Modix Gen 5 Upgrades the BIG Series With Tool Changing and Pellet Extrusion

What is new in Generation 5

Modix has updated its BIG series large-format 3D printers with a new electronics platform. The core change is the move to Duet 3 architecture with CANBUS distributed electronics. That lets customers add motor drivers, sensors, I/O modules, and toolboards throughout the printer without redesigning the main board. Modix says this supports more than 20 axes and drivers.

The practical benefit is upgradeability. Instead of replacing an entire printer every few years, owners can add capabilities as they need them. Modix's CEO Shachar Gafni put it plainly: the controller carries spare capacity for motors, sensors, tools, and accessories. New capabilities ship as upgrades whenever technically possible.

Automatic tool changing comes to large format

Bondtech INDX automatic tool changing is planned for introduction at Formnext 2026. Once available, a single BIG series machine will switch between multiple materials and colors within one print. That is a feature usually reserved for smaller desktop machines. On a printer that can produce parts a meter wide or larger, the time savings become substantial.

Pellet extrusion on the same platform

A compact pellet extruder is also coming. This extends Modix's dual-technology approach onto one machine: pellets for throughput and low raw-material cost, filament for fine detail. For production environments, that flexibility matters. Raw material costs drop when you move from spool to pellet, especially at large format volumes.

45-degree printing

The third planned addition is a tilted print-head system. Angled printing has been proven on belt printers. Generation 5 brings it to Cartesian large-format machines. Walls printed at an angle reduce the need for extensive internal supports. On large hollow parts, that saves kilograms of material and hours of post-processing.

Other upgrades available now

Generation 5 machines are already shipping. Alongside the electronics overhaul, current features include an integrated accelerometer for automated calibration and motion tuning, Ethernet as standard with removable Wi-Fi for security-sensitive organizations, and a new touchscreen interface. The BIG series spans six models from the BIG-60 up to the two-meter-tall Everest, all supporting independent dual extrusion, high-flow filament printing, and multiple print-head configurations.