3D Printing Daily — Monday, March 30

Firmware and Software

Prusa MMU3 Firmware Speed Boost — Prusa pushed a firmware update that cuts MMU3 filament change times significantly, saving hours on long multi-color prints. Free update for MK3S+ and MK4 owners, worth installing today if you run the MMU3.

New Hardware

AtomForm Palette 300 — The 12-nozzle desktop printer from MOVA had its coming-out party at a Silicon Valley media event. The OmniElement revolver system handles 36 colors with claimed 90% less purge waste than traditional multi-material systems. AI cameras monitor each print. $999 early bird on Kickstarter.

Adidas Project R.A.P. Basketball Shoe — First fully 3D printed basketball shoe debuted at Pro Day, worn by a top NBA draft prospect. Retail launch expected by end of 2026.

Materials Testing

TPU, Tested to Destruction — EDGE OF 3D put the full Siraya Tech TPU range through mechanical testing: standard 95A, 64D, and the new glass fiber filled TPU-GF 95A. The GF variant behaves nothing like standard TPU — it returns energy on impact rather than absorbing it. Worth knowing if you print functional parts with flexible materials.

Design and Engineering

Are Our Heat-Set Insert Datasheets Wrong? — CNC Kitchen ran pull-out tests on heat-set inserts and found manufacturer-recommended hole sizes may actually be too large, reducing pull-out strength. A practical finding for anyone designing functional 3D printed parts with metal inserts.

Nozzle Size and Vase Mode Strength — My Tech Fun tested 0.4mm, 0.6mm, and 0.8mm nozzles in spiral vase mode. Larger nozzles and wider line widths produced stronger prints — more material per layer means more structural integrity.

Community and Culture

3D Printed Sneakers Are Here — Nike Air Works brings together 8 global designers to create 3D printed Air Max sneakers, manufactured by Zellerfeld. Limited friends and family drops lead into Air Max Day 2027.

Legacy Effects + Bambu Lab — The VFX studio behind Superman (2025) integrated Bambu Lab X1C printers mid-production after initially using them for testing. Mr. Terrific's T-shaped mask was printed in TPU. Camera-ready results from prosumer hardware.

Quick Fix

If your prints are ghosting — faint ripples on surfaces — try slowing down your print speed, tightening belt tension, or reducing acceleration. Threadless ball screw systems show promise for reducing these artifacts, though they have their own quirks (Maker's Muse covered this).