Early in my career, the now obvious link between bees and 3D printing was explained to me by Dr. Adrian Bowyer, a 3D printing pioneer. In his workshop, he shared his apian theory of additive manufacturing, explaining how a symbiotic relationship between man and machine allowed his RepRap project to spread. Later, when describing ‘Humanity’s First Imperfect Replicator” he wrote, “Clover has evolved to distribute the information in its pollen with the most promiscuous fecundity possible, and so not only does it give the pollen away free, it adds an extra present in the form of nectar. The bee gets a meal, and both species prosper by the resulting mutualistic symbiosis.”
This summer, I was reminded of the philosophy during a visit to Prusa Research in Czechia, when I was presented with a jar of honey bearing the likeness of Josef Prusa, the company founder, rendered as a jolly, winged colony king. The honey was a fitting, on-brand tribute, but I didn’t expect to also find alpacas at this thriving hive of 3D printing.
Democratizing 3D printing
Situated to the northwest of Prague’s picturesque medieval heart, Holešovice is nestled in a u-bend of the Vitava river. Once an industrial area, it is now the “Shoreditch of Prague” and Prusa’s HQ. The site has served the company well, yet expansion is a pressing need, and relocation is on the cards. From its roots, by 2016, the company had grown to 37 people; in 2024, Prusa Research now employs some 1,000 people.
For now, Prusa Research occupies several buildings of the sprawling former Central Electric Station. The century-old former power plant initially produced the electricity to run the city’s tram network; later, the steam engines were used to provide heat. It is a fitting location for what many might consider the epicentre, or powerhouse, of the desktop 3D printing world, given Prusa has a strong claim to powering the spread of accessible 3D printing – both in terms of innovation and later via new market entrants through imitation. As Vojtěch Tambor, Founder and CEO at Trilab, puts it, what Prusa has achieved is, “nothing less than democratizing 3D printing.”
Street side, the HQ entrance is inauspicious, but once inside the building, a display of 3D prints, modded 3D printers and a three-quarter-sized statue of Josef Prusa leaves the visitor in no uncertain mind of where they are. The general feel is that of an advanced maker space.
After donning an improbably bright high viz vest, the first stop on the factory tour is the filament line for Prusa Polymers. Although open to journalistic curiosity, photography is prohibited here – an apparent necessity to those who might poach trade secrets. Quality is at the core of the Prusa approach and translates into giving users the optimal experience. Throughout the day, I see an array of staff dedicated to upholding this cornerstone of customer service.
Spanning three rooms, over twenty filament production systems take granulated polymers and, over the course of approximately 15 water-cooled meters, spin lines of plastic that speed past at 40.4 meters per second. Monitoring the line is vital; each machine can take hours to restart if an error occurs. The output is graded into three quality levels; only the highest grade is cleared for shipping to customers.
This unwillingness to compromise on quality can and does lead to situations that may frustrate users. For example, a recent shortage of ASA pellets necessitated an alternative supply which did not conform to quality standards. Rather than ship a sub-par product, ASA filament production ceased until a source could be secured. Later, at the launch event for the Prusa Pro HT90, this message is repeated. “Why does Prusa stand out?” asks Prusa’s Stepan Feik, “It’s because we speak to our core values and manufacture everything in-house.”
Quality might be the company’s USP, yet to communicate this to users is no easy task. The time pressure on influencers, traditionally a vital element of the company’s marketing, being first with a review video (or short-form TikTok content) does not always accommodate the detail needed to demonstrate such aspects.
Inside Prusa’s famous print farm
Next up on the tour is Prusa’s famous print farm. As documented by countless videos touring the instantly recognisable 3D printing production facility and also attracting the occasional unscheduled pilgrim keen for a glimpse. Stacked from floor to ceiling, banks upon banks of Prusa 3D printers line the walls.
The Prusa print farm uses 600 3D printers to produce parts for internal use, which are much destined for 3D printer components, including the spool holder, various fan shrouds, covers, and clips. Critics have suggested that a switch to injection molding would be beneficial, something Prusa has addressed in the past by highlighting the RepRap legacy of continuous improvement and iteration that 3D printed parts enable.
With all-time 3D printer sales of over half a million and recent annual sales at 100,000 – the print farm has an industrious buzz, leaving little capacity to rent out, something the company says it does not do. The most recent MK4 and MK4S 3D printers have doubled the print farm’s potential output, strategically scaling to meet the increasing demand as required. The growth to date is impressive, but Prusa is not immune to the influence of outside factors, such as the impact of chip and material shortages, which have flattened earlier projections.
