Here’s your Thursday 3D printing roundup for June 18, 2026:

3D printer in workshop Photo by Snapmaker on Unsplash

Printer News & Releases

Bambu Lab A2L Now Shipping

  • The new large-format A2L started shipping globally on June 1st
  • Features a massive 330 x 320 x 325 mm build volume (105% more than standard machines)
  • Open-frame design with no enclosure at a competitive $469 starting price
  • Positioned as a “Creative Playground” targeting cosplayers, home decor enthusiasts, and print farms

LightMake L4: Four Heads, No Belts

  • Yanko Design featured this innovative desktop printer on June 10th
  • Four print heads on one machine, promising multi-material capability without belt wear
  • A bold attempt to combine large builds, fast motion, and multi-color printing in one machine

Printing Your Own 3D Printer

  • Alex Yu’s Encore CoreXY is making waves — a complete CoreXY machine where almost every structural piece was 3D printed
  • Proves self-replicating designs are getting more capable every year

Materials & Filaments

Bambu Lab PLA Pure

  • Launched June 16th specifically for home printing environments
  • Designed to minimize fumes and odors for indoor use where you live
  • A smart response to growing adoption of desktop printers in residential spaces

Prusa’s Space Grade Filament

  • Prusa Research launched Prusament PC Space Grade Black for aerospace applications
  • Engineered to withstand the rigors of spaceflight
  • Firmware v6.5.6 also dropped, with improved filament change routines between different materials

Sustainable Filament Innovations

  • Filamentive rPA12: Nylon 12 filament made from recycled MJF powder waste — closing the loop on industrial powder bed printing
  • Voltage Eclipse X9: Basalt-recycled PETG composite for large-format additive manufacturing
  • Xenia Bio-based PPA: Carbon-fiber reinforced, bio-based filament for high-stress applications

Software Updates

BambuStudio 2.7.1

  • Released June 1st with various improvements and bug fixes
  • Better slicing for the expanding Bambu printer lineup

Cura 5.13.0

  • Latest UltiMaker Cura adds the new Factor 4+ printer with optimized profiles
  • Windows users can now specify file associations during installation
  • Cura 5.12 stable also recently landed with enhanced features

PrusaSlicer 2.9.6 Beta

  • Available for testing with ongoing improvements to the open-source slicing engine
  • Prusa also released ColorMix — a new shading app for dramatic multicolor prints

Cool Projects & Prints

Print Your Own Robby the Robot

  • Hackaday featured an incredible open-source recreation of the iconic robot from Forbidden Planet
  • Maker combined high-res auction photos with community designs for an authentic build

Ghostbusters Firehouse Facade

  • A 3D-printable Real Ghostbusters firehouse inspired by the classic Kenner playset
  • Perfect for 80s nostalgia and diorama builders

Manual: The 3D-Printed Book

  • A fascinating project where a book literally prints itself — carrying its own code
  • Explores the boundary between physical and digital media

PrintArm System

  • Modular 3D-printable arms for robotics and automation projects
  • Currently on Kickstarter with 69% funding — worth watching for makers

3D printer creating complex objects Photo by Snapmaker on Unsplash

Industry Applications

Aerospace Partnerships

  • Norsk Titanium + Airbus: Signed a major Cooperation & Research Agreement moving Rapid Plasma Deposition (RPD) from proof-of-concept to production
  • Divergent Technologies: Unveiled a massive new laser powder bed printer and opened a second factory for automotive and aerospace components
  • Sandvik Osprey GRCop-42: New copper alloy powder with full cradle-to-gate traceability for space manufacturing

Medical 3D Printing Advances

  • 3D Systems: Secured Class IIa EU MDR certification for NextDent Jetted Denture Solution, making it immediately available across Europe
  • Regulatory approval paves the way for broader adoption in dental practices

Metal 3D Printing at Scale

  • Beehive Industries: Announced a $50 million investment to install 30 EOS M4 ONYX metal 3D printers
  • One of the largest fleet deployments for production-grade metal additive manufacturing

Active Kickstarter Campaigns

Revopoint POP 4 3D Scanner

  • Raised $1.98M+ from 2,566 backers (goal: $60,000)
  • 8 days remaining — one of the hottest scanning campaigns this year

Meeplify

  • Over 300 unique 3D printable meeples for tabletop RPGs and board games
  • Perfect for dungeon masters and game designers

STARFIELD 3D

  • All-in-one SLA printer with integrated print and post-curing
  • Promising simplified resin workflow in a single machine

Key Takeaway

June 2026 is shaping up to be a pivotal month for desktop 3D printing. Bambu Lab’s aggressive expansion with the A2L shows the market is hungry for larger build volumes at accessible prices. Meanwhile, sustainability is finally taking center stage with multiple recycled filament launches. The aerospace and medical industries continue pushing additive manufacturing into production, not just prototyping. For makers, it’s never been easier to get started — or to push the boundaries of what’s possible with a printer you built yourself.

Stay tuned for next week’s roundup!