HeyGears Reflex RS 3D Printer Review: An Affordable Production mSLA 3D Printer? – 3DPrint.com

Disclosure: The Reflex RS was provided to me by HeyGears free of charge for the purpose of this review. I have not received any other compensation. All opinions expressed are my own, and HeyGears has had no influence on the content of this review.

In today’s review, we are taking a look at the somewhat controversial HeyGears Reflex RS, a printer that has sparked frustration a، many in the consumer 3D printing community. Our goal is to understand the reasons behind this frustration and ،ess whether the Reflex RS can still be considered an easy-to-use masked stereolit،graphy (mSLA) ،uction printer.

Unboxing and ،embly:

Packaging quality:

All my boxes arrived severely damaged from ،pping. I was certain so،ing would be broken, but thankfully, all the components were packaged t،roughly, and nothing was damaged in transit. Everything was securely cradled in thick foam, ensuring the printer’s survival. Way to go, HeyGears!

Assembly/Build Quality:

From the moment I got the printer out of the box and onto my workbench, I realized this was a different kind of mSLA printer. The Reflex RS feels s،y. The lid operates smoothly, the Z tower is robust, and the build plate is a solid slab of steel. The entire system exudes durability and strength, comparable to printers that cost 2-3 times more, such as the Formlabs Form 4.

First Print Impressions:

My first impressions after just one print were: “Wow!” I loaded two models, an Ironman figure and the Eiffel Tower, and both printed flawlessly and effortlessly. I was amazed at ،w easy it was to get s،ed. Simply fill the vat with resin using the auto-filling port in the back, select the proper resin in their slicer, Blueprint, add supports to the models, and print. It’s that easy. The wash station, ،wever, is a bit strange—the w،le platform moves during the process.

Hardware and Specifications: 

The outer dimensions of the Reflex RS are 380 x 360 x 584 mm, with a build volume of 222 x 122 x 230 mm. A key factor in print quality is the pixel size, along with the uniformity and intensity of the UV light. HeyGears has clearly understood this, opting for a 29.7 µm pixel size. While not the smallest or largest, this approximately 30 µm pixel, combined with a highly intense and consistent UV light, delivers excellent print quality and accu،. HeyGears claims the light intensity varies by only ±3% across the entire screen. The Reflex RS also features a robust 12 mm ball ، and dual 15 mm linear rails on the Z tower. Paired with a strain gauge and adaptive lift s،ds, this setup ensures exceptionally smooth and consistent layer stacking.

HeyGears states that the Reflex RS averages 7 seconds per layer, with a peak s،d of 4.3 seconds per layer. This includes the layer cure time, as well as the lift and retract time.

HeyGears utilizes a proprietary set of resins, offering several options with more in development. I have mixed feelings about this. However, the Reflex RS uses a 405nm UV wavelength, which theoretically means it can work with any 405nm curable resin. I didn’t test this during my review of the RS. It’s important to note that you cannot control the layer cure time, any X, Y, or Z cali،tion, or most other settings. The only adjustments you can make are to the layer height and the supports—so proceed at your own risk.

The available resins include:

• PAP10: The general-use resin, known for its high temperature resistance and ability to capture intricate details on models.
• PAWW10: A water-washable general-use resin. Similar to PAP10, but can be printed and cleaned with water. It’s an excellent all-around resin suitable for minis or prototyping.
• PAS10: A modeling resin with high accu، and a matte finish that hides layer lines, making it ideal for miniatures.
• PARP10: A high-s،d prototyping resin. This light orange resin prints quickly, has a matte finish, is tough, and is typically used for prototype models such as molds.
• PAWR10: A wear-resistant resin, highly durable and suited for end-use components, from electronics enclosures to replacement parts.

Software and User Interface: 

You can only use HeyGears Blueprint with the Reflex RS. The built-in profiles perform exceptionally well, making it easy to create a project and print job, support the models, and send them to the printer. However, that’s all you can do—there is no tuning or cali،tion, as all of that is handled for you. This is where the point of contention lies for many in the 3D printing community. A lot of current consumer resin 3D printer owners want the ability to tune their own material profiles and use whatever resin they prefer. HeyGears, on the other hand, can only guarantee success and quality with their own resins.

The UI and slicer are incredibly simple and easy to navigate. It requires no time to get accustomed to, as everything is intuitively placed. The screen quality is comparable to that of a smartp،ne, a nice detail that isn’t typically available on similarly priced printers.

 Test Prints and Performance: 

Here are the measurements from the Accu، Test:

• X Measurement: 99.99 of 100mm
• Y Measurement: 99.99 of100mm
• Z Measurement: 99.97 of 100mm
• XZ Measurement: 134.85 of 135mm
• YZ Measurement: 134.9 of 135mm
• XY – A Measurement: 149.9 of 150mm
• XY – B Measurement: 149.9 of 150mm

As expected, the Reflex RS is exceptionally square and accurate, with virtually no warp or skew. These results reflect exactly what we s،uld anti،te from a pre-cali،ted resin printer. The RS comes ready to ،uce highly accurate prints, making it a valuable tool for businesses and ،uct development departments. Note: These measurements were taken after curing, using the PAWR10 resin with the default profile and a 50-micron layer height.

Print S،d:

According to my testing, the printer does average 6-7 seconds per layer. While it’s not the fastest resin printer I’ve used, it’s definitely one of the easiest. In terms of ease of use, it’s comparable to Formlabs and Nexa3D printers, both of which cost 2-3 times more.

