My last major update article came out in May and it’s almost unbelievable that six months have already passed. We’re still in the middle of the COVID-19 pandemic, but despite the new challenges, we are still moving forward. Truth be told, we were expecting that we would be working on something entirely different by now – like putting finishing touches to the XL and the successor to the Original Prusa i3 MK3. However, the current situation makes sourcing new parts much more difficult and we have to find new ways to solve various problems.
So even though we’ve made major progress on our “next-gen” machines, we’re not ready to show them at this very moment. We have something else, though: I would like to announce that the improved models of our 3D printers, the Original Prusa i3 MK3S+ and the Original Prusa MINI+, just arrived! We also have a new type of print sheet, the Black Friday deals are nearly here and that’s still not all. We started shipping both the MK3S+ and MINI+ last week in secret, so some of you probably already have them 🙂 So, what’s new?
- Introducing MK3S+, MINI+, and MINI+ KIT
- Introducing Satin Steel Sheets
- PrusaPrinters News
- New Prusament PLA Blend colors
- Black Friday deals
- What’s next?
Introducing MK3S+, MINI+, and MINI+ KIT
Even though the MK3S and MINI are established as workhorses for quite some time, we want to push the reliability of our 3D printers even further and make their assembly process faster and easier. The new MK3S+ features a number of smaller design changes and features a new Mesh Bed Leveling sensor, the SuperPINDA. This sensor is now also featured in the MINI (replacing the basic M.I.N.D.A. sensor), turning it into the MINI+. This is a big step forward for the MINI since it makes the calibration of the first layer much more consistent.
When we announced the MINI back in October 2019 with the launch in December, we wanted to bring an affordable, yet fully-equipped and reliable 3D printing workhorse. The demand was (and still is) huge and we’re constantly hiring to bring down the lead times – there are almost 600 of us, wow! We were excited to see all the positive comments and reviews. However, we did not want to rest on our laurels – there were also suggestions on what could be improved, both on the hardware and software side. So while our firmware team keeps bringing new software features (such as the upcoming Sheet profiles for the MINI in firmware 4.3), the rest of the dev team focused on hardware changes. The most important change is the upgrade of the M.I.N.D.A. sensor, which was pretty much the same sensor we used on the MK2S e.g. it comes without temperature compensation. However, it enabled us to reach such a compelling price point. It is now replaced by the new SuperPINDA, which doesn’t suffer from temperature drift and makes the first layer consistent – for example if you are running one print after another, but set the Live Adjust Z with a cold printer.
So, before we get to details, let me say that most of these changes are not major enhancements that would drastically change the behavior of our printers. Think of them as a “reliability upgrade” which is based on the feedback we received from the community, and also by running our printers nearly 24/7 in our print farm. Basically, if your MK3S prints without any issues, the upgrade won’t bring any significant print quality improvements. Nevertheless, some of the changes will definitely make the assembly process and regular maintenance easier, and even improve the user experience with the MINI+.
However, we had to make a tough decision. While the price of the MK3S+ stays the same, the price of the MINI+ has been increased by 50 USD / 40 EUR (VAT incl) – that’s 399 USD / 419 EUR (VAT incl). When we calculate the price of our products, we take into account many different factors – the costs of materials, manufacturing costs, additional costs (e.g. tech support) + potential additional costs such as fluctuating exchange rates. However, the COVID-19 pandemic changed a lot of things, and often for the worse. We have trouble sourcing certain parts, some parts are now more expensive, the shipping costs are higher – just to name a few. The second reason is the increased price of the new SuperPINDA sensor made of higher-quality parts.
I understand the price of the MINI is a big plus for many of you, so we were looking for ways to compensate for this. So, first of all: based on the results of a survey we’ve sent out this year, we decided to introduce the MINI+ Assembly KIT for 349 USD / 379 EUR (VAT incl.). The MINI+ KIT will bring the same experience as the MK3S KIT because many of you miss the opportunity to build the MINI screw by screw, which is the best way to learn everything about the machine and how it works. We’ll bring you the KIT in early 2021, but you can visit the store page right now and use the “Notify me when available” option to receive a notification once the KIT becomes available. Another chance to save on the MINI is to take advantage of our upcoming Black Friday deal: we will offer free shipping on the MINI+ (and other products – more details below), which will effectively bring down the total costs of your purchase. For many countries, this can make a 40 USD difference.
- Buy the Original Prusa i3 MK3S+ Assembly kit HERE
- Buy the Original Prusa i3 MK3S+ Complete HERE
- Buy the Original Prusa MINI+ Pre-assembled here HERE
- Set up the notification for the Original Prusa MINI+ Assembly kit HERE
And I think it goes without saying that everybody who is currently waiting for their MK3S/MINI to be shipped will get the MK3S+/MINI+ automatically! 😉
Let’s dig into the details!
