Modix BIG Printers Get Major Electronics Upgrade With Generation 5

Modix has shipped its fifth-generation electronics platform across the entire BIG series, giving owners of large-format printers a serious upgrade without replacing the whole machine. The headline change is a move from Duet 2 to Duet 3 control electronics, which opens the door to capabilities that were impossible on the older architecture.

The new Duet 3 platform uses CANBUS distributed electronics, meaning motor drivers, I/O modules, sensors, and toolboards can be placed around the printer instead of crowding a single mainboard. Modix says this supports more than 20 axes and drivers without a redesign. For users, that translates into a more reliable machine that is easier to service and expand.

Generation 5 also adds an integrated accelerometer for automated calibration and motion tuning, plus Ethernet as standard with removable Wi-Fi for environments that need tighter security. The touchscreen interface has been refreshed, and Modix has bundled a number of reliability patches based on customer feedback from the field.

Future upgrades planned for the platform include the Bondtech INDX automatic tool changer, which would let a single BIG printer run multiple materials and colors within one part. A compact pellet extruder is also in the works, turning the BIG series into a dual-technology machine that can switch between filament for detail and pellets for throughput. The 45-degree printing system is another planned addition. By tilting the print head, the printer can produce overhangs and hollow shapes that would normally need extensive internal supports, saving material and post-processing time on large jobs.

Modix CEO Shachar Gafni put it plainly: the company wants customers to upgrade rather than replace. Generation 5 is already shipping on new machines ordered through the summer, and the base prices for each BIG model have been adjusted slightly. Existing owners can retrofit the new electronics instead of buying a whole new printer.

The BIG series ranges from the BIG-60 up to the two-meter-tall Everest. All models support independent dual extrusion and high-flow filament printing. With Generation 5, those machines now have a clearer path to future capabilities.