HeyGears' upcoming 3D printer has a load of tricks up its sleeve, but the most notable is its ability to produce full-color models right on your desktop. That means you don't have to worry about painting and finishing your creations by hand – and you can experiment more freely with your designs than ever before.
Aimed at prosumer hobbyists and small print shops, the HeyGears G1X uses an Epson printhead equipped with 3,200 nozzles and eight ink channels to produce 3D models with more than 10 million colors, at up to 1,440 x 2,400 DPI. You can incorporate transparency into your models as well.
According to the brand, it's the first 3D printer of its kind that can do all this in a desktop-sized form factor. It's worth noting Flashforge is working on one too, and there are larger industrial-grade machines that also produce full-color prints. HeyGears might well be the first to market for smaller setups.
The company says its machine prints at a layer thickness of 10-20 microns – less than that of a human hair – for precise details using its motion control system. The print head jets color ink and UV cures your model layer by layer, and you get a finished, accurately colored product with water-soluble supports that vanish after a long soak in water.
That means you don't need to spend time – or have the considerable skills required – to paint your creations, finish, or surface prep them by hand. You don't need to worry about layer lines or color bleeding on them either. A recent review of a G1X prototype revealed impressively detailed objects right out of the printer.
The G1X not only does 3D models, but also 3D textured prints that can bring out depth and tactile feel on imagery, up to a height of up to 5 mm (0.19 in). You can mimic leather grain, wood carving, oil painting strokes in your pieces this way.
It can even handle 2D UV printing on more than 400 materials, including wood, metal, stone, ceramics, plastics, canvas, and glass. That means you can create custom products like phone cases, keychains, and coasters. There's also a rotary attachment print bed accessory for tumblers and bottles.
Gifting and print shops can go even further with the G1X. A water-based ink set allows for durable, long-lasting and color-accurate prints on t-shirts, tote bags, and more.
This model offers a spacious build volume measuring 330 x 130 x 420 mm (12.9 x 5.1 x 16.5 in). It can print objects with a build height of up to 150 mm (5.9 in), and supports two different print bed sizes.
The entire system has been designed to be easy to use, from calibrating the G1X for the first time to creating models to filling ink to swapping print beds.
Your workflow is supported by desktop software – available on Windows and MacOS – for AI-powered 3D modeling, accessing a model library, and managing printing. This can turn your text prompts and images into 3D models, and even add depth and texture to flat images for tactile prints. Plus, a mobile app allows for remotely controlling print jobs on the go.
The hardware features a built-in air filtration system, and runs maintenance cycles for automatic cleaning and preventing clogging. That way, it's always at the ready to tackle your next print job. HeyGears makes its own ink that's said to produce a lot less odor than other brands, and a carbon filter in the printer helps prevent stinking up your studio space.
The G1X has everything you need to create a wide range of custom gifts, collectible figurines, architectural models, tabletop game pieces, and product prototypes – all with a high level of detail and polish right out of the printer. Plus, its 2D printing capabilities help it earn its keep in print shops by expanding the variety of products you can create.
HeyGears is currently crowdfunding this printer on Kickstarter, where it's available in different bundles at a discount. The G1 starter pack featuring an F1080 printhead comes in at US$1,999 (down from its $2,499 MSRP) and does 3D prints with a 5-mm texture height and 2D UV printing on 400+ base materials with 720 x 900 DPI precision.
The G1X will run you $3,599 (down from $5,499), and comes with the i3200 printhead, a resin station, and all the other bells and whistles for full-color 3D and 2D UV printing.
All crowdfunding campaigns carry an element of risk, so you'll want to keep that in mind if you choose to back this campaign. For what it's worth, HeyGears has been in the 3D printer game for years now, and sells a range of models already. It's been working on the G1X since 2023, and has racked up nearly $10 million in funding for this one.
If all goes to plan, orders are slated to ship worldwide in December 2026, and delivery costs will be calculated once the campaign ends (starting at $50 for orders in the US, Canada, and Australia).
Source: Kickstarter
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