Prusa Announces Launch of New Flagship 3D Printer MK 4

Pursa has released its MK4 3D printer with new updates and modifications. The new MK4 looks a lot like its predecessor, it comes with numerous upgrades over even the later versions of the MK3. According to Prusa, more than 90% of the MK3S+’s parts were changed and improved to create the MK4. Even the frame is different, with the MK4 getting a die-cast aluminum frame in place of the old frame cut from aluminum plate. The heated bed and power supply are the same, but almost everything else is new.

There are far too many improvements for us to provide a comprehensive list here, but there are some that stand out. The first is the new 32-bit controller, which supports input shaping and pressure advance. Both of those require real-time processing by the controller and provide a dramatic benefit when printing at very high speeds. That controller also allows for remote printing features, the connection of webcams, and supports the new color touchscreen interface.

The Original Prusa MK4 also gets fully automatic leveling and first-layer calibration, which means that users can get a perfect first layer every time without the need for fussy manual leveling or Z-height adjustment. That is a perfect complement for the Nextruder, which supports quick nozzle changes. Combined with the automatic first-layer calibration, you no longer have a reason to dread nozzle swaps.

Build volume is almost identical to the old MK3, but the new MK4 does give you an additional 10mm in the Z axis. We should see a significant performance increase as a result of the new 32-bit controller with its input shaping and pressure advance support, as well as new “no-VFA” (Vertical Fine Artifact) motors.

Alongside the Original Prusa MK4, Prusa is also releasing the new MMU3 (Multi-Material Upgrade 3). That is an add-on module that lets the printer swap between different spools of filament during a job for multi-color and/or multi-material printing. Older versions of the MMU were plagued with reliability issues, so it will be interesting to see how well the new MMU3 works.