Prusa Research
Every FilamentFeed story on Prusa Research — news, reviews, and analysis, newest first.
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Materials
Matte Filament: Why Dull Finishes Are Sometimes the Better Choice
Matte PLA and PETG reduce layer-line visibility, photograph better under broad lighting, and hide fingerprints. Here's how the finish is produced and where it makes sense.
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Printers
Prusa MINI+: The Case for a Smaller, Smarter Second Printer
At 180×180×180mm build volume, the MINI+ won't replace a full-size machine. But its compact footprint, consistent quality, and open-source firmware make it one of the most practical second printers available.
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Guides
Designing and Printing Watertight Parts: Vases, Containers, and Plumbing Fittings
FDM prints aren't watertight by default. Layer gaps, infill voids, and perimeter seams all leak. Here's how to close them — in the slicer, the design, and post-processing.
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Software
Slicer Showdown: Bambu Studio vs OrcaSlicer vs PrusaSlicer — Which Should You Use?
All three major slicers can get plastic on a print bed. Where they diverge is in workflow philosophy, calibration tooling, and how tightly they're coupled to their hardware ecosystems.
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Materials
Best Filament Under $25: Value Picks That Don't Compromise on Quality
Budget filament has improved dramatically. These are the brands and specific spools worth buying at the low end of the market — and the ones that waste your time despite the low price.
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Printers
Dual Extrusion FDM Explained: IDEX, Tool Changers, and Multi-Color vs Soluble Supports
Dual extrusion opens up soluble supports, true multi-color printing, and dual-material parts — but IDEX, tool changers, and shared-nozzle systems each make different tradeoffs. Here's what the options actually mean.
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Guides
3D Printer Bed Adhesion: PEI, Glass, BuildTak, and Flex Plates Compared
Your build surface determines how prints stick, release, and survive long-term use. This guide compares PEI, glass, BuildTak, garolite, and textured flex plates across materials and use cases.
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Printers
Bambu Lab X1 Carbon in 2026: Still the Speed Benchmark or Showing Its Age?
Two years after its launch, the X1 Carbon remains Bambu Lab's flagship enclosed CoreXY. We assess where it still leads, where newer competitors have caught up, and who it's actually for in mid-2026.
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Materials
PCTG Filament: The Cleaner, Tougher Alternative to PETG Most People Haven't Tried
PCTG delivers better optical clarity, tougher impact resistance, and lower warping than standard PETG at similar print temperatures. Here's what it is, who makes it, and whether it's worth switching.
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Business
How Bambu Lab Makes Money: Hardware Margins, Consumables, and Cloud Lock-In
Bambu Lab disrupted 3D printing with aggressive hardware pricing, but the real business model is in filament consumables, AMS accessories, and a cloud ecosystem strategy. Here is how the economics work and what it means for buyers.
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Business
3D Printing and the Right to Repair Movement: Parts, Policy, and Community Libraries
3D printing and the right to repair movement are natural allies — home printing of discontinued parts is one of the most practical demonstrations that repair is possible. Here is the legal landscape, the manufacturer pushback, and where community part libraries stand in 2026.
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Business
How Chinese 3D Printer Manufacturers Came to Dominate the Global Market
Bambu, Creality, Elegoo, and Anycubic together now sell the majority of desktop 3D printers worldwide. This is how Chinese manufacturers built that dominance, what it means for western competitors, and what comes next.