Noise Level: 

Wit،ut the pulse release module, the printer is very quiet, averaging around 52 decibels. However, with the pulse release module active, I recorded an average of 67decibels and a peak of 70 decibels. Alt،ugh this feature can reduce print times by minimizing ،l forces, it also introduces noise. Whether this tradeoff is acceptable depends on your individual preferences and priorities.

Reliability and Maintenance: 

The Reflex RS has been printing almost nonstop for nearly a month, with over 300 ،urs of print time and more than 5 kg of resin used. I haven’t had to replace anything during this time. The FEP sheet is long-lasting, and the printer’s force management system dynamically adjusts the pull force, helping to extend the FEP’s longevity.

Both the build plate and vat are easy to replace, with the FEP sheets held similarly to other MSLA printers. If you’ve replaced FEP sheets before, you’ll have no trouble with these.

While no spare components were included with the printer, my contact at HeyGears provided the following replacement part prices (in USD):

• Release Film: $69
• Pulse Release Film Set: $99
• LCD Screen: $189
• Tempered Gl، Film: $18
• Molding Platform: $129
• Standard Material Tray: $79

These prices are very reasonable, considering the build quality and materials of the components.

Cost and Value: 

The Reflex RS retails for US $999 for the printer alone. The RS combo, which includes the Reflex RS, the UltraCraft Wash, and the UltraCraft Cure, is priced at $2,107. Resin prices are as follows:

• PAP10 – $59/kg
• PAWW10 – $55/kg
• PASS10 – $32.99/kg
• PARP10 – $45/kg
• PAWR10 – $59/kg

With the way the Reflex RS operates and ،w HeyGears is marketing it, I can only compare it to the Formlabs Form 4. Both printers offer a similar user experience, arriving pre-cali،ted from the factory and using proprietary resins that come in cartridges. Both also feature a “one-click print” function, which automatically applies the correct settings for each material and orients the model accordingly. Additionally, both printers are built with exceptional robustness.

At the price of $2,107 for the combo, that is far more affordable than the Formlabs alternative which is priced at $6,599 for the “Complete Package” that includes the Form Wash and Form Cure along with the Form 4. That is more than 3x the cost of the RS. Of course, I can’t say that wit،ut mentioning that Formlabs has a lot more resins available, and even t،ugh HeyGears tells me they are working on more resins, it will be hard to compete with Formlabs portfolio.

The most unique feature of the Reflex RS is its active force monitoring system. By reading the force 80 times per second, the printer dynamically adjusts the pull force and retract s،d for each layer as the load on the Z-axis changes. This is particularly noticeable when printing models with varying surface areas. For example, the Reflex RS slows down and extends layer times in areas with larger surface areas, where ،l force is highest, and s،ds up on layers with smaller surface areas. This system has resulted in exceptionally smooth prints for me, with every layer stacking perfectly, regardless of the model’s thickness or complexity.

Another great feature is the auto-refilling of the resin. HeyGears implements this on the RS by using a plunger in the resin bottle, which is depressed by a ،g in the resin vat when the bottle is inserted into the back of the ma،e. This met،d is simple, yet effective and clean, providing a h،le-free automatic resin refilling system.

Pros:

• S،d
• Accu،
• Reliability
• Ease of use
• Resin auto refilling,
• Price when compared to other professional, or industrial 3d printers.

Cons:

• Limited resin selection
• Flat-top buildplate collecting resin
• Price when compared to other consumer focused MSLA printers.

Controversy Further Discussed:

As I mentioned earlier, the main point of controversy with the Reflex RS lies in its “locked down” nature and the restrictions imposed by the Blueprint slicer. While some users view this as a positive feature—emphasizing simplicity and ease of use—others see it as a drawback. Many consumer 3D printer owners value the control, flexibility, and wide material selection that comes with open systems. HeyGears has marketed the RS to this crowd, leading to some frustration. On the flip side, there are users w، just want a reliable printer that works right out of the box, because their needs are best met by printing objects rather than focusing on the technical process of achieving successful prints.

For the ،uction and manufacturing industry, I see tremendous value in the Reflex RS. If HeyGears expands their range of engineering-grade resins, the RS could become an excellent addition to print farms and service bureaus. I keep thinking, “I wish I had a printer this easy to use when I worked at MakeXYZ.”

To address both sides of the argument, HeyGears could introduce a “Pro” mode, allowing users to add new profiles for different resins. Wit،ut such flexibility, it raises the question of why they c،se to switch from the 385nm wavelength in the Reflex to the more common 405nm wavelength in the Reflex RS if users are restricted to proprietary resins.

Summary: 

The Reflex RS, priced at $999 for the printer alone and $2,107 for the combo with wash and cure stations, offers impressive performance for resin printing. Despite its limited official compatibility with HeyGears resins, the printer consistently delivers fast, precise, and accurate results. Its dynamic force monitoring system allows for efficient s،d adjustments, ensuring accu، across both small and large parts. After over 300 ،urs of rigorous testing, including super-thick models, the Reflex RS has proven to be a reliable work،rse, consistently ،ucing successful prints wit،ut failures.

Would I Add This to my Print Farm?

It would ،nestly depend on the needs of my clientele. I haven’t yet required an mSLA printer, but if I needed so،ing for high-detail models, then yes, I would absolutely consider adding the Reflex RS to my farm. I’m ،peful that HeyGears will continue expanding their resin portfolio in the future. If they added several more resin options, this would make the printer an even stronger candidate.