Printer comparison
FlashForge Guider 3 Plus vs Rat Rig V-Core 4.1
Compare hardware, build volume, printing specifications, dated prices and sources.
2 selected · all documented properties
Open these two in the interactive comparisonMore FlashForge Guider 3 Plus comparisonsMore Rat Rig V-Core 4.1 comparisons
| Property | FlashForge Guider 3 PlusINDUSTRIAL | Rat Rig V-Core 4.1COREXY |
|---|---|---|
| Identity | ||
| Brand | FlashForge | Rat Rig |
| Class | INDUSTRIAL | COREXY |
| Identity & Market | ||
| Manufacturer & exact marketed model name (verify the exact product identity first) | FlashForge Guider 3 Plus[1] | Rat Rig V-Core 4.1, described by Rat Rig as a large-format open CoreXY 3D printer kit[2] |
| Variants & sibling models — and how to tell them apart (spec-contamination risk) | Larger sibling of the Guider 3 (300x250x340) and distinct from the Guider 3 Ultra, which is dual-extruder, 330x330x600 and 350 °C. Guider 3 Plus is single-extruder and quoted at 250 mm/s[1][3][4] | Three sizes, all at the same base-kit price. Acceleration is the size-dependent figure and the one most often mis-quoted: 15,000 mm/s2 at 300 mm, 12,000 at 400 mm, 8,000 at 500 mm. IDEX is a configuration option and changes the usable area per toolhead (copy mode 150x150x300 at the 300 size, mirror mode 95x95x300). Base kit excludes electronics. Rat Rig prices the base kit only in EUR (EUR 873.90 on sale from EUR 971.00, Aug 2026); no USD list price is published, so no USD street price is recorded here[2] |
| Market position: superseded? successor announced? | 3DJake shows it sold out and no longer stocked[1] | Current revision, replacing the V-Core 4; Rat Rig sells a 4.1 upgrade kit for existing V-Core 4 machines[2] |
| Physical & Frame | ||
| Build volume X×Y×Z (mm) — advertised vs actually usable | 350 x 350 x 600 mm advertised[1] | 300 x 300 x 300, 400 x 400 x 400 or 500 x 500 x 500 mm. Sortable value is the 300 mm kit[2] |
| Machine footprint (mm) & clearance needed (cable/spool overhang) | Not documented | 623.2 x 583 x 785 mm (300); 723.2 x 683 x 885 mm (400); 823.2 x 783 x 985 mm (500). Sortable value is the 300 mm kit[2] |
| Net weight (kg) | Not documented | Kit weight 35 kg (300), 45 kg (400), 55 kg (500)[2] |
| Frame construction & material | Fully assembled professional chassis. Z axis runs on 16 mm guides with 16 mm TBI ball screws on both sides; the platform is rated to carry 30 kg[1] | 30-series aluminium extrusion; the 4.1 adds a steel X-axis gantry for rigidity[2] |
| Enclosure: open / enclosed; panel material; door/lid | Enclosed, with HEPA 13 air filtration and two sealed filament chambers of 1 kg each[1] | Open frame in the base kit[2] |
| Kinematics & Motion Hardware | ||
| Kinematics (bedslinger i3 / CoreXY / other) | Not documented | CoreXY; Hybrid CoreXY and IDEX are configuration options[2] |
| Z-axis: leadscrew count & type, sync mechanism, anti-backlash | Double Z-axis ball screw, 16 mm TBI on both sides, on 16 mm guides[1] | Not documented |
| Speed & Acceleration | ||
| Max print speed (claimed, mm/s) | 250 mm/s maximum (manufacturer claim)[1] | Not documented |
| Max acceleration (claimed, mm/s²) | Not documented | Size-dependent: 15,000 mm/s2 at 300 mm, 12,000 at 400 mm, 8,000 at 500 mm (manufacturer claims)[2] |
| Extruder | ||
| Type (direct drive / bowden) & design name | Direct-drive extruder, single[1] | Full-metal skeleton toolhead, new in the 4.1[2] |
| Hotend & Nozzle | ||
| Max nozzle temp claimed AND firmware max temp limit (both values) | Not documented | 350 °C maximum nozzle temperature (manufacturer claim)[2] |
| Stock nozzle size & sizes included in box | 0.4, 0.6 and 0.8 mm nozzles available[1] | 0.4 mm hardened steel and 0.6 mm included[2] |
| Heated Bed & Surface | ||
| Max bed temp claimed AND firmware limit | Not documented | 120 °C maximum heatbed temperature (manufacturer claim). The 400 and 500 sizes get 8 mm thick beds in the 4.1[2] |
| Filament Handling & Detection | ||
| Spool holder location & max spool size; drybox compatibility | Two sealed filament chambers, 1 kg per chamber[1] | Not documented |
| Cooling & Air Handling | ||
| Part-cooling fan(s): count, size, ducting design | Not documented | Improved part cooling, listed by Rat Rig as one of the 4.1 changes[2] |
| Chamber/exhaust fan & filtration (activated carbon / HEPA) | HEPA 13 filtration[1] | Not documented |
| Firmware & Openness | ||
| Firmware base & current version (Klipper fork / Marlin fork / proprietary) | Not documented | RatOS 2.1 (Rat Rig's Klipper distribution)[2] |
| Connectivity, UI & Camera | ||
| WiFi (band/standard), Ethernet, USB ports, SD/flash-drive | USB, Wi-Fi, LAN[1] | Not documented |
| Calibration Routines & QoL | ||
| Assembly level & time from unbox to first print | Not documented | Self-assembly kit; the 4.1 ships pre-made cables that need no crimping, with rewritten step-by-step build documentation[2] |
| Materials Support | ||
| Officially supported filament list | PLA, ABS, HIPS, nylon, PETG, PC, ASA, and glass/carbon-fibre reinforced grades[1] | PLA, PETG, ABS, ASA, TPU, PET, PA, PC, PVA, PLA-CF, PETG-CF, ABS-GF, ASA-CF, PA6-CF, PA6-GF, PAHT-CF, PPA-CF, PET-CF[2] |
| Noise & Power Consumption | ||
| Noise: claimed dB and independently measured dB (distance/method) | Less than 50 dB claimed by the manufacturer. No independent measurement; distance and method not stated[1] | Not documented |
Manufacturer claims, independent measurements, packages and test conditions retain their source wording. FDM linear speed and resin vertical speed use different units and are not directly comparable. Unknown values are marked “Not documented”. Prices and source dates remain historical snapshots; check the linked guide for product details. Differences highlight text, not a universal winner.
Sources for this comparison
- FlashForge Guider 3 Plus technical data table 3djake.com · 2026-08 · vendor
- Rat Rig V-Core 4.1 product page ratrig.com · 2026-08 · vendor
- FlashForge Guider 3 technical data table 3djake.com · 2026-08 · vendor
- Flashforge Guider 3 Ultra product page (refurbished listing) flashforge.com · 2026-08 · vendor