Category Archives: additive manufacturing

Anycubic Teases the Kobra S1 Max Combo – A New Chapter for Multi-Colour Printing (and I’ll Be Seeing More at Formnext!)

Well, this is exciting. The lovely folks at Anycubic have been in touch again, and this time they’ve got something rather special lined up for the 3D-printing world. If you’ve been following my recent adventures in the workshop — shelves of resin bottles, spools of filament, and printers humming away like a busy beehive — you’ll know I’ve been especially taken with Anycubic’s approach to innovation lately.

And now, they’ve gone and done it again.

Introducing the Kobra S1 Max Combo

A brand-new machine built to push desktop 3D-printing further — louder, brighter, more colourful, and more capable of serious engineering-grade work.

This is not just a quiet upgrade. This is one of those big leaps.

Kobra S1 Max Combo
Kobra S1 Max Combo
Kobra S1 Max
Kobra S1 Max

What Makes It Stand Out?

The expanded spec list from the official campaign page reveals some key details:

  • Up to 16-colour printing: Start with one ACE 2 Pro module for 4 colours; combine up to four for the full 16-colour capacity.

  • Huge build volume: 350 × 350 × 350 mm.

  • Enclosed, actively-heated chamber up to 65 °C. Hotbed up to 120 °C, hotend up to 350 °C.

  • Hardened-steel hotend (0.4 mm standard with extra 0.6 mm included), optional 0.25 mm brass / 0.8 mm hardened steel nozzles.

  • CoreXY motion system, active carbon-filter air purification, WiFi6/Ethernet support, 720p monitoring, spaghetti-recognition AI, U-disk/app control.

  • Materials covered: from PLA/PETG/TPU right up to engineering-grades like ABS, ASA, PC, PA, PA6-CF, PC-CF/GF, PET-CF.

  • Multi-language interface (English, Chinese, German, Russian, Spanish, French, Italian, Korean, Portuguese).

Put simply: whoever said “desktop printers are only for PLA” is going to have a rethink when this lands.


Early Bird Deal (This One’s Actually Worth It)

Anycubic are running a clever early-bird scheme:

  • Pay £50 now → receive £100 discount off the launch price (5th November to 24th November)

  • After that, the pricing rolls through phased levels — each with perks (as previously noted).

    • £749 (25 Nov-1 Dec) with £400 worth of perks

    • £799 (2 Dec-25 Dec) with £350 perks

    • £849 (26 Dec-31 Jan) with £300 perks

    • £949 (from 1 Feb) with £200 perks

So yes — if you’re thinking about it, the earlier the better.


And Here’s the Extra Bit I’m Excited About…

I’ll be in Frankfurt on the 18th November attending formnext — the global additive-manufacturing expo. It’s basically the Glastonbury of 3D printing: people everywhere talking filament, lasers, printheads, sintering furnaces — heavenly stuff.

I’m absolutely planning to track down Anycubic while I’m there and get a closer look at the Kobra S1 Max Combo in the flesh. Expect photos, impressions, maybe even first-hand print samples — all coming your way.

If you’ve got questions you’d like me to ask the Anycubic team directly, let me know in the comments.


Final Thoughts

This is shaping up to be a very compelling machine:

✔ Larger build volume
✔ Multi-colour support baked in
✔ Enclosed, CoreXY, heated chamber = better reliability
✔ Designed for real materials, not just for show

If it delivers what the specs promise, this could be one of the stand-out printers of 2025 — especially for makers and small business production.

I’ll bring back everything I learn at Formnext — stay tuned.

Matt Porter – The Gadget Man
Currently surrounded by printers. Not sorry.

Formnext 2025: Tickets Now Open for the World’s Leading 3D Printing Expo

Frankfurt is getting ready to host the world’s largest 3D printing and Additive Manufacturing (AM) event once again. From 18–21 November 2025, Formnext will transform the Messe Frankfurt exhibition halls into a showcase of innovation, collaboration, and real-world applications across industries.

This year promises over 800 exhibitors, including some of the biggest names in the AM world alongside a healthy mix of start-ups and research groups. Expect plenty of world premieres, live demonstrations, and a packed programme across aviation, aerospace, engineering, jewellery, watches, and more.

Spain takes centre stage as the partner country for 2025, bringing around 30 companies to Frankfurt. The Spanish AM sector has been growing rapidly and plays an interesting role as a link between Europe and Latin America, particularly strong in systems, materials, and research.

The Gadget Man will be attending formnext
The Gadget Man will be attending formnext

The supporting programme looks just as impressive as the show floor itself. Three stages will run throughout the event, each with a different focus: industry trends, real-world applications, and the latest technologies. Seminars, talks, and showcases will cover everything from large-format 3D printing to data-driven design and construction AM. Add to that the Formnext Awards, start-up pitches, career opportunities, and networking events, and it’s clear this isn’t just an exhibition – it’s the meeting point for the global AM community.

I’ll be there on Tuesday 18 November for the Press Breakfast and then I’m looking forward to catching up with many of the 800 companies, checking out the latest announcements and exploring the halls. It’s always fascinating to see how far the technology has come, and this year looks set to offer plenty of inspiration.

Tickets are available now from formnext.com/visitors, with an early-bird discount running until 21 October.