The automation of AM production will advance only through desktop 3D printers
The Atomic Layers: S10E28 (00295)
Atomic Layer of the Day:
No matter how you look at it, desktop 3D printers—both filament- and resin-based—are steadily taking over the domain of serial production in additive manufacturing (AM).
Don’t believe it? Disagree? Then read this report…
Desktop-grade 3D printers are being adopted en masse not only by individual users across the globe, but also by companies that are building entire print farms made up of hundreds of machines (some power users are already operating thousands).
Naturally, this creates a growing need for increased process automation.
Removing prints from 100 3D printers and starting the next batch is a highly time-consuming task for a single person. On the other hand, increasing the number of operators means raising production costs. Scaling a machine park by adding more 3D printers means hiring more staff.
Over the years, different companies have approached this challenge in different ways. Several projects have been developed based on robotic arms or automated systems that remove and swap out print beds.
Mosaic Manufacturing even created a dedicated machine—the Array—which contains several 3D printers (and can be scaled) and requires no operator for several days of continuous operation.
But all of these solutions—although technically excellent—have one critical flaw: they are insanely expensive. Much more costly than human labor. That’s why robotic systems have never really caught on at any meaningful scale (or at all).
But the market abhors a vacuum, so simpler and significantly cheaper solutions have started to emerge.
Maybe they’re a bit imperfect—but they’re affordable enough that users don’t care about the potential drawbacks.
The first commercial project was Swapmod, which raised €40,166 from 558 backers on Kickstarter in October 2024. It’s an automatic build plate swapping system designed for the Bambu Lab A1 Mini 3D printer.
The module is not an official Bambu Lab product but was developed by a user from the company’s online community. That same person also co-developed another solution called JobOx, which introduced partial automation for the Original Prusa MK3S+.
Swapmod allows for the automatic exchange of print beds in the A1 Mini, mimicking the behavior of traditional 2D printers. The user can load up to ten empty build plates into a special magazine, and as each print finishes, the system slides the used plate aside and swaps in a fresh one. Thanks to this solution, 3D printing can become nearly continuous.
Meanwhile, more systems have begun appearing for larger printers like the Bambu Lab P1 or X1. YouTube is now filled with projects—some more successful than others—demonstrating various approaches to this problem.
Another solution, OTTOeject, is also set to debut on Kickstarter soon.
What we’re witnessing here is the next phase of automation in AM—except it’s entirely grassroots, driven not by large corporations aligned with Industry 4.0, but by open-source and open-hardware communities.
What have I been saying all along? What’s in The 3D Printing Journal’s logo?
Share and Spread.
Open source is the primary driving force behind the advancement and proliferation of AM technology. These seemingly simple and primitive systems are the direction in which the market—more accurately, the user base—is gradually heading.
Sooner or later, better-designed, better-built, and cheaper solutions dedicated to specific 3D printer models will emerge. Dedicated software will follow.
Automation will continue to advance — based on desktop-grade 3D printers.
I’m telling you — read the report. Look at the numbers. It’s self-evident…
Atomic Layer from the Past:
05-28-2014: MOD-t - the cheapest 3D printer of that time, was launched on Indiegogo.
News & Gossip:
Polymaker has released two new high-performance PLA filaments: HT-PLA and HT-PLA-GF. HT-PLA offers heat resistance over 130°C without annealing, while HT-PLA-GF adds glass fiber for ABS-level strength. Both are compatible with standard 1.75mm FFF printers, targeting industrial use with high detail, stability, and durability.
Sculpteo now offers PA12 S, a new smooth-surfaced polyamide made by Arkema for industrial use. Processed via HP Multi Jet Fusion, it features high thermal and chemical resistance, low moisture absorption, and eco-friendly production. Ideal for aerospace, automotive, and electronics, it enables fast, aesthetic, and efficient part manufacturing. And I just remind you that recently Sculpteo was part of BASF Forward AM.
Revopoint has launched Trackit, a marker-free, blue laser 3D scanner ideal for industrial use. Featuring dual scanning modes, 0.02 mm accuracy, and fast calibration, it enables high-detail scans of objects from coins to 6-meter parts. Available now on Kickstarter with early-bird pricing, it includes advanced software for metrology and editing.