Snapmaker has unveiled its latest machine, the Snapmaker U1, a multi-color 3D printer combining speed, efficiency, and precision in a single package. The company claims the U1 prints five times faster than comparable systems while creating only a fraction of the filament waste that typically comes with multi-material printing. Up to now, U1 has been incredibly successful on Kickstarter, where the 3D printing community can support 3D innovation.
At its core, the machine has the new SnapSwap™ system, which lets the U1 switch between four toolheads in just five seconds. Unlike other printers that rely on filament changers having to cut, heat, and purge, Snapmaker promises its system “reduces filament usage to just 20% of the usual amount.” The target: less waste, more print.
The printer boasts impressive technical specs, too: a CoreXY structure with speeds up to 300 mm/s, travel up to 500 mm/s, and 20,000 mm/s² acceleration. Calibration, often a challenge for multi-head systems, is managed by built-in compensation algorithms. According to Snapmaker, the U1 automatically aligns its four heads with offsets under 0.04 mm, producing results “on par with single-head printers.”
Features extend beyond speed and precision. With a built-in chamber camera it is possible to monitor prints in real time, detecting issues such as filament “spaghetti” or bed obstructions before they waste time and material. Once paired with the Snapmaker Orca slicer and mobile app, the machine allows you to manage prints remotely and even capture time-lapse videos of your projects.
Snapmaker emphasizes sustainability and ease of use, noting that U1’s waste reduction tackles one of the biggest criticisms of multi-color 3D printing: discarded filament. As the company puts it: “So. Much. Waste. On other 3D printers, printing a multi-color model leaves behind a mountain of garbage.”
