Prusa Research has soft-launched “EasyPrint”, a new instant 3D printing workflow for its Printables 3D model repository that works through a web browser or app alike. And, unlike the existing pre-sliced G-code files, EasyPrint works with any 3D model for any Prusa 3D printer – and may work with third-party printers in the future.
EasyPrint is, specifically, the front end of Prusa’s new cloud-slicing system, which uses the public version of the company’s open-source PrusaSlicer on the back end to slice Printables models and fire G-code off to a Prusa Connect-enabled 3D printer, or just onto a flash drive you can pop into an offline 3D printer. Being a simple front end, it’s seamless to run on mobile devices via Prusa’s app – we’ve tried it.
As you might expect from a cloud-based slicing system, it cuts the cord between Printables users and 3D printers by allowing files to be selected, prepared, and sent to Prusa Connect on a smartphone or tablet as easily as a PC. For now, there’s a small caveat that you can’t move projects from one device to another: EasyPrint saves your project files, but does so locally – so getting your file from a mobile device to an offline 3D printer will require some extra steps. But, in its announcement blog, Prusa does mention one option to make the projects cloud-based (sharing storage with Prusa Connect), but only as a potential paid feature.
You might also expect that there are limitations, and you’d be right; EasyPrint definitely isn’t a PrusaSlicer replacement. But also, it sort of could be. We were given access to EasyPrint on Friday afternoon and spent the weekend firing off prints with glee and were pleased with the breadth of options.
Supports on and off the build plate, infill patterns and density, layer size and speed presets, and arrangement and orientation. There’s even multi-part and multi-plate support, allowing you to add multiple files from different uploads to the same project or upload local models. Your printer’s nozzle and material settings will carry over from Prusa Connect, but materials can be changed in the web app.
These days, when we’re printing models most from a repository, these are all the options we need. If you need more for a particular model (Prusa uses paint-on supports as an example) you can download the 3MF project file that EasyPrint generates and move over to PrusaSlicer.
Prusa was something of a trendsetter in convenient 3D printing, having launched pre-sliced G-code on its repository back when it was still called PrusaPrinters. The likes of MakerWorld and Creality Cloud have since implemented similar instant-printing systems for their respective ecosystems using pre-determined settings and cloud slicing, but the latter beat Prusa to cloud slicing proper. Creality has been building up its “Cloud Slice” web app for years, and it has an impressive number more options than EasyPrint does right now. But, it’s a very slow queue for free users on Creality’s side, and adding multiple models to a build plate is exclusive to premium users.
Fortunately, where previous instant printing workflows have been locked to a repository owner’s hardware, Prusa has teased that EasyPrint doesn’t have to be.
“The app is designed to run all the PrusaSlicer derived slicers (Orca, BambuStudio and loads of others),” Josef Průša, founder and CEO of Prusa Research said in an announcement blog. “So I will tease a little bit that we plan to open this to even non-Prusa 3D printer users in the future.”
Prusa’s soft release is being used to gather “real-world usage” data, and is focused on understanding the server load and “overall performance” of the feature. “If the costs are reasonable, I would love to keep this free for everyone with some reasonable limitations,” Průša said.
For now, if you aren’t already part of EasyPrint early access, you’ll need an invitation from someone who is. As part of that round, All3DP has 20 invites to share, so drop a comment below with your Printables username and we’ll invite away on a first-come-first-served basis. Alternatively, Prusa has 100 spots for the first users who apply for early access.
For every little detail, and to hear some of Průša’s thoughts on the system, give the EasyPrint announcement blog a read.
Correction – Feb 26, 2025: A previous version of this article incorrectly stated MakerWorld and Creality Cloud host pre-sliced G-code.
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