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Pico MMU 3 Lane
The original 3-lane multi-material unit powered by the Raspberry Pi Pico — the project that started the Pico MMU series.
Overview
The original Pico MMU — a 3-lane multi-material unit using the Raspberry Pi Pico as its brain. This was the project that proved a reliable MMU could be built on a budget with off-the-shelf components and a microcontroller.
Specifications
- Lanes: 3 independent filament paths
- Controller: Raspberry Pi Pico
- Design: Compact, 3D-printable housing
- Firmware: Custom firmware for filament switching logic
Build Highlights
- Started as an experiment to see if the Pico had enough I/O and speed for MMU control
- Custom PCB designed in KiCad for clean wiring
- 3D-printed enclosure designed for easy assembly
- Iterative testing with dozens of multi-color prints
Impact
This project generated a lot of interest in the community and directly led to the development of the 4-lane version.