Prusa Research has just released the new Multi Material 2.0 upgrade kit for the popular Prusa i3 MK3 and MK2.5 3D printers, allowing users to print with up to five different materials simultaneously.
Based out of the historically grand city of Prague, Prusa Research has become the darling of the 3D printing community, namely for championing open source and relentlessly innovating upon desktop FDM 3D printing. The Czech 3D printer manufacturer has been on a roll since the Original Prusa i3 MK2 was unveiled in 2016, and founder Josef Prusa is showing no signs of slowing down.
The Original Prusa i3 MK3 3D printer was released back in September 2017. The refined machine was met with critical acclaim by nearly everyone who laid a hand upon it (including All3DP). Now, less than one year later, Prusa and his team are releasing what looks to be the most advanced multi-material system on the desktop 3D printing market.
The new Multi Material 2.0 upgrade kit allows users of the Prusa i3 MK3 or MK2.5 to 3D print with five different materials simultaneously. While many other multi-material 3D printing systems are only capable of working with two materials at once, the MMU 2.0 upgrade kit aims to open up a new vibrant world for desktop 3D printing.
There are a lot of integrated features in the new upgrade kit, so let’s take a closer look at what the MMU 2.0 has to offer.
MMU 2.0 for Prusa i3 MK3 Ushers in New Era of Color 3D Printing
The focus of this 3D printing enhancement is placed upon the ability to print with five materials, but there’s much more than meets the eye when it comes to Prusa’s MMU 2.0. The upgrade kit is equipped with two filament sensors and a filament cutter, which enables more seamless filament changing.
Unlike the previous Multi Material upgrade released for the Prusa MK2, which used four material feeders with one hotend, the new kit uses a hybrid extrusion system. The Czech 3D printer manufacturer has removed the Y splitter that is found in the first iteration of the MMU, adding a direct drive extruder motor at the X-carriage.
According to Prusa, the Multi Material 2.0 is easy and fast to assemble, and is manufactured with dedicated electronics and has optional manual controls. Moreover, the enhanced design is much simpler than the original MMU, making it effortless to use and less prone to filament jamming.
Not only will users be able to explore expansive color options, the MMU 2.0 can print with any thermoplastic material, including soluble support filament like PVA and BVOH.
The Multi Material 2.0 upgrade kit for the MK3 costs $299 (excluding tax), while the kit to change directly from the first version to the new MMU 2.0 costs $249 (also excluding tax).
For those who have already ordered the new multi-material upgrade for the Prusa i3 MK3, there’s no need to fret, your order is already waiting in the wings. In fact, Prusa Research will send these users a $50 discount voucher to compensate for the price drop. There’s also a nice bargain for owners of the first MMU for the MK2/S, who will receive a $100 discount towards purchasing the MMU 2.0 upgrade kit.
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