Embedded 3D printing (E3DP) shapes liquid materials by extruding them inside a supportive bath rather than into open air. A reported conversion of an older Prusa i3 shows how a syringe-based setup can be adapted for experiments—but its epoxy and silicone trials did not establish a successful material recipe. The printer was described as having a failed hot end, not as electronically bricked.
How embedded 3D printing works
In ordinary fused deposition modeling (FDM), a printer lays thermoplastic onto the build plate or a previously deposited solid layer. A liquid extruded into air generally cannot hold a precise shape on its own. E3DP changes the environment: the nozzle deposits liquid at a chosen depth and volume inside a supportive medium, which helps contain the material as it is formed.
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The bath is not just a container. Its interaction with the liquid, the liquid’s behavior during extrusion and curing, and the accuracy of the extrusion system all affect the outcome. A 2026 review discussed in Maya Posch’s October 9, 2026 Hackaday report identifies print quality, support-material choice and reuse, and extrusion control as ongoing research questions.
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Maker Riley repurposed an older Prusa i3 after its hot end suffered a blowout. The conversion replaced the hot end with a syringe-based system for embedded printing, using an open-source Allstruder syringe pump and a Caribou Duet 3 motherboard. The report describes an experimental conversion, not an out-of-the-box liquid-printing feature or a complete, repeatable build guide.
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From cream cheese to silicone
The first reported test used cream cheese. Riley then tried two-part epoxy in hair gel as the support medium, but the materials did not work together. The final reported material was Sylgard 184 silicone, also printed into hair gel. According to Posch’s report, it remained goopy after several days; additives in the gel appeared to inhibit curing.
That result does not demonstrate a cured silicone part, identify the ingredient responsible, or establish a compatible bath. The report is a journalistic account of Riley’s video demonstration, not an independently replicated experiment. It does not provide a tested recipe or enough information to infer that another hair gel, epoxy, or silicone formulation would behave the same way.
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How this differs from filling a printed object with liquid
Not every use of liquid in 3D printing is E3DP. In the 2016 CHI paper “Liquido: Embedding Liquids into 3D Printed Objects to Sense Tilting and Motion”, Markus Schmitz and coauthors describe pausing a dual-extrusion print to fill a cavity, then continuing the print to seal the liquid inside. They used liquid and conductive printed electrodes to create capacitive tilt and motion sensors. That is related background on embedding liquid in printed objects; it is not evidence that hair gel is compatible with Sylgard 184 or that Riley’s silicone cured.
What to consider before attempting a conversion
The project is best read as a demonstration of the idea and its challenges, not as a ready-to-follow procedure. Anyone evaluating a liquid-printing setup needs to consider the material system as a whole:
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- Target liquid: Its flow behavior and curing requirements determine whether it can be dispensed and whether it will hold its intended form.
- Support bath: The bath must support the deposited material without preventing the desired setting or curing process. Compatibility and potential reuse are unresolved challenges in the featured experiment.
- Extrusion control: Syringe delivery must be controlled well enough to place the intended volume at the intended depth.
- Hardware and software: Replacing a hot end with a syringe system and changing the controller are substantial modifications; the report does not establish a universal parts list or conversion procedure.
Prusa says its firmware is open source and publishes electronics schematics to support modification and third-party add-ons. It also warns that community firmware can permanently damage printer electronics. That is a general modification risk, not evidence that Riley’s controller conversion caused damage. See Prusa Research’s open-source information and follow the documentation for the specific machine and electronics before making changes.
The separate Prusa XL silicone toolhead
Prusa also sells a two-part liquid-material toolhead for the Original Prusa XL, developed by Filament2, with silicone described as its first material. It is a distinct product for a different printer platform—not the hardware used in Riley’s older i3 conversion and not a drop-in solution for that machine.
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| Approach | Platform and setup | What is established |
|---|---|---|
| Riley’s experimental conversion | Older Prusa i3; syringe system, Allstruder pump and Caribou Duet 3 motherboard | Build and material trials were reported; the silicone remained goopy after several days in hair gel. |
| Prusa XL silicone toolhead | Original Prusa XL; two-part liquid-material toolhead developed by Filament2 | Prusa describes silicone as its first material for the toolhead. The product page listed $999 when accessed October 9, 2026; check the current listing for an up-to-date price. |
Prusa’s product information is available on the Original Prusa XL silicone toolhead page. Platform compatibility is the key distinction: the XL toolhead is listed for the XL, while the reported DIY build modifies an i3.
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What the experiment establishes—and what it does not
The build illustrates the basic E3DP approach: use a syringe system to place liquid inside a supporting medium. Its unsuccessful or incomplete material trials also show why the bath and the target material cannot be chosen independently. The account does not establish that the silicone cured, explain exactly which hair-gel additive may have interfered, identify a compatible bath, or demonstrate repeatability. Treat it as an experimental build report, not a validated operating recipe.
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