LightMake L4 brings four independent print heads to a desktop 3D printer
LightMake has launched the L4, a four-head desktop 3D printer claiming faster multi-model and multi-material production for makers and small businesses.
LightMake is aiming to turn the desktop 3D printer into a miniature production line. The company has launched the L4, a printer with four independent print heads designed to produce multiple models at once or combine four materials in a single print.
What’s actually going on: LightMake says each print head is powered by a linear motor rather than the traditional belt-and-stepper arrangement. The L4 claims travel speeds of up to 1,000 millimetres per second and a maximum print speed of 500 millimetres per second.
The company says four independent heads can produce four copies of a model in the time a single-head printer takes to produce one. For multi-material work, each head carries its own filament, which LightMake claims cuts colour-change waste by more than 79%. Toolhead changes are claimed to take one second.
The L4 has a claimed build volume of 354 × 350 × 386 millimetres for full-colour output and 354 × 370 × 386 millimetres for single-colour jobs. LightMake says users can print four parts in parallel, with each measuring up to 177 × 195 × 386 millimetres.
Other features include vibration cancellation, an integrated die-cast frame, automatic first-layer levelling assistance and Smart Cluster Management. LightMake says its Smart AutoQueue tools can dispatch jobs to as many as 1,000 machines, while OpenClaw integration allows print-farm management through WhatsApp.
The L4 is being offered through Kickstarter. Early-bird pricing starts at $1,299 (approximately US$1,299 / €1,119 / £958), while the L1 model is listed at $1,099 (approximately US$1,099 / €948 / £811). LightMake expects initial shipments in the fourth quarter of 2026 and says early backers can save up to $1,100 against MSRP.
Kickstarter pricing, delivery dates and specifications should be treated with a pinch of salt until the campaign is complete and production units are independently tested. The release does not provide an independent benchmark for the claimed speeds, precision or failure-rate improvements.
Our opinion
Four print heads and linear motors make the L4 an intriguing proposition for small studios, but the price is substantial and the biggest claims are still manufacturer figures. It could be a clever production tool; just do not confuse a slick Kickstarter launch with a guaranteed factory in a box.