SuperPINDA (MK3S+ and MINI+)
So, while most of the changes are relatively minor, the SuperPINDA, which replaces the P.I.N.D.A. V2 and M.I.N.D.A., deserves more space. What’s the difference apart from the obvious lack of dots? Compared to the older models (and especially the M.I.N.D.A. sensor), SuperPINDA is temperature-independent, features a much higher quality sensor and better quality components overall, plus, it does not need a thermistor. Technically there is still a certain temperature dependency, but nowhere near any significant levels that would affect the measurements. Especially the owners of the MINI should see noticeable improvements in the consistency of the first layer with the new sensor. On the other hand, the difference between the MK3S and MK3S+ will be fairly minor. Please note that if you decide to replace the P.I.N.D.A. V2 on the MK3S with the SuperPINDA, you need to flash firmware 3.9.2 (or newer).
To give you a little background on the development: we’ve been working on a new type of sensor since the beginning of 2020. The very first version of the sensor came out with the MK2 (the MK3/S features an improved V2 version) and it allowed us to implement the extremely useful Mesh Bed Leveling feature. It is designed to smooth out the tiny imperfections of the first layer introduced by the assembly and part tolerances stacking up. However, we knew we could push the consistency and long term reliability.
The P.I.N.D.A. sensor features a thermistor used for thermal compensation. However, we wanted to get rid of the thermistor (because it depends on averaged values) and improve the overall accuracy of the sensor in repeated measurements. To explain: when the Mesh Bed Leveling routine runs, the sensor probes several points on the print sheet, and the measured values are further compensated from the lookup table based on thermistor values. The sequence is repeated several times and averaged based on the user-selected MBL configuration. This was the process we wanted to focus on.
Of course, this brought new challenges: how to improve the accuracy and repeatability of the measurements, while keeping the runtime of Mesh Bed Leveling at a reasonable level – and without the need to rework the extruder? We went through at least five different redesigns and made thousands of measurements until we finally found the right combination. The improved consistency and overall quality of used components is a major jump forward – you can see the measured values for five different SuperPINDAs in the graph below.
It also features a higher quality cable – significantly thinner strands of copper wire will last much longer even with constant bending motion. According to our statistics, when the mesh bed leveling failed, the sensor itself was not the cause, but it was usually caused by the cable.
The SuperPINDA sensor was originally meant only for the MK3S, however, the feedback on the MINI has shown that users would love to have the same “set it and forget it” behavior as on MK3S even at a slightly increased price. This is why we have decided to put the very same next-generation SuperPINDA into the MINI as well, even though it is partially responsible for the 50 USD / 40 EUR price increase. I fully believe it’s worth the price, though. The MINI+ also features new clips that hold the bearings.
SuperPINDA FAQ
Q: Will P.I.N.D.A. V2 and M.I.N.D.A. remain in stock?
A: Once the current stock runs out, they will be completely replaced by SuperPINDA. SuperPINDA will be the new replacement part for MK3/S/+, MK2.5/S and MINI/+. First generation P.I.N.D.A. (for MK2 variants) will remain in stock.
Q: Do I need to upgrade the current sensor with the SuperPINDA to have better quality prints?
A: No. If your printer runs perfectly fine, there’s no need to replace the part.
Q: Is the SuperPINDA compatible with the MK2.5/S?
A: Support will be added in a future firmware update.
Y and X Axes (MK3S+, partially MINI+)
Two major things happened on the Y-axis of the MK3S+. The smooth rods are no longer held by zip-ties. Instead, we designed a new set of robust plastic holders. And another important thing: the U-bolts which were used to secure the Y-axis bearings are gone, too. Instead, there’s a new set of metal clips, which are easier to mount and provide slightly better support for the bearings (the MK3S+ uses Misumi bearings). These are the same clips that are present on the MINI+. However, these clips do not bring any print quality improvements and their only purpose is to make the assembly easier – we do not recommend replacing them on an already assembled printer. This is why they are not included in the MINI+ upgrade kit (which consists of the SuperPINDA only).
There is only one small (yet very useful) change on the X-axis of the MK3S+. The new X-end part is reinforced and features a different tensioning mechanism.
Extruder changes (MK3S+)
A number of smaller changes occurred around and in the extruder. The filament path is slightly altered with the aim to make printing (especially flexible materials) more reliable. The filament sensor lever (FS-lever) has a modified design for improved reliability and the idler door has a greater opening range to allow for easier access to the Bondtech gears.
