies with same build volume.
Good luck!
Brook
20 microns. A micron is a unit of height measurement, so less of them is better.
@Harry_Rabin
Thank you Harry!
@Ethan_Hall
Really good point Ethan! Thanks for the help!
@John_Driggers
yes, the ultimaker is expensive… but quiet and it seems reliable… I just want something plug and play…