Latest MK4/4S wish-list features?
I'm just curious about what features Prusa MK4/4S owners would like their machines to feature in the future.
Of course, although these printers are workhorses with solid hardware, the firmware and software have a significant number of performance issues, stability bugs, and minor-to-modest deficiencies with the UI. (My personal #1 irritation is the incompatibility of the PrusaLink login UI with password managers like 1 Password, which requires manually entering the username and password for the printer every time I want to access it. Very frustrating and peculiar in the year 2025.) Prusa appears to be prioritizing its development team to tackle those issues, and there's not much to discuss here, I suppose.
As for hardware and sensors, my top request would be better diagnostics and troubleshooting. Extruder blobs should be detectable and the printer should stop and notify the user. More ambitiously, so should all manner of print failures: bed adhesion failures, warping, layer shifts, support failures that result in 3D-printer tumbleweed, etc. - might be possible to do through a trained computer vision model.
I would also like to see some official add-ons for a camera and lighting. For both, the options are: buy an entire Prusa enclosure with those features, or DIY. There must be some middle ground of well-designed components with PrusaLink integration.
Lastly and most ambitiously - an alternative / successor to the MMU that uses a filament dye injection system rather than multiple filament spools. The use of multiple filaments is terribly overcomplicated, has drawbacks (e.g., the MMU cannot handle TPU, and mixing different filament types is not recommended), and still only supports a tiny number of individual colors without mixing. Full-color prints are a requirement of some future-gen printers and I hope that Prusa is thinking ahead.
Dancing girls and a pizza oven?
I think you're missing the trends.
Although I expect bedslingers to be around for a very long time they are likely to become the domain of the hobbyist tinkerer and home inventor. They are easy to access and modify and can be used to explore all sorts of half baked ideas; with luck a few of those will evolve into the new wonder features of the future.
The slow move to 3D printer as domestic tool and home factory is happening via the enclosed coreXY models; we're not there yet but it's clearly the direction.
As such we may see a tendency to remove non-essential functions from i3 line machines in order to simplify control and access for the tinkerers whilst simultaneously automating more and more aspects of use for the Core [insert higher number here.]
Why not make a start on those ideas of yours? If you can make them work they might actually become the new wonder features...
Cheerio,
RE: Latest MK4/4S wish-list features?
The slow move to 3D printer as domestic tool and home factory is happening via the enclosed coreXY models; we're not there yet but it's clearly the direction.
It's interesting speculation, but I disagree for a key reason: Value proposition.
What are the comparative advantages of a CoreXY printer over a Cartesian printer? It's a little faster, a little bit smaller and/or a little larger footprint, and *theoretically* a little more accurate, though we don't know exactly what the difference will look like in practice.
What are the comparative disadvantages of a CoreXY printer, as a significantly more complex device, over a Cartesian printer? First, cost - it's an extra $200. Second, complexity - building it from a kit takes significantly longer. Third and most importantly, maintenance - more complex mechanical devices have a greater number of possible problems that require troubleshooting.
I'm really not sure that the value proposition of CoreXY justify its costs for the average consumer, and I don't expect Prusa to try to migrate everybody to a line of printers that is necessarily more expensive, more complicated, and more prone to failure.
RE: Latest MK4/4S wish-list features?
Well, Prusa said that i3 line is not going anywhere. So this is valid question.
I like all the room for adding additional stuff around...
What I would like to see is different cooking solution, which wouldn't obstruct the nozzle from view.
On SW site, I would like to have but more control over Link, without need for connect.
RE: Latest MK4/4S wish-list features?
I have two printers, one MK3S+ and one MK4. I am currently transitioning from MK4 to MK4S. I expected that as 3D printers evolve, the list of filaments that can be used will grow. Unfortunately, that is not the case. If the Prusa MK3S+ printer could print with Ultrafuse TPC45D filament for example, this option is no longer available on the MK4 or MK4S. If I have to print something with TPC filament, I have to go back to the MK3S+ with all its disadvantages.
I think this could be a good development for future firmware versions. If using TPC filaments also requires a hardware change, it would be nice for Prusa to offer us such an option.
I await your opinions on this topic.
Thanks in advance.
Best Regards,
RE: Latest MK4/4S wish-list features?
I don't see why the MK4 can't print anything the MK3 can. I wonder if BASF just hasn't updated their TPC profiles for the MK4... (I even downloaded the Prusa profile from BASF's product page for the TPC, and they only indicate MK3, MK2SMM, and MINI.)
You can use filament profiles that aren't compatible with currently selected printer. This might be a good start to make a TPC profile for your MK4. Using these "incompatible" (more likely not fully tuned) filament profiles is a two step process. First you need to go into preferences and turn on the "Show incompatible print and filament presets:" setting:
Then while in the Filaments Settings tab you need to change the newly appeared green flag to a red flag by clicking on it:
Now you should see a metric crap ton (because of EU sourced printer and all that) of filament profiles. Select the TPC profile and try a test print with it:
Here I show the TPC filament profile selected while the MK4S printer profile is loaded:
If the filament profile works as intended, you may want to file a github issue here https://github.com/prusa3d/PrusaSlicer-settings-prusa-fff to encourage Prusa to investigate and potentially add more printers to the compatibility list for TPC.
See my (limited) designs on:
Printables - https://www.printables.com/@Sembazuru
Thingiverse - https://www.thingiverse.com/Sembazuru/designs
RE: Latest MK4/4S wish-list features?
MMU supported materials have been expanding in the PrusaSlicer updates. You don't see them until you go into the configuration and enable them for your setup.
Some of my wish list for CoreOne/MKxx
1. XY .02mm resolution. Current MK4S is .08mm/.003" step increment for X and Y. Small holes tend to become smaller than designed. Small details don't work well. .02mm X and Y resolution would help.
2. PrusaSlicer thermal compensation. Thermal growth rates of the materials are known. Example, a recent PETG part that was designed perfectly to fit was .8% short at room temperature. The thermal shrinkage. I want to be able to set a "compensate for thermal shrinkage" option and have the slicer adjust accordingly. When the part is back to room temperature, it is to nominal size.
3. PrusaSlicer adjust for small holes and features so they come out as designed. Currently we have to lie about the hole size to get what we want for small holes.
4. Real time streaming of the Buddy Camera. Initially promised. Save your time lapse files locally. This is needed for the next step.
5. Camera based tracking to check for blobs, layer shifts and other failures. Must be able to compare the model against the result as it is built.
6. Thermal calibration adjustment in the printer. Be able to adjust the printer when off a few degrees. Hot end and bed.
There are many more on my list, but that is enough for now.