Apart from this, there’s a number of minor improvements related to the heat resistance of extruder parts. The fan shroud has two attachment points instead of one and the cooling/airflow, in general, has been slightly improved.
Upgrade kits FAQ
Q: What’s included in the MINI+ upgrade?
A: The SuperPINDA sensor only. The bearing holders (metal clips) bring no benefit in terms of print quality or reliability, so they are not included
Q: What’s included in the MK3S+ upgrade?
A: SuperPINDA, Bearing Clips for Y-axis bearings, IR filament sensor+cable, Hotend PTFE tube, Fan shroud printed from ASA, PETG filament to print the plastic parts
Q: I have the MK3S and want to buy the MMU2S. Do I need to buy the MK3S+ upgrade as well?
A: No, the MMU2S is fully compatbile both with MK3S and MK3S+. No additional purchase apart from MMU2S is necessary.
Q: I have the original MK3 (not MK3S) and want to buy the MMU2S. What should I buy?
A: You will need the MMU2S and also the MK3S+ upgrade (sold separately).
Q: I have the MK3, do I have to upgrade to MK3S and then to MK3S+?
A: No, you can upgrade directly from MK3 to MK3S+. Everything from MK3S upgrade is already included in the MK3S+ upgrade.
Q: When will the printable files (STL / 3MF) for new parts become available online?
A: We will add them in the upcoming days.
Upgrade kits coming later, the “2.5” upgrade packages discontinued in December 2020
While all of the changes are aimed to improve the ease of assembly and user experience, the upgrade itself is not necessarily a must, especially for the MK3S. In other words: if your printer runs and prints without any issues, you will not gain any significant print quality improvements by upgrading to “Plus”. This is why we have decided to start shipping the MK3S+ upgrade package early next year and not immediately. However, you can pre-order them from our e-shop right now. The major difference between the MINI and the MINI+ is the SuperPINDA sensor, which is already available on our e-shop.
The upgrade process for “i3” 3D printers will be simplified:
- There will be one MK3S+ upgrade kit, both for the MK3 and MK3S
- If you have the MK3 and want to add the MMU2S upgrade, you also need to purchase the MK3S+ upgrade kit (separate purchase).
Since the number of hardware combinations keeps growing, we have decided to discontinue the “2.5S” upgrade kits – these will be available only until the end of December 2020, so if you still want to upgrade your old MK2/S in the most convenient way, consider upgrading as soon as possible. However, this does not mean we would completely stop you from upgrading – separate parts for the upgrade will be still available through our e-shop and we will publish a detailed guide on how to purchase the parts separately and upgrade your MK2/S.
And finally, to make the transition smoother, the MK3S+ and MINI+ will use the same firmware as the MK3S and MINI, respectively.
Introducing Satin Steel Sheets for the MK3/S/+
Our double-sided spring steel sheets introduced with the MK3 are one of the things that make living with a 3D printer so much easier. Currently, we’re offering two types – smooth and textured sheets. Some of you may remember, though, that back in 2017, we were actually planning a third one: the glossy powder-coated sheet. While we eventually decided to launch only two sheets, the idea of a third one kept floating around.
Our very talented team members in our “secret lab” on the outskirts of Prague spent more than a year perfecting a brand new formula and I’m happy to announce that the result of their hard work is finally here: the Satin powder-coated PEI spring steel sheet! Our intention was to create a print sheet with properties between the smooth and textured sheets. The kind of surface that would be appreciated by those who often print PLA and PETG. The (very general) rule of thumb is that the smooth sheet works better for PLA and the textured one should be used for printing PETG. This is recommended due to the fact that PLA may have adhesion issues on the textured sheet. PETG, on the other hand, may stick too well to the smooth sheet and cause damage when you try to detach the print. The satin sheet is a good option for printing both PLA and PETG – once a fresh print cools down, it detaches by itself in most cases.
The first layer printed on the Smooth (left), Satin (middle), and Textured (right) sheets, same in the bottom row – only zoomed in
The entire Satin sheet is manufactured completely in-house using our own, internally developed methods. The surface of the satin steel sheet has a very fine texture, which is lightly imprinted in the printed object. This sheet is manufactured in a similar way as the textured powder-coated sheets, however, it has a different surface finish resulting in better adhesion and the signature matte appearance. This is why we call it a “satin” sheet.
