Prusa Research issued an update where they mentioned a possible future for multicolor 3D printing.
The company is well known for its transparency, and updates like this one often “leak” information telling us where the company may be heading.
This particular update focused on the company’s new CORE One desktop 3D printer, which seems to be rapidly becoming the major focus for the company. That’s unsurprising, as their major competitors are all focusing on a similar machine format, all attempting to match Bambu Lab’s success in the market.
While the update went on to provide plenty of updates on the CORE One’s shipping status, accessories, and other details, there was one thing that caught my eye: how to implement an MMU for the machine.
They said that the configuration shown at the top is “the one we’ll be offering.”
This is similar to previous MMU implementations, where there is a massive amount of floor space taken up by the spools. When I was using an MMU2S years ago, I had the same issue: too much space was used. It also tended to be pretty messy because the spools would create spaces where debris can collect. I didn’t like it at all.
None of the competing multispool systems use this approach. All of them seem to follow the Bambu Lab lead, where that company’s “AMS” unit is enclosed and sits on top of the machine. This provides a very neat and tidy implementation that doesn’t require any additional footprint.
But then in the update, Prusa Research posted this image, showing a prototype configuration that looks suspiciously similar to competing multispool systems — albeit with five spools instead of four.
Prusa Research explained that they’ve been receiving feedback from the community to improve the form factor of the MMU, which is not surprising given the sleek implementations of their competitors.
About the image, they wrote:
“Here’s a sneak peek at one of the early prototypes we’ve been working on. The whole spool holder and MMU3 unit can slide out for easy maintenance, and we’ve integrated the buffer right below the spools. It’s still a crude prototype.”
I like the idea of maintenance, as some of the competing units have challenges when jams occur.
However, it does show that the industry seems to be converging on a standard design: machine-top enclosure with vertically mounted spools.
Expect this to be the way going forward.
Via Prusa Research
