Thanks for all the input. It looks like we’re leaning towards getting the Printrbot Simple Metal after all the support its gotten. We’re considering waiting on the heated bed, although we were looking forward to printing with both PLA and ABS.
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Another person without an unbiased view of things… but I have just assembled my first reprap (Prusa i3) and although I agree that the printer shouldn’t become the project, I do feel that in building my own printer I have learnt a lot about 3D printers (I am a product design engineer and have used 3D printers of varying types for years). I feel because of this learned knowledge through building my own printer I have more control over the parameters that effect print quality and over time will be able to make modifications to further improve print quality and print speed. That being said, if you really aren’t interested in all that, then reprap’s probably aren’t for you. Worth considering though (especially if money’s tight).
Rigidbot looks very interesting and reading about makes me want it to be all that it says it is. However in this case I can’t find a lot of reviews for or first hand experiences with the Rigidbot, and the ones I have appear mixed. From the sample of experiences I could find online it seems like the people who enjoy the Rigidbot the most are the ones who almost immediately upgraded a wide range if components. It seems to me that it has a lot of potential for a real enthusiast (and a frugal one at that), but might not be ideal for us. I have talked to quite a few of my coworkers and no one has heard much about Rigidbot first hand, whereas many of them say the Printrbot Simple is one of the best value printers available. I may regret the decision, but it’s hard to spend the money on a Rigidbot considering it hasn’t yet established itself.
I have very little experience with firmware, but I assume that if you upgrade to twin extruders you need custom firmware? (and is it correct to assume that the e3d hot end does not require any firmware adjustments to work?)
Also, what, if I don’t sound stupid asking, is a drag chain?
I’ve had the ‘dreaded glob’ before but it’s always been to do with the bed adhesion or print settings - if you set your extrusion multiplier a little too high or your retract amount too low you’ll get globbing which may attach itself to your print, or in very extreme case turn into a doughnut around your extruder nozzle.
I don’t know what specifically I did to destroy the Ubis, what I do know is I printed long prints, hit high temperatures and tried about six different materials before it gave up. And it did really well up until the point where I wanted to disassemble and clean it, only for me to find that no amount of cleaning would fix it, and it’s not repairable in the sense that you can’t easily change a thermistor or heat cartridge.
The Printrbots run a version of the Marlin firmware which you can download through their GitHub page.
Changing anything about the machine is as simple as; opening the firmware in the Arduino IDE, changing a single digit in the configuration file, compiling, and uploading. Thankfully Printrbot have a decent guide on the process and even a software program to help with the last step. http://help.printrbot.com/Guide/How+to+Reflash+Firmware+-+Windows+PC/78
Technically using an E3D does require custom firmware, but in the simplest way possible - you literally change a single number in the configuration file to denote a different type of thermal sensor, then follow the steps aforementioned.
Oh and drag chain is the stuff that stops your machine’s wiring from catching in the Y axis belt and shredding to pieces. It’s mandatory on CNC machines, but so far I’ve only seen it on well-built Repraps and E3D’s Kickstarter printer.
Thanks for all this information. It sounds like the jot end is the first thing we would be replacing and I’m glad that it won’t be too difficult. How hard did you find it adding twin extruders?
I didn’t say I would choose it over other printers. I haven’t owned both so I really couldn’t say which one’s the best. Just attempting to redress the balance as the Pro didn’t seem to be getting a look in and I thought you should have a balanced view before making a decision.
Too much? I really don’t know. If you’ve got 4 engineers in the place, one with 3DP experience I’d have thought you should collectively manage to extract the max out of your printer pretty quickly. The Pro’s easy enough to use. Certainly easier than most build-yourself kits. If, in the event you run into difficulties with your printer and you don’t want to spend your time on forums trying to decide between opposing opinions - As it appears you’d need to do with a Printrbot, the Flashforge would be a good option. It’s pretty much plug’n’play and it’s well-supported by the resellers.
I’m not saying it’s the best bang for the buck - I really have no idea about that. I bought mine because it was well rated in 3DHubs’ buyers’ guide and I’ve never regretted the decision.
And, at the end of the day, if anything weird happens, ya got me! 
Cheers!
AndyL
Pot8oSh3D
Thanks for the advice. I’m glad to hear positive feedback from a FF owner. Since starting this thread we’ve been going back and forth about what we want to spend. The Printrbot has the lead right now because of its relative price and the ability to upgrade it to compete with the FF at about the same cost as the FF, if not cheaper. But needless to say this decision isn’t proving to be easy.
You’re welcome, Nicholas,
If it’s any help, my Flashforge supplier tells me that the Wanhao Duplicator 4X is almost the same design as the Pro, comes with a glass build plate as standard and while it’s ( arguably ) not quite so attractive looking as the Pro, it does just as good a job. Oh! And it’s rather cheaper!
Cheers,
AndyL