Of course, you can use this sheet with a vast majority of common filaments – no matter whether you want to print with ASA, Polycarbonate, Polypropylene, flexible filaments or even Nylon, this sheet can handle them all. For example, Flexfill98A can be printed even without a separation layer. However, smooth and textured sheets may still be better for certain filaments – check our material guide to learn more. The maintenance is very similar to the textured PEI powder-coated sheet. It’s very simple, just don’t forget to read the instructions. 😉
We will offer the first batch of Satin powder-coated sheets on our e-shop in very limited quantities (check out the store page here) with the next batch scheduled for early 2021. And we will also bundle them with the first 300 MK3S+ 3D printers ordered during the Black Friday sale, for free.
Satin Sheets FAQ
Q: Will the satin sheet be available for the MINI/+ as well?
A: Yes, in 2021
Q: Will the satin sheets be added to sheet profiles in the firmware?
A: You can add them any time using the “Rename” option
PrusaPrinters.org News – 3D model viewer and more!
We’ve shared the last major updates on the PrusaPrinters community hub back in May, however, we haven’t been slacking off in the past six months – on the contrary! There’s been a number of awesome creator contests, and we also continue to improve the code and add new features.
We added things like mentions in comments (with the @ symbol), expanded the range of supported files, improved the search function, implemented likes for prints and collections, added spam protection…
And that’s not all. The very recent changes include things like sorting prints in your collections, increased number of collections (from 9 to 20) and above all: adding static and interactive full 3D previews for STL, 3MF, OBJ and Gcode files! We hope this will make navigation among 30.000 projects a bit easier. 😉
New filaments in our Prusament line-up
We also keep adding more new materials to our ever-expanding lineup of high-quality filaments. Starting this Thursday, we’re adding two shiny new materials: The “Oh My Gold” and “Viva La Bronze” PLA Blends. Check out the entire selection at Prusament.com or in our e-shop. We offer plenty of exciting PLA colors, durable ASA and PETG filaments, and even the advanced PolyCarbonate Blend. And you can, of course, see a detailed report on every spool manufactured online. 😉
Black Friday and Cyber Monday deals
As usual, we will join the worldwide Black Friday and Cyber Monday craze with attractive deals in our e-shop!
Start: November 26th at 4.00 p.m. (PST) / November 27th at 12.00 a.m. (GMT)
End: December 1st at 12.00 a.m. (PST) / December 1st at 8:00 a.m. (GMT)
You can expect the following deals:
- MK3S+ (kit / complete) – free shipping, free steel sheet (first 300 customers will receive the satin sheet, the rest will get a powder-coated sheet), free spool of Prusament PETG Galaxy Black
- SL1 (kit / complete) – discounts on printers (see below), free shipping, one extra 1kg bottle of Azure Blue Tough resin for free (one bottle is already included in the package, so you will get two bottles in total)
- SL1 kit – 250 USD / 250 EUR / 5000 CZK off
- SL1 complete – 200 USD / 200 EUR / 4500 CZK off
- SL1 kit + CW1 bundle – 250 USD / 250 EUR / 5000 CZK off
- SL1 complete + CW1 bundle – 200 USD / 200 EUR / 4500 CZK off
- 20% discount on smooth and powder-coated PEI spring steel sheets
- Free Basics of 3D Printing book with every MK3S+ (available in EN, FR, IT, GER, ES, CZ and PL) – This is a great gift to your friends if you are already savvy with 3D printing
- Free shipping on orders over 200 USD/EUR (conditions may apply)
Update 25/11/2020: since you kept asking about filament discounts: due to a shortage of materials from our suppliers, we cannot manufacture enough PLA Prusaments to satisfy the increased demand. In general, the demand for Prusament is very high and our manufacturing capacities are running at max. Discounting the materials would result in increased lead times.
What’s next?
If you want to learn more about all the things from this article, be sure to tune in for our regular PrusaLive podcast on Wednesday, November 25th (9 p.m. CET / 8 p.m. GMT / 12:00 p.m. PST), where I will discuss all the details with my colleagues and answer questions from the chat!
Also, I understand some of you might have been expecting news about upcoming 3D printers – I assure you that they’re coming. However, like many others around the world, we’ve been affected by the COVID-19 pandemic as well. All of us are facing new challenges. We’re doing our best to ensure a safe working environment for the entire team – and for others, too. We still manufacture protective face shields, because the COVID-19 pandemic is far from over and it puts a huge strain on everyone around the world.
We are working hard so we can share news about our upcoming machines soon. In the meantime, I hope you will enjoy using not only the new sheets but also the MK3S+ and MINI+. And BTW – because we have more time to work on the XL, we decided to add tool changing to it 😉
Happy printing!
Jo Prusa
Does the new mk3* upgrade kit still include mk3s style filament sensor and cable? It is not listed in the product description.
