There’s a reason why everyone in the 3D printing world has been talking about Prusa Research lately. At this year’s industry showcases, Prusa showed off technologies that feel less like small upgrades and more like a major shift in where 3D printing is headed.
We’re talking about near-zero-waste multicolor printing, silicone printing on desktop-style systems, automated print farms, industrial engineering materials, and integrated resin manufacturing workflows that look like they belong in a futuristic factory.
And the interesting part? A lot of these technologies are slowly moving from industrial systems into the maker space.
The Biggest Attention Grabber: The New Multicolor System
The biggest crowd magnet at the Prusa booth was easily the new multinozzle system for the Core One platform.
Instead of a single nozzle constantly purging material during color swaps, this system uses multiple independent nozzles — with configurations shown using both four and eight toolheads.
Each nozzle has its own dedicated filament path.
That means:
- No constant retracting and reloading filament
- No giant purge towers
- Very little wasted material
- Faster color changes
- Dedicated materials per nozzle
During the demonstration, Prusa showed off tiny purge remnants that were dramatically smaller than what most makers are used to seeing with current multicolor systems.
For anyone who has ever thrown away giant piles of filament “poop” after a multicolor print, this immediately stood out.
The really exciting part is the material flexibility. Because every nozzle has its own filament path, you can potentially combine materials like:
- TPU
- PLA
- PETG
- ABS
- ASA
…all in the same print workflow.
That opens the door for far more advanced multi-material projects instead of just simple color swaps.
Dry Boxes Built Into the System
Another feature integrated into the updated setup was the new dry box system.
Instead of feeding filament from exposed spools, the printer feeds directly from sealed dry boxes mounted to the machine.
That may sound simple, but it solves a very real problem for makers printing with moisture-sensitive materials.
The setup includes:
- Locked-in spool mounting
- Sealed storage
- Desiccant integration
- Direct feeding from the dry box
For materials like TPU, nylon, or engineering filaments, this could make workflows significantly easier.
The XL Continues to Push Multi-Material Printing
Prusa also showed off the XL platform with multiple toolheads and some impressive multi-material examples.
One of the standout demos was a wheel print combining:
- PETG
- TPU
- PLA support interfaces
The result was a print where supports peeled away cleanly while maintaining a high-quality finish underneath.
This is one of those examples where multi-material printing stops being a gimmick and starts becoming genuinely useful.
Instead of fighting supports or sacrificing surface quality, you can use different materials strategically to improve the final print.
Yes… They’re Printing Silicone
One of the wildest technologies on display was the new silicone toolhead system.
Instead of traditional filament extrusion, the system uses a two-part silicone process that feeds material into a dispensing-style print head.
The setup manages:
- Material mixing
- Extrusion
- Waste routing
- Silicone deposition
And surprisingly, the prints looked extremely clean.
Silicone printing has always been one of those “future desktop manufacturing” ideas that felt just out of reach for makers. Seeing it integrated into a modular printer platform was honestly one of the most futuristic things at the booth.
The ability to create flexible, durable silicone parts directly from a printer could completely change:
- Wearables
- Gaskets
- Soft robotics
- Flexible components
- Functional prototypes
And according to the demonstrations, the system was printing faster than expected.
Prusa’s Industrial Side Is Growing Fast
A lot of makers still think of Prusa primarily as a desktop printer company, but their industrial systems are becoming a serious part of their ecosystem.
One of the most interesting industrial machines shown was the HT90 industrial printer.
This machine pushes into serious engineering territory with:
- 500°C toolhead temperatures
- 150°C heated bed
- 90°C heated chamber
- Delta kinematics
- High-performance engineering materials
The printer is designed for materials like:
- PEEK
- PEI
- Polycarbonate
- Nylon
- ASA
These are the kinds of materials used for functional industrial parts, aerospace applications, and engineering prototypes.
Using Delta kinematics also helps keep the machine footprint smaller compared to many industrial systems capable of printing these materials.
A Fully Integrated Resin Manufacturing Workflow
Prusa also brought its new SLX resin manufacturing system to the U.S. for the first time.
And honestly, it looked far more like industrial manufacturing equipment than a typical desktop resin printer setup.
The system integrates:
- Resin printing
- Washing
- Curing
- Material handling
- Organized workflow stations
Everything was designed as a modular production system instead of separate disconnected tools sitting around a workbench.
For professional shops or production environments, that kind of integration matters a lot.
Automated Print Farms Are Becoming Real
Another major reveal was Prusa’s automated print farm system.
This system can:
- Remove finished build plates
- Store completed prints
- Load fresh plates
- Restart the next print automatically
Essentially, it creates a continuous automated production workflow.
For makers printing one-offs, this may feel excessive.
But for print farms or businesses producing repeat parts, this could dramatically reduce labor and downtime.
And what makes it even more interesting is that the system appears modular and scalable.
The Bigger Picture
What made the Prusa booth so interesting wasn’t just one printer.
It was the overall direction.
The company appears to be building an ecosystem where:
- Desktop makers
- Small businesses
- Print farms
- Industrial manufacturers
…all share overlapping technologies.
Near-zero-waste multicolor printing, silicone extrusion, automated manufacturing, integrated resin workflows, and advanced engineering materials all point toward one thing:
3D printing is evolving from hobby-level prototyping into a much more complete manufacturing platform.
And the exciting part for makers is that industrial technologies almost always trickle down over time.
The same features that seem advanced today often become standard features a few years later.
Final Thoughts
Prusa may not just be improving printers anymore — they may be redefining how additive manufacturing workflows function altogether.
From cleaner multicolor printing to silicone extrusion to fully automated production systems, this felt like a glimpse into where the next generation of 3D printing is headed.
And honestly, it’s one of the most exciting times the maker space has seen in years.