An early contributor to the development of desktop 3D printing in 2009, Josef Prusa’s numerous contributions included work based on the Mendel, an FFF 3D printer tellingly bearing the name of Gregor Mendel, a 19th-century monk whose pea plant experiments paved the way for genetic research. Magnetic removable print sheets, automatic mesh bed levelling using an inductive probe, power panic, advanced thermal runaway protection, automatic skew axis calibration, senorless homing are just some of the technologies that Prusa Research and Josef himself have developed and freely shared to advance 3D printers.
The electronics and testing sections are also on the same floor. European chips are used in Prusa 3D printers as a security choice. A casual observer may consider this level of security overblown; however, when the roster of customers, including governments and universities, is revealed, the rationale becomes apparent, and the need to mitigate any cybersecurity risk posed by 3D printing hardware is shown as necessary. Customers include NASA, MIT, Lockheed Martin, CERN, ETH Zurich, Mercedes, Facebook and SpaceX.
A new path, acquisitions and the Prusa Pro HT90
Post-pandemic, the desktop 3D printing landscape has changed, and a new sense of tribalism has emerged; this is particularly apparent on social media, where some vocal users present displays of brand loyalty. In the main, the companies concerned have avoided direct public conflict, and competition should benefit consumers by providing greater choice, value and quality. Behind the scenes at trade shows and other gatherings, murmurs of discontent are easily audible.
Business models and economic theories such as Christensen’s disruptive innovation, Porter’s cost leadership, or Moore’s crossing the chasm model may help understand how market dynamics in the desktop 3D printing world will play out. One clear approach taken by Prusa Research is the expansion of its 3D printer range, deepening ecosystem integration with file-sharing via Printables, opening distribution opportunities with the 2022 acquisition of Printed Solid in the USA and specifically moving into a differentiated segment via a strategic investment in Trilab.
The fruits of the Trilab investment have now opened what Josef Prusa describes as “a new chapter for Prusa 3D,” He believes The Prusa Pro HT90 is “the only printer an engineer needs”, marking the next steps into “industrial printing,” and may see new horizons beyond the already grand achievement as a “top three manufacturer of desktop 3D printers.”
Vojtěch Tambor gives more details on the Prusa Pro HT 90, which builds on the experience of bringing the well-reviewed Trilab AzteQ Industrial 3D printer to market. The Prusa Pro HT 90 is also a delta system and aims to make high-performance 3D printing more accessible, similar to how previous Prusa models broadened access to 3D printing technology. The printer is designed to be easy to use and versatile, capable of handling various materials, from standard ABS to advanced polymers such as PEI or PEKK-CF.
Regarding performance and innovation, key features of the Prusa Pro HT 90 include a cutting-edge printhead, a new cooling system without fans, and a robust temperature management system. Specifically, a high-speed flap is operated to ensure optimal cooling during printing.
With this 3D printer, target industries include aerospace, biomedical, and research, offering advanced features such as high-temperature processing, high-speed printing, and onboard filtration systems. The printer includes features like a high-flow nozzle system, easy nozzle swaps, load cells for precise calibration, and advanced connectivity options. It also emphasizes reliability and performance even in environments with strict connectivity restrictions.
In summary, the Prusa Pro HT 90 is positioned as a powerful and versatile 3D printer aimed at professionals and industries requiring high-performance materials and advanced printing capabilities. For the target user, the price point is likely to offer significant appeal – especially when coupled with the Prusa brand. How is performance? The 3D Printing Industry review team hopes to provide a comprehensive take in the not-too-distant future!
The future of Prusa Research
If I had five euros for every founder tale told by drivers en route to a 3D printing company site visit, I’d have 10 euros by now. It’s a testament to leadership to hear such stories. In the Renishaw CEOs case, it was making cup of tea for a taxi rank outside their Gloucestershire HQ here in Prague; my self-employed driver tells me during peak COVID, he struggled to earn through his regular job and was given a position at Prusa Research. “They are like IT guys,” he says of the Prusa brothers; his stint resulted in conversion to 3D printing and purchasing a Prusa MK 3. If it had not been for the response Josef Prusa received to a tweet he made in 2009 asking whether to buy a 3D printer or a tablet, he might not have made the conversion to 3D printing.
Josef Prusa, as founder and CEO, has undoubtedly driven the 3D printing industry forward, but what is next for the company? Harking back to evolutionary biology, the Red Queen Effect describes how ecosystem species are constantly racing for a leading edge. In the food chain, an advance in speed or stealth by a hunted species must be bettered by the predator who wishes to eat. In business, agility and evolution via innovation are also valued.
With Prusa Pro HT 90 the company is set to bite at the heels of the established order, much in the way it has always done. As for the alpacas, I couldn’t say how these camelid creatures fit into a technology-focused narrative, nor is there a reason they should.
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Featured image shows Josef Prusa and Vojtěch Tambor. Photo by Michael Petch.