It does 😉
“IR filament sensor + cable”
https://shop.prusa3d.com/en/original-prusa-i3-mk3s/1390-original-prusa-i3-mk3-to-mk3s-upgrade-kit.html
Will the new powder coated satin sheets be included in the Black Friday deal?
The first 300 customers will receive a satin sheet with their MK3S+.
However, the 20% discount applies only for the smooth and powder-coated PEI spring steel sheets
Lots of great additions to the product line! Love the new sheet and filament colours. Happy about the MK3S+ upgrade, too.
The only grief I have is with you Prusa guys screwing existing MK3S users by discontinuing a perfectly working PINDA2 probe.
All that the Mini users, including myself, wanted was to have the PINDA2 work on the Mini. I don’t remember seeing people asking for a brand new SuperPINDA at almost double the price of the PINDA2! And you dare say the price increase is well worth it? For Mini users, perhaps. But for MK3S users, this improvement is marginal at best, why should we pay a premium?
Not sure I understand what you’re not happy about. I have a Mk3 with the original PINDAv1. It works well. If new users are getting a PINDAv3, it doesn’t impact anything on existing printers and nothing forces me to upgrade.
My issue is that at any point my PINDA2 could fail. And instead of buying a new one for 15 quid, I am forced to buy something for 25. And that’s for something without any previous reliability track record. I think Prusa should’ve kept the PINDA2 running along the new SuperPINDA for until it proves its worth.
I agree that not having the Pinda v2 and forcing the non proven SuperPinda for 10 more seems like a cash grab. I have 4 MK3s’s, and haven’t had a problem with the original part.
As we explain in the article. Do not take apart and upgrade your MK3 if it’s working fine. This is a small evolutionary change.
New printers will have the new probe, but there is no need to upgrade your existing machine 🙂
Shit .. Just took my MK3S and MINI apart… 😜 No.. I will wait for the XL mate. 🙏
All I can say is you keep making me hungry for the next gen printers. I have a feeling I might not be able to make a good case of needing the XL when it comes, but the whole topic of next gen printers becomes so interesting that it is hard to wait. And then Jo has to mention something like tool changing…
There would be one thing that I would still love to see and that is an affordable and reliable dual extruder printer for those soluble support prints etc without wasting time and material on constant filament changes. I know that it is a difficult thing to do, but would be so good if you can make it work with minimum compromises.
I guess have a different philosophy. I bought my two MK3s printers because I wanted a printing experience 2nd to none at their price point. There are tons of other brands that are cheaper but don’t print as well. I don’t see the folks at Prusa upgrading things that don’t result in a better print just for the sake of making a couple of extra bucks.
From a supply standpoint, it costs money and resources to stock two similar products, so it makes sense to me that they would sell only the new SuperPINDAs once the supply of PINDA2s run out.
Mám MK3S a MMU2S. Zaujala mě tato věta:
“If you have the MK3/S and want to add the MMU2S upgrade, you also need to purchase the MK3S+ upgrade kit (separate purchase).”
Proč? Souvisí to nějak s FW nebo změnami extruderu? Nebo si to jen blbě překládám?
Díky za vaši super práci v této blbé době. Držte se!
Taky jsem na to koukal. O koupi MMU2S uvažuji už delší dobu, ale pokud k tomu budu muset dokoupit upgrade k MK3S (kterou jsem koupil necelé dva měsíce nazpět), tak pápálálá…
Moje MK3S pracuje s MMU2S relativně v pohodě a nehodlám s tím nic dělat, ale tohle by chtělo dovysvětlit, aby v tom bylo jasno.
Pokud uz mate MK3S, tak nemusite upgradovat.
Pokud ale mate MK3, s MMU2S upgradem jsem doposud posilali i upgrade MK3S. Vzhledem k mnozstvi kombinaci verzi tomu tak uz ale neni. Tzn pokud mate MK3 a chcete si koupit MMU2S, musite upgradovat na MK3S+.
Jeste to zkusim symbolicky:
MK3S + MMU2S ✔
MK3 a chci MMU2S -> koupit it MK3S+ upgrade
MK3S a chci MMU2S -> staci koupit MMU2S
Has the MMU2S been changed? I have a MMU2S with my MK3S, but now it says that I need the MK3S+ kit for it to work with it? Also, on your product page it reference a “MMU2S+”.
I asked support this same question via chat earlier today. The answer was that the MMU2S hasn’t changed. Basically, the MMU2S attached to a MK3S+ printer can be referred to as a “MMU2S+”.
Thanks
Are there drawings and specs publishes for the superpinda? I can’t find anything on github.
Whoot, the XL will have a tool changer!! That’s great new!
I would like to know if the new satin sheet will also be included in the black friday sales? I’ve already put it in the cart. But might wait until i smash the “buy it” button until friday.
