Flashforge Adventurer 5M Pro Review: A Compact Powerhouse for 3D Printing

Disclosure: The Adventurer 5M Pro was provided by Flashforge at no cost for this review. I have not received any additional compensation, and all opinions are my own. FlashForge has not influenced the content of this review.

In today’s review, we delve into the Flashforge Adventurer 5M Pro, a 3D printer that promises both value and performance. Our goal is to determine if this printer is a worthy investment, especially for continuous, 24/7 production use.

Unboxing and Assembly

Upon opening the packaging, it was clear the Flashforge Adventurer 5M Pro was packaged well. All the foam was snug and the screws were very tight, with none loosened from shipping. This Adventurer 5M Pro is a fully assembled printer, unless you count using two screws to add the spool holder in the back. However, it does require that you remove four screws from the build platform that are used to secure the bed during shipping. The self-calibration process that occurs immediately after setup worked as expected and there were no issues leveling, setting the Z-offset, or input shaping. This all took about 10 minutes in total. A deeper look into the unboxing can be found here (or below).

Hardware and Specifications

The Adventurer 5M Pro features a Core-XY kinematic system and a build volume of 220x220x220mm. Although on the modest side in terms of size, it is suitable for many applications. While Flashforge advertises a maximum travel speed of 600mm/s, practical print speeds are closer to 200-300mm/s due to the limitations in flow rate. The printer supports a range of materials including PLA, PETG, ABS, ASA, TPU, and their fiber-reinforced variants. Notably, it struggles with TPU, requiring very slow print speeds of 30-40mm/s.

Software and User Interface

One of the highlights of the Adventurer 5M Pro is its slicer compatibility. It comes with Orca slicer profiles, a welcome change from the less favored Flashprint. This is a big win for me. I have long disliked Flashprint, so I am happy to see that Flashforge is making profiles for popular slicers. While their profiles are only on Orca, this means, in theory, that you can use any slicer you wish, as you only need to export Klipper flavored G-code. The user interface is intuitive, though the touchscreen could be improved. The printer also offers an online interface via Polarcloud, but WiFi issues prevented me from testing this feature. The internal storage for G-code files is convenient for repeated prints of the same file but can become cumbersome with numerous files.

Test Prints and Performance

The Adventurer 5M Pro excelled in various print tests:

HeliBenchy: This complex model, inspired by the Benchy boat and Avengers’ Helicarrier, was printed cleanly and precisely.

Tolerance Test: This printer held surprisingly tight tolerances in my testing. With this test I designed, I was able to achieve a snug 0.05mm tolerance. I was still able to insert and remove the test plug from the test body. This is ideal for snap-fit designs.

First Layer and Bed-leveling: The Adventurer 5M Pro uses the nozzle and strain gauges to probe the bed for homing, and mesh bed calibration. This works extremely well thanks to the quick nozzle cleaning routine at the back of the build plate, which ensures a clean, debris-free nozzle. The first layers have been nearly flawless over the last month of my testing. I will note that, for higher temp materials like ASA and Nylon, the nozzle and bed expand quite a bit more than when the bed is probed, and the first layers on those materials are a tad too close. However, this isn’t an issue because it isn’t so close that the layer ruins the print.

Voronoi letter: The Adventurer 5M Pro did a fantastic job printing this letter “T”. The structure is 1mm thick all around, and without supports, this printer was able to handle the print with no effort.

Full Build Volume Print: I printed a massive, full-build volume (220x220x220mm) Truncated Octahedron Array in ASA with 100% infill. This printed near perfectly. I chose ASA as it is a material that tends to warp, but doesn’t warp excessively like nylon. At the full 220-mm-cubed build volume, there was no room to spare on the printer’s bed. It took 24 hours and 44 minutes to print. Not only was this extremely fast, there was no detectable warping on any of the arms on the octahedron cells. Everything lined up perfectly over the entire print.

This machine is really a powerhouse and I attribute this success largely to the foam gaskets around the door and top panels, as well as the internal air circulation system. The gaskets and circulation system go a long way into keeping the cool air out, while circulating the hot air around the print chamber, making it much more consistent over the entire build—not to mention, helping to absorb the fumes that come from printing the higher temp materials.

Accuracy Test: The printer delivered impressive accuracy, with measurements very close to the target values, showing minimal skew and shrinkage.

Here are the measurements of the accuracy cube test:

X Measurement: 99.70 of 100mm

Y Measurement: 99.71 of 100mm

Z Measurement: 100.02 of 100mm

XZ Measurement: 134.5 of 135mm

YZ Measurement: 134.45 of 135mm

XY – A Measurement: 149.2 of 150mm 

XY – B Measurement: 149.2 of 150mm

These results tell us that this print is a bit undersized, but very consistent, accurate, and square. There is virtually no skew in any of the axes and that is amazing!

Noise Level

This is a very quiet machine. While still maintaining its very fast speed, it is one of the quietest high speed printers I have tested. It is quite a bit quieter than my previously owned Bambu X-1c. I measured an average of 68 decibels with a maximum of 79 and a minimum of 46 decibels, but I couldn’t personally ever tell when it went above 70 as that only occurred for fragments of a second at a time. I still wouldn’t have this printer in my office next to me all day, but it is quiet enough to have in the next room without being able to hear it at all.

Reliability and Maintenance

The printer has demonstrated 100% uptime over the past month, with no significant issues. Maintenance is straightforward, with easy access to spare parts like the extruder and nozzles. The included extra 0.6mm hardened steel nozzle and spare filament push rod are practical additions. However, replacement nozzles are relatively expensive at $30, but their quick swap capability is a notable advantage for production environments.

Cost and Value

Retailing at $599, or $499 on sale, the Adventurer 5M Pro offers exceptional value. It competes well with other printers in its price range, such as the Bambu Labs P1S. Its unique features, including the carbon-activated HEPA filtration system, make it a standout option for those needing a reliable and efficient printer.

Summary

The Flashforge Adventurer 5M Pro is a robust, fast, and reliable 3D printer that handles a variety of materials effectively. Its performance is impressive, particularly considering its price point. While it falls short with TPU printing, its overall capabilities and minimal downtime make it a solid choice for both hobbyists and production environments.

If you’re considering adding the Adventurer 5M Pro to your print farm, it’s worth the investment. Its compact size and efficiency are beneficial for high-output needs. Stay tuned for future reviews, including a follow-up on the revised Flashforge Guider 3 Ultra.