When Elegoo unveiled the world’s first officially licensed emoji®-themed 3D printer, it wasn’t just launching another version of an existing machine. The company was testing a much bigger idea by exploring whether a global brand like emoji® could make 3D printing feel more familiar to people who have never used it before.
“We think 3D printing has entered a stage where it’s really accessible to everyone,” Elegoo’s Ryan Wang, Senior PR Manager, told 3DPrint.com. “The barriers are much lower now, but many people still aren’t aware of the magic of the technology.”
He believes one reason is that most 3D printers still look and feel like technical equipment designed for enthusiasts: “The industry has been designing products with a very techy outlook. They can feel cold and not very personalized. We wanted to create something that feels culturally relevant and approachable, so people feel familiar with the printer instead of intimidated by it.”
“For Elegoo, the emoji® brand was a natural fit because nearly everyone already understands the language of emojis. They’re universally recognized icons that are part of everyday life,” Ryan said. “Sending an emoji® is easy and intuitive. We think 3D printing has become just as intuitive, so there was a shared foundation for this collaboration.”
Looking beyond makers
The collaboration is also part of a broader effort to reach people who have never considered buying a 3D printer. According to Wang, the launch attracted media outside the traditional maker and technology press, including lifestyle and parenting outlets.
To introduce the printer, Elegoo held a launch event in New York for media outside the traditional maker and technology press. According to Wang, many attendees had never used or even seen a 3D printer before.
“They got their hands on the printer and were really amazed,” Ryan said. “We want to reach people who have known about 3D printing for years but still aren’t sure if it’s for them. We’re here to tell them that they can do it. It’s just time to try it.”
While younger users are an important audience, Ryan said the goal isn’t limited to one generation. Elegoo already works with schools and regularly sees students adopting the technology quickly. He said young people are often the first to experiment with new tools, and the company has seen many stories of teenagers using 3D printing to create projects and even start small businesses.
More than making parts
“3D printing is becoming another way people express themselves. What you print can really represent what kind of person you are,” he noted. “If you like fixing things around your house, you’ll print functional parts. If you’re a comic fan, you’ll print figurines. If you’re into cars, you’ll print accessories to personalize your vehicle. Instead of viewing printers simply as machines, we see them becoming personal products that reflect their owners.”
That idea also extends beyond the hardware itself.
“I think the whole ecosystem is becoming more important than the hardware. We’re building platforms where creators can share their models and inspire other people to print. The community is becoming very important for the industry.”
ELEGOO × emoji® Centauri Carbon 2 Combo. Image courtesy of ELEGOO.
Could more licensed printers follow? For now, Elegoo says it’s watching how customers respond before announcing additional partnerships.
“If people really embrace this product and it makes them want to buy a 3D printer, then we’ll think about the next IP,” Ryan said. “Maybe something from movies or games. That would be very cool.”
Although no future collaborations have been announced, he said the company believes it has opened a new direction for consumer 3D printing.
“We’re the first brand to collaborate with a globally known IP like this. This one is really something that tries to break down barriers to become a mainstream lifestyle product,” Ryan said. “We want to make printers more personalized instead of having them all look the same. I imagine a future where people customize their printers much like they customize smartphones, with different appearances, interfaces, and accessories.
ELEGOO × emoji® Centauri Carbon 2 Combo and 3D printed emojis. Image courtesy of ELEGOO.
A project years in the making
The emoji® printer may look like a lot of fun, but bringing it to market took time. Wang said the idea was first discussed more than two years before the product launched. Because the printer is based on Elegoo’s existing Centauri Carbon 2 Combo, a high-speed CoreXY machine capable of printing up to 500 mm/s, the company could focus on redesigning the experience instead of developing an entirely new machine from scratch. The special edition Elegoo x emoji® brand Centauri Carbon 2 Combo has an emoji-inspired exterior, a customized user interface, and access to officially licensed emoji® 3D models. It also includes an emoji-themed UI interface experience designed to make the printer feel more approachable for first-time users.
For Elegoo, though, the printer represents something much bigger than a “cosmetic redesign,” explains Wang.
“People need to feel comfortable with the technology before they’ll try it. The project may have started with emoji®, but it points toward a different future for consumer 3D printing.”
If licensed brands like emoji® can do that, the first emoji® printer could end up being remembered as much more than a novelty. It could be the beginning of a new way to introduce 3D printing to the mainstream.