I bought the MK3S this year. The automatich filament loading only worked in the very beginning. And the filament sensor never did, althought I orientated the magnet the right way during assembly. I would like to know if I would have to replace the parts, which I would also buy then, or can it be fixed?
The first 300 customers will receive a free satin sheet with their MK3S+.
However, the 20% discount applies only to the smooth and powder-coated PEI spring steel sheets.
I‘m not sure how to think about the Mini „upgrade“. The old MINDA is simply not working correct! I have to adjust Z on every new print.
Now you are selling an upgrade part. But thats not how it works. The old MINDA is a technical/design fault.
Maybe you can fix this issue by sending the SuperPINDA (wtf) for free to all Mini Owners with faulty MINDA issues. (So all mini owners)
I think that’s fair, or at least just pay the difference for it. My z offset has been getting larger every month even though I keep the same sheet on the bed and don’t remove it. The bed is off centre by a few mm so can’t use the maximum volume reliably and the MBL doesn’t accurately level my bed, filament in the back right corner is less squished compared to the centre and left sides. Sounds like a new probe would sort 2/3 of those issues. I do really like the printer and the support is great but feel like we’re missing out.
For a company that prides itself on quality, I wonder why they think skimping on top layers on the electronics cover such that the infill is visible is acceptable.
I agree, my Mini used to print consistently but now I have to always watch the first layer and very often adjust it 🤨 It’s ridiculous how much money I’ve given Prusa in the past year for filament and spare parts and I wish they would just admit it’s a problem and offer a solution to existing owners (such as pay for the difference between the old and new version of the probe, or even give us a free voucher to add to next order). That’s the kind of customer service that gets you lifelong customers, not this silly “buy a new one to fix our design mistake” attitude.
Not to rant too much, because Prusa makes some super quality stuff, but I really dislike the fact that they’ve advertised for a whole year features that they still have yet to implement on the Mini. A year after its release, they are still behind shipping (releasing the kit version was a fantastic idea though to help that; I would have got the kit if it had been an option). I think it’s terrible practice to have product information that doesn’t apply to the product and may not for the next year or two. When I ordered my Mini back in December, they made it sound like it would ship within 5-6 weeks, and have Wi-Fi functionality in a couple of months. It actually took until May to ship and we still do not have Wi-Fi or even proof that it will ever be a reliable thing.
I have 2 stock Mini’s, and have no issues with the original part, so no, not all Mini users need it.
Exactly, the current probe works fine.
It’s what we used on the MK2 this whole time after all. Sure, the probe drifts a little bit with temperature change. You might have to adjust the first layer calibration a bit when switching to a different filament type. But that’s just how it works. It’s not an issue for me and I’ll be sticking with the current MINDA probe. If something eventually breaks and I’ll have to do some work on the printer, I will probably update it while I’m at it.
The new probe is exactly what it says, an upgrade. It’s more precise and has a super small temperature drift.
I disagree that the current Minda probe works fine — or at least, there seems to be quite a bit of inconsistency across Minis. On mine, I have a first layer failure every two or three prints, even without changing filaments, and have to adjust the live-z. The drift is very severe. Maybe I just got a bad minda probe, I don’t know. But a lot of people in the forums have similar issues as me. And, as you say, a lot of people don’t have issues at all.
I’m torn on paying extra just so I can use my printer reliably – I understand the new probe costs more, but I’m also very frustrated with my Mini’s print quality out of the box and don’t really love having to spend more just to get it working acceptably.
I dont have any issues on the Mini with the original sensor
I received my mk3s and the mini within the past couple of months and I much prefer to use my mk3s.
the. Mini sits idle as mk3s prints first attempt but the mini I find a headache getting it to print to the same quality it needs adjustment on every print.
With my mk2s I had the same issue every print I had to reset the live z turned out it was a firmware issue I was playing around with the code from the mesh bed leveling (since my bed was warped aswell) I decided to use the new firmware that just came out and then suddenly that bit was fixed. I ended up having to just shim the bed in spots and tighten the standoffs in others, to get it within tolerance so that it would print well and still put in the section of code from the ultra fine bed leveling. Now it prints fairly well, I still don’t trust it enough to print something with a full bed volume but a bit over half of the bed at a time isn’t too bad . I just bought the 2.5s upgrade since I’m finally in a position to buy it now and hopefully that will solve that issue. I also got a slighty dodgy extruder stepper motor pushing the filament in it works perfectly and with retacts it sound like its working but unloading the filament it decides it doesn’t want to work and stops half way and just starts clicking like its missing steps I normally have to give it a helping hand when changing out filament which at the moment isn’t that bad but now I want to also buy the mmu2s so its got to go.
