The WonderMaker Kickstarter campaign ends – I take a look at how the Chinese Prusa XL clone performed?

The Atomic Layers: S10E8 (00275)

Atomic Layer of the Day:

A few weeks ago, I wrote about a new Chinese desktop-grade FFF 3D printer — the WonderMaker ZR Ultra. Structurally similar to the Bambu Lab P1P (or its many clones), the device is equipped with a system of four interchangeable toolheads, operating on the same principle as those in the Prusa XL.

In early April, WonderMaker launched on Kickstarter, and the campaign ended yesterday. The company raised a decent, though — contrary to my expectations — not particularly spectacular amount.

1,099 backers pledged $836,170.

For comparison, Bambu Lab X1 raised over $7 million from 5,575 backers, while the most funded 3D printer of all time - AnkerMake M5, raised over $8.8 million from 11,313 backers. So, compared to those, WonderMaker didn’t disgrace its creators, but it’s also hard to call it a major success.

Which is still a bit surprising to me.

Reading the opinions of “3D printing experts” on X and Reddit, there's a common belief that since popular systems like AMS or MMU waste a lot of material, interchangeable toolheads like those in the Prusa XL are a much more efficient and advanced solution.

The main problem, of course, is price. A fully equipped Prusa XL (with 5 toolheads) costs around €3,950, which is a steep investment for a home user.

Meanwhile, WonderMaker offered a four-toolhead system on Kickstarter for just $699.

The build volume is 300 x 240 x 290 mm, with a hotend temperature of 300°C and a heated bed up to 100°C — allowing it to print standard materials like PLA, PETG, ABS, ASA, and TPU. In addition, the printer promises the same blazing-fast speeds we know from Bambu Lab:

• 600 mm/sec speed

• 32 mm³/sec flow rate

• 20,000 mm/sec² acceleration

Sure, WonderMaker’s build volume is smaller than the Prusa XL, which offers 360×360×360 mm, but the more than fivefold lower price should more than make up for that.

The Prusa XL is undoubtedly more solid and robust, while in video footage showing WonderMaker in action, the thin sheet metal and fairly “ordinary” laser-cut structural elements didn’t leave the best impression.

But again — what kind of top-tier build quality can you really expect from a quad-head 3D printer priced at $699?

That’s something the first thousand users will soon find out. Shipping is scheduled to begin in August this year — and unless there’s some kind of “Kickstarter scam,” we should start seeing first user reviews by September.

Back in March, I called it a potential “Bambu Lab killer”, but for now, I’m tempering that opinion — and if anything, I see it more as a threat to the Prusa XL. Though not a deadly one yet.

However, if it turns out this fall that WonderMaker performs well, Prusa Research may be facing a serious challenge in the long run.

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Atomic Layer from the Past:

05-08-2012: Stratasys "got its Mojo" with a new desktop 3D printer.
05-08-2017: Formlabs launched the Form Wash and Form Cure.

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News & Gossip:

1. EOS has joined the U.S. Navy’s Maritime Industrial Base initiative with a new training program launching May 2025. Held at the Additive Minds Academy in Michigan, it will certify specialists in laser powder bed fusion (LPBF) to address production bottlenecks and expand additive manufacturing within the Navy’s supply chain.

2. Conflux and Donkervoort have developed 3D printed water-charge air coolers for the P24 RS Supercar, offering a lighter, smaller, and more efficient alternative to traditional units. Each aluminium part weighs just 1.4 kg, enhancing throttle response, engine bay packaging, and weight distribution using advanced additive manufacturing technology.

3. AMT has launched aftermarket colouring capsules and blasting media compatible with DyeMansion systems, offering up to 50% cost savings. Designed for DM60 and Powershot S/C machines, the new consumables provide plug-and-play performance, consistent results, and enhanced flexibility—now available through AMT’s webshop and global reseller network.