Business Management
Latest News
Llamas and 3D printers: how does the "Prusa Research Centre" in Prague look like?
2022-10-13
Llamas and 3D printers: how does the "Prusa Research Centre" in Prague look like?
It's hard to believe (or maybe not) that where some of Europe's most popular 3D printers are born, the "Prusa Research" centre is also home to llamas and sheep, named after Josef Prusa and his fellows. In mid-September, the Vilnius Gediminas Technical University (VILNIUS TECH) Creativity and Innovation Centre "LinkMenu fabrikas" team visited the European capital of 3D printers – Prague. During the Erasmus+ study visit, the team not only saw the "Prusa Research" Innovation Lab but also attended the "Maker Faire Prague" 2022, a festival dedicated to makers across Europe.
A day at the "Prusa Research" Innovation Lab with Josef Prusa himself
"Prusa Research” is a 3D printer company founded by Czech hobbyist, inventor and developer Josef Prusa. Starting with the idea of 3D printers in 2012, Josef Prusa now has more than 700 employees and sends more than 9000 printers worldwide every month directly from his headquarters in Prague.
"At "LinkMenu Fabrikas", we teach students to work and prototype with Prusa 3D printers. So it was interesting to learn about the production line and the most frequent challenges the company faces," says Rokas Bagdonas, robotics and mechatronics specialist at VILNIUS TECH "LinkMenu Fabrikas".
During the visit, the participants consulted about how universities and schools could use Prusa 3D printers for laboratory and practical work.
As R. Bagdonas says, the most fun part of the day was an unexpected and unplanned meeting with Josef Prusa. Even the meeting location was extraordinary - his llama and sheep reservoir, right next to "Prusa Research" leading innovator incubator.
A "Maker Faire Prague" 2022 with more than 140 innovative projects
It goes without saying that the "LinkMenu fabrikas" team got some inspiration and ideas for future projects by participating in the makers' festival. But they also saw some of "Prusa Research" novelties – the latest Prusa 3D printer and the next-generation Prusa Pro AFS (Automated Farm System) printing farm.
"Prusa's latest print farm features 34 new original Prusa CoreXY 3D printers, automated print pick-up and output. The management of such a 3D printer farm is based on a system controlled by autonomous control algorithms," says R.Bagdonas.
In addition to the projects mentioned above, other innovative installations were also on display at the fair, including "Fluidum", – an intelligent mirror installation shown for the first time in Europe. This installation came straight from "EXPO 2020". Created at Prusa Lab, "Fluidum" steals an image of reality and breaks it into individual fragments using a jigsaw of moving mirrors.
The fair also showcased the Dutch installation called "Algorithmic Perfumery", the world's first artificial intelligence-based perfume creation platform, and even a 3D-printed underwater drone.
According to the VILNIUS TECH "LinkMenų fabrikas" team, this Erasmus+ learning visit was genuinely memorable: from the unexpected meeting with 3D printer designer Josef Prusa to the eye-catching maker installations.
A day at the "Prusa Research" Innovation Lab with Josef Prusa himself
"Prusa Research” is a 3D printer company founded by Czech hobbyist, inventor and developer Josef Prusa. Starting with the idea of 3D printers in 2012, Josef Prusa now has more than 700 employees and sends more than 9000 printers worldwide every month directly from his headquarters in Prague.
"At "LinkMenu Fabrikas", we teach students to work and prototype with Prusa 3D printers. So it was interesting to learn about the production line and the most frequent challenges the company faces," says Rokas Bagdonas, robotics and mechatronics specialist at VILNIUS TECH "LinkMenu Fabrikas".
During the visit, the participants consulted about how universities and schools could use Prusa 3D printers for laboratory and practical work.
As R. Bagdonas says, the most fun part of the day was an unexpected and unplanned meeting with Josef Prusa. Even the meeting location was extraordinary - his llama and sheep reservoir, right next to "Prusa Research" leading innovator incubator.
A "Maker Faire Prague" 2022 with more than 140 innovative projects
It goes without saying that the "LinkMenu fabrikas" team got some inspiration and ideas for future projects by participating in the makers' festival. But they also saw some of "Prusa Research" novelties – the latest Prusa 3D printer and the next-generation Prusa Pro AFS (Automated Farm System) printing farm.
"Prusa's latest print farm features 34 new original Prusa CoreXY 3D printers, automated print pick-up and output. The management of such a 3D printer farm is based on a system controlled by autonomous control algorithms," says R.Bagdonas.
In addition to the projects mentioned above, other innovative installations were also on display at the fair, including "Fluidum", – an intelligent mirror installation shown for the first time in Europe. This installation came straight from "EXPO 2020". Created at Prusa Lab, "Fluidum" steals an image of reality and breaks it into individual fragments using a jigsaw of moving mirrors.
The fair also showcased the Dutch installation called "Algorithmic Perfumery", the world's first artificial intelligence-based perfume creation platform, and even a 3D-printed underwater drone.
According to the VILNIUS TECH "LinkMenų fabrikas" team, this Erasmus+ learning visit was genuinely memorable: from the unexpected meeting with 3D printer designer Josef Prusa to the eye-catching maker installations.