What about MMU2S? Will there be a different chimney on the new extruder?
What exactly does tool changing mean? 😀
Also, will it be possible to replace the PINDA in exising MINIs with the superPINDA?
It’s a system with multiple print heads or other tools, like the one from E3D: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=C7wYfaHT1g0
Yeah, the new SuperPINDA can be used directly as a replacement for the current probe 🙂
Okay, I just can’t find anything about the replacement in the assembly manuals. Not sure how it could be done with the cables on the MINI either
I got my MK3s yesterday. Box says MK3s It was shipped on the 18th. I have a SuperPINDA but my Y mounts are still U bolt. So I have a cross between a MK3s and a + model. This is kind of scary. I don’t know if I have any of the other improvements seeing as how this is my 1st 3D printer ever.
Even if you didn’t get any of the upgrades, you’re fine 🙂
The change to MK3S is really small and it’ll work perfectly for you as is.
Did you get the new satin spring-steel sheet? Or one of the older ones (smooth or textured)?
Will the printer have an option for “satin” in addition to “smooth” and “textured” so it can save the Z offsets without calling the new sheet either smooth or textured?
I just checked to see how many of each sheet you can have, and found out you can rename them whatever you want, so I guess there are no worries. It would still me nice if you didn’t have to start with “smooth” and rename it “satin”, etc.
Like you say, you can rename them, but we will likely add the “satin” preset in a future firmware update 🙂
great to read this not even a month after i received my mk3s +mmu2s kits.
i remember skimming some text where free upgrade for purchases close to release of a new version was mentioned…if only i could find it again -.-
These are just minor tweaks, nothing to worry about or needed for an otherwise perfectly good printer.
alone the y-axis construction had my nails curling during assembly. getting the u-bolts tight to not be too lose but not squishing the (rather soft) bearing housing so it runs smoothly was an annoyingly fine adjustment to find.
plus some other small annoyances found during assembly…but i’m getting closer to being ready to print petg so i might just design and print some improvements myself.
When will the .stl files for the MK3S+ be available?
I woke up to news that my MK3s shipped today. Any chance it’s a MK3s+? 🤞
100% 🙂
See you at 11am Sydney time on Friday! 😉
? I had the Satin Sheet in my cart ready to check out tomorrow and now it says out of stock ?
Can’t wait to try satin sheet and the fan shroud with a new design. If only i can get satin sheets before they get sold out.. 🤔
Can we just update our extruders on MK3s with these new parts?
You can, however, you will have to shorten the PTFE tube. We will release a guide for that in the near future 😉
Am I wrong, or has the SL1 bundle kit become more expensive? Was it not available for 1799€?
Will the new satin sheet be available for the MINI in the near future?
Not sure about how near future, but yes, it will be available 🙂
If I happen to get one of the 300 and select powder coated sheet does that mean I’ll get all three sheets? Since it says free steel sheet and first 300 will get the satin sheet as well.
You’ll receive whatever you pick (smooth, powder-coated, smooth+powder coated) + one free sheet. The first 300 get a satin sheet, the rest will receive an extra powder-coated one.
Hi, when will the printed parts be available for MK3s+ ? Thank you
We’ll release them in a few days 🙂
“We started shipping both the MK3S+ and MINI+ last week in secret, so some of you probably already have them.” – MK3S přišla minulý pátek (do Prahy) tak je mi teď trochu líto že nepřišla rovnou ta nová verze… a to jsem ještě všude hledal jestli se nechystá něco nového… asi špatně 🙁
Will the new “MK3/S to MK3S+” upgrade kit include the MK3S extruder upgrade that was included in the old “MK3 to MK3S” upgrade kit (like the new IR sensor, IR sensor cable, 10x6x2 and 20x6x2 magnets, steel ball, 5x15s spring and various screws & nuts)?
What is the way to benefit from BF?
Place now a mk3s+ kit (with smooth or textured sheet) in the cart and the cart gets automatically updated, when BF starts and the first 300 placed orders get satin instead of smooth automatically, or will there be a new item (mk3s+kit “BF-edition”), which appears only during the BF, which has to be placed in the cart to benefit?
I’d really like to know this, too.
I was thinking exactly the same thing.
So do you have to buy an especially created article or is the differentiation between “1 of 300 satin” or “textured” only time based?
I’d have bought a satin sheet separately, but unfortunately these are already sold out 🙁
So I think this will be the only way to get them in near future (if you are lucky to be among the first 300)
I ordered a MK3S last week so looks like I’ll be getting one of these. Are you guys going to update the assembly guide for the slight changes, for example the change to the Y-axis bearing mounts?
