Historically speaking, Průša didn't invent anything original...
The Atomic Layers: S6E25 (00172)
Atomic Layer of the Day:
A few days ago, I shared in the News & Gossip section that Prusa Research plans to begin shipping the first units of their new 3D printer – CORE One – at the end of January (which is just around the corner).
At the same time, I came across a great video on X by The Prusa Guy, showcasing a series of mods you can print and install on the new 3D printer.
I must admit, I liked it so much that I wanted to write about it in today’s article, highlighting how cool it is to mod the new Prusa Research 3D printer. But then... I remembered that for the past two years, far more interesting mods have been available for the Bambu Lab P1P.
Starting with this one:
And so, thought after thought, I arrived at this realization:
Historically speaking, Josef Průša has never invented anything original. What he has mastered to perfection is developing and refining the ideas of others.
The iconic 3D printer model that made Průša famous—the Prusa i3—is a modified version of the RepRap project by Adrian Bowyer, specifically the Mendel model. In fact, the first iteration of Průša’s design was originally called the “Prusa Mendel,” with the subsequent iterations replacing “Mendel” with “i2” and “i3.”
The second 3D printer model, the Mini, is a reworked and enhanced version of another Bowyer project—the Ormerod. And even here, it wasn’t Průša who first leveraged it—Chinese manufacturers like Tronxy were before him...
The CORE One, as we know, is a response to Bambu Lab, but fundamentally, it’s just one of many variations of the original Ultimaker equipped with CoreXY kinematics. However, if we trace it all the way back to the roots, we see that the precursor to this design was the American open-source project Fab@Home. The second to RepRap Project progenitor of desktop 3D printing.
And finally, the software and firmware. As for PrusaSlicer, most of you probably know this, but for those who don’t or haven’t looked into it: it’s a significantly enhanced version of the free Slic3r software, which emerged in the early 2010s. Additionally, for the first decade of its operation (spanning all models from the Prusa Mendel to the Prusa i3 Mk3), all Prusa 3D printers ran on the open-source-based Marlin firmware, also developed in the early 2010s.
So, what does all this mean?
Ultimately, nothing much. The fact that Průša draws heavily from the work of others is neither bad nor deserving of criticism, as long as he acknowledges his role within the open-source movement.
Bambu Lab, for instance, tries to present itself in a similar light, but their recent controversies clearly show that they treat open-source merely as a marketing buzzword. In their case, it’s not about any sort of idealistic commitment—it’s purely capitalist calculation (which is somewhat hilarious, given their origins).
Coming back to Průša—the Czech manufacturer has perfected the art of developing and improving upon the designs and solutions of others. He’s a kind of “master modder.” He takes someone’s project, workshops it, and refines it to such an extent that less informed users might think he came up with the idea himself.
So as for the original design - he didn’t. But damn, he refined it beautifully…
Atomic Layer from the Past:
01-25-2022: Nanoscribe introduced Quantum X align—a revolutionary 3D micro-printing machine for optical fibers.
News & Gossip:
RIC Technology unveiled its largest and most advanced 3D printer, RIC-PRIMUS, at the World of Concrete event. The device enables the construction of three-story buildings up to 32 feet tall. With enhanced mobility, speed, and automation, it significantly improves the construction process, reduces costs, and increases precision.
CoreTechnologie and Phasio have partnered to streamline additive manufacturing workflows. Their solution integrates 4D_Additive software with Phasio’s workflow tools for automated production planning, nesting, and quoting. Designed for SLS and MJF technologies, it enhances efficiency, scalability, and quality.
Ourobionics BV has unveiled CHIMERA, a biofabrication platform integrating five advanced technologies. It achieves nanoscale precision, 30x faster bioprinting speeds, and 98% cell viability for over 56 cell types. Compatible with diverse biomaterials, CHIMERA addresses regenerative medicine, synthetic biology, and cellular agriculture challenges.
(Stands up and claps)
The other day I was thinking the same thing while reading Josef Prusa's tweets criticizing Bambu Lab's latest moves. When did he invent something?
On the other hand, as Youtuber UncleJessy also commented in his latest video, Bambu Lab's moves are suspiciously similar to what happened with Makerbot years ago, who started with an open source philosophy, and when they were the "kings" of the market and their thirst for money got the better of them, they decided to forget about the open source philosophy and close everything.
I am a Bambu Lab user, among many other printers, and I sincerely hope that the story does not end like this.
So what your saying is Prusa is almost the Apple of 3D Printing, taking other people's ideas, refining it and charging more for it? 😂 (I jest, I have a MK3S+MMU2 & MK4, they are the best printers I have used)