Prusa Research
{{Short description|Czech 3D printer manufacturer}}
{{Infobox company
| logo =
| image = Praha Holesovice Partyzanska 7a Prusa.jpg
| type = a.s.
| num_employees = >900
}}Prusa Research (often referred to as just Prusa) is a Czech company that produces 3D printers, and was the world's second largest 3D printer manufacturer in 2020.{{Cite news |title=Když české techno okouzluje svět |pages=17 |volume=33 |issue=45}}
It was founded in 2012 by Josef Průša, a developer in the RepRap project which has a strong emphasis on open-source hardware. In the past, all printers produced by the company were open source – their design plans were fully available online and anyone could use them, for example to improve an existing printer.{{Cite news |title=The Make: 3D Printer Buyer's Guide |url=http://makezine.com/comparison/3dprinters/ |language=en-US}} Some examples are the Prusa i3, Prusa Mini and Prusa XL.
As of 2023, the company started partially abandoning this open-source concept due to competition from others{{Cite web |last=Průša |first=Josef |date=2023-03-29 |title=The state of open-source in 3D printing in 2023 |url=https://blog.prusa3d.com/the-state-of-open-source-in-3d-printing-in-2023_76659/ |access-date=2025-03-03 |website=Original Prusa 3D Printers |language=en-US}} (including their open-source software being used by competitor Bambu Lab{{Cite web |last=Sher |first=Davide |date=2023-11-22 |title=Fabbaloo reports on Prusa-Bambu Lab fight over open source licenses |url=https://www.voxelmatters.com/fabbaloo-reports-on-prusa-bambu-lab-fight-over-open-source-licenses/ |access-date=2025-03-03 |website=VoxelMatters - The heart of additive manufacturing |language=en-US}}{{Cite web |title=The Life and Death of Open Source Companies |url=https://lucumr.pocoo.org/2023/12/25/life-and-death-of-open-source/ |access-date=2025-03-03 |website=Armin Ronacher's Thoughts and Writings |language=en}}), and in 2024 launched their second CoreXY printer Prusa Core One which is no longer fully open-source.{{Cite web |last=By |date=2024-11-20 |title=With Core ONE, Prusa's Open Source Hardware Dream Quietly Dies |url=https://hackaday.com/2024/11/20/with-core-one-prusas-open-source-hardware-dream-quietly-dies/ |access-date=2025-03-03 |website=Hackaday |language=en-US}}
Hardware
Prusa Research currently as of 2025 offers the FDM printers Prusa MK4S, Prusa XL, Prusa MINI+, and Prusa CORE One. The MK4S and MINI+ use a traditional cartesian design; the CORE One and the XL uses CoreXY kinematics. In addition to these, Prusa Research also offers the Prusa SL1S SLA printer. With Trilab, the company is further developing the Prusa PRO product line.{{Cite web |title=Prusa Research míří do oblasti průmyslového 3D tisku, kupuje českou firmu Trilab {{!}} 3D tiskárny Original Prusa přímo od Josefa Průši |url=https://www.prusa3d.com/cs/clanek/prusa-research-headed-into-industrial-3d-printing-acquires-trilab_228847/ |access-date=2025-03-31 |website=Prusa3D by Josef Prusa |language=cs}} This includes the Prusa Pro HT90 and Prusa Pro SLX printer models.
Accessories for the printers can be purchased in the form of the Enclosure, the Prusa CW1S washing and curing station for SLA printing, and the MMU3 multimaterial upgrade.
The company offers upgrades for almost all of its printers - for example, you can upgrade the Prusa i3 MK3S+ to the Prusa MK4.
Original Prusa Trademark
Due to the open source nature of products based on the Prusa designs, Prusa trademarked the name Original Prusa{{Cite web |title=ORIGINAL PRUSA Trademark of Prusa Research s.r.o. - Registration Number 6150376 - Serial Number 88163835 :: Justia Trademarks |url=https://trademarks.justia.com/881/63/original-88163835.html |access-date=2025-05-19 |website=trademarks.justia.com |language=en}} to differentiate from Prusa Research's open source products. Current products not denoted with the Original Prusa name are not completely open source.{{Cite web |title=Open-source at Prusa Research {{!}} Original Prusa 3D printers directly from Josef Prusa |url=https://www.prusa3d.com/page/open-source-at-prusa-research_236812/ |access-date=2025-05-19 |website=Prusa3D by Josef Prusa |language=en}}
Software
Prusa Research also develops its own software.
= PrusaSlicer =
Prusa Research software products includes the open-source PrusaSlicer (GNU Affero General Public License v3.0{{Cite web |title=PrusaSlicer/LICENSE at master · prusa3d/PrusaSlicer |url=https://github.com/prusa3d/PrusaSlicer/blob/master/LICENSE |access-date=2025-03-03 |website=GitHub |language=en}}), based on Alessandro Ranellucci's Slic3r, a well-known 3D model preparation program that is no longer being updated with new features and settings. In PrusaSlicer, profiles can be created for any 3D printer on the market, meaning that one does not need to own a Prusa printer to use the program.
= Prusa EasyPrint =
Prusa EasyPrint is a lightweight web-based tool for online slicing 3D models. It processes models in the cloud using the PrusaSlicer, making 3D printing easily accessible from any device. It offers basic model manipulation and print settings, specifically designed for ease of use by beginners and professionals.{{Cite web |title=PRUSA.app {{!}} Original Prusa 3D printers directly from Josef Prusa |url=https://www.prusa3d.com/en/prusa-app/ |access-date=2025-03-31 |website=www.prusa.app |language=en}}
= Prusa Connect =
Prusa launched Prusa Connect. An online management system for printers and print farms. It allows to control the machine and send printjobs and files remotely. The predecessor of PrusaConnect is PrusaLink which was a LAN only based system. As of 2025 you can connect the Prusa Core One, MK4 and higher, Prusa MINI, Prusa XL, Prusa HT90, Prusa CW1S and with the help of a Raspberry Pi even the older models such as the MK2 and derivatives and the MK3 lineup. The Prusa Connect also works in collaboration with the app.{{Cite web |title=Prusa Connect: Secure remote 3D printing from anywhere |url=https://connect.prusa3d.com |access-date=2025-03-31 |website=connect.prusa3d.com}}
= Prusa App =
Along with the introduction of the Prusa MK4S series, Prusa also released its native mobile app for monitoring and basic control of its PrusaConnect connected printers. It is also used for initial printer setup and belt maintenance. The app also features Printables integration and the ability to print models directly from a mobile phone with the newly introduced EasyPrint feature.{{Cite web |title=PRUSA.app {{!}} Original Prusa 3D printers directly from Josef Prusa |url=https://www.prusa3d.com/en/prusa-app/ |access-date=2025-03-31 |website=www.prusa.app |language=en}}
=== Printables===
Printables.com is an online library of 3D models developed by Prusa, where users can share their models, alterations to other models, called Remixes, and publish their printed results under the author's original model. It thus competes directly with platforms such as MakerWorld from Bambu Lab or Thingiverse. The EasyPrint feature is now available for Prusa printers, enabling cloud slicing for printing from mobile devices or less powerful computers.{{Cite web |last=Průša |first=Josef |date=2022-03-30 |title=PrusaPrinters.org is now Printables.com - The Ultimate Database of 3D Models for Everyone! |url=https://blog.prusa3d.com/prusaprinters-org-is-now-printables-com-ultimate-database-of-3d-models-for-everyone_66880/ |access-date=2025-03-31 |website=Original Prusa 3D Printers |language=en-US}}