There is already a brand new assembly guide for the MK3S+, which reflects all the changes to the printer 🙂
https://help.prusa3d.com/en/tag/mk3s-2/
Toolchanging is going to be huge, e3d made a platform to build off of, now we will be seeing it in a commercially available printer, it could with prusa and e3d’s help become the new norm!
No MINI Black Friday deals? 🙁
Free shipping 🙂
True! I’m hoping for personal pickup though. Let’s see if it will be possible in those 8 weeks.
My Mk3s shipped on the day this announcement was released, am I gonna be receiving an MK3S+?
It should, yeah 🙂
Quick question, I have ordered the MK3S the same day the MK3S+ was announced. The printer is on backorder. Will I receive the upgraded version MK3S+ or do I have to cancel my order and reorder the upgraded MK3S+ version?
You will receive the new MK3S+, we are not manufacturing any non-upgraded MK3S anymore.
Excellent! Thank you!
Ok question for you Mikolas. I was considering purchasing the MMU2S for my MK3S for the free shipping here on black friday. However I see now it says I must purchase the 50 dollar MK3S+ upgrade kit to use the MMU2S now (there goes my savings). Ok fine but the upgrade kits don’t ship until Jan so I wont be able to use my MMU2S after I get it until the upgrade kit ships out?
You don’t need to buy the upgrade to MK3S+ to use the MMU2S, you would, if you had “just MK3”, but you already have MK3S, you’re good to go.
Those first layer pictures are very misleading, please optimize your first layer settings and take new pictures. This should normally be a smooth/textured even surface without those lines between the print lanes. I never had such bad first layer surfaces…
In the end there are customers who think this is state of the art 😉
I am confused. I have a MK3, upgraded to MK3S, and a MMU2 which was upgraded to an MMU2S.
Quoting the extruder changes:
The filament path is slightly altered with the aim to make printing (especially flexible materials) more reliable.
Does this mean I can finally print with flex material with the MMU2S attached? It blows out the side now. Have the models been released yet?
Would like to find out also…
OK, so I bought an original MK3, then did the MK3S upgrade to it. Do I need the MK3S+ upgrade before adding the MMU2? I’m not 100% clear on what is considered an MK3S, an originally purchased device or also an earlier model that’s been upgraded.
Now you’re releasing a fix for the incompetent engineering that makes up the prusa product line up?
Why not just say it, we dont’ know how to engineer good products. You’re hobbyists gone commercial and it shows in so many ways.
The whole marketing cult you’ve got going on either seems to work on the fans you have but keep in mind a lot of us in the community see through it all.
Quote from the article:
“And I think it goes without saying that everybody who is currently waiting for their MK3S/MINI to be shipped will get the MK3S+/MINI+ automatically!”
However, customer support just wrote the following:
“I am sorry to confirm to you that Mini orders are not being updated to the Mini+ as we have had to increase the price of this printer for this latest update, and that we can only start sipping these printers with these latest features as form a specific date unfortunately.”
DISAPPOINTED!!!
It turned out that support was misinformed and I of course received the Prusa MINI+ as Jo Prusa had claimed in the article.
The printer is absolutely awesome and I am a very happy customer now!
Disappointed because I ordered my second MK3s in November and it arrived a week before the new + models shipped. Contacted Prusa several times about them sending the upgrade for free, they nicely said go to hell and they are not going to help me. One lousy week. I am now returning my brand new MK3s in the box and will no longer do business with them. Any company that charges a premium price and does not support their customer does not deserve my business.
Some customers seem to have funny expectations.
You ordered the printer and got it delivered before the update was even rolled out (even if only shortly before), yet expect Prusa to retroactively deliver to you an upgrade package absolutely free of charge. They nicely told you that they can’t do that which you apparently saw as enough reason to boycott the company from there on and write an angry review.
Nowhere does Prusa claim that it sends free updates to Prusa printer owners and honestly, I am not aware of any company which does, premium or not. To begin with, it is hard to find companies offering update packages to previous printer models to begin with.
There was a brief mention of a change to the X-axis belt tension. What was changed? What parts do we need to get if we want to upgrade that bit on existing printers?
Damn my procrastination! Ordered in November 2020, produced 1/16/2020, tested 11/18/2020, and finally assembled today, 7/1/2021. Between covid and life getting in the way, it took 8 months to get this little guy set up, come here to check out the instructions and see a new one was made as I was ordering mine lol.
Ouch, oh well.
Produced 11/16/2020 is what I meant to say…
This post is great. granny is a scary online game with horror elements. Welcome