Can a Fully 3D Printed Pinball Machine Actually Be Fun to Play?
Pinball is one of those classic arcade joys most of us never expected to keep at home — real cabinets cost a fortune and eat up half a room. But what if your printer could make one? A new project doing the rounds online is asking exactly that, and the answer might surprise you.
What's the project?
The build, demoed by 3D Printer Academy on YouTube, is a fully 3D printed tabletop pinball machine. The headline trick is multiplayer: two- or four-player setups can be linked together so the metal ball rockets out the back of one playfield and crashes into the next. It's modular too, so you can swap in custom bumpers, ramps, and themes. The design files are part of a Kickstarter campaign, but the bigger takeaway for hobbyists is that the geometry of a working pinball machine is now well within reach of a desktop printer.
Will plastic really hold up?
That's the fair question. A 100% printed pinball machine is lighter than a wooden one, so heavy-handed flipper presses can shift the whole cabinet. The fix is partly mechanical (rubber feet, a few weighted base plates) and partly material choice. PLA is fine for cosmetic shells but it can get brittle on impact zones. PETG handles repeated metal-ball strikes much better, and TPU is brilliant for bumper caps because a bit of squish softens the bounce and protects the ball.
How to print parts that survive real play
If you want a build that lasts past the first weekend, slicer settings matter more than the printer itself. A few rules of thumb:
- Walls over infill. Bump perimeters to 4–5 and keep infill at 25–30% gyroid — it's the wall count that resists ball strikes.
- Layer height 0.2 mm on a 0.4 mm nozzle is a good balance of speed and strength.
- Print orientation matters. Lay flippers and ramps so the ball rolls along layer lines, not across them, to avoid splitting.
- Mind your supports. Tree supports are friendlier on curved ramps and easier to clean off than grid supports.
Try it on your printer
You don't need anything fancy. An Ender 3, Bambu A1, or Prusa MK4 with a standard 0.4 mm nozzle is more than enough for the parts. Pick up a roll of PETG for the playfield surfaces, some TPU for bumpers, and PLA for the decorative shell — all available at Flarelab. Start with a single-player module before you commit to a full four-player setup, and you'll have a tabletop pinball you actually built yourself.
Frequently asked questions
Is a fully 3D printed pinball machine actually durable?
It can be, but only if you choose your filament carefully. PLA cracks under repeated metal-ball strikes, so use PETG for the playfield and ramps, TPU for bumpers, and reserve PLA for cosmetic shells. Add 4–5 wall perimeters and rubber feet to keep the cabinet stable during play.
What filament should I use for the different parts?
Use PETG for the playfield surface and ramps because it absorbs ball strikes well. Use TPU for bumper caps so they have a little squish and protect both the ball and the printed parts. PLA is fine for the outer shell and decorative pieces that do not see ball impact.
Do I need a big printer for the parts?
No. Most pinball parts are designed to fit a standard 220 x 220 mm bed, which means an Ender 3, Bambu A1, or Prusa MK4 is more than enough. Bigger printers just let you print fewer pieces with fewer joins.
How long does a single-player module take to print?
Total print time for a one-player module is around 30–40 hours spread across multiple parts. You do not have to print it all at once — most builders print one playfield section per day and assemble as they go.
Do I need supports for the ramps and flippers?
Yes for ramps with curved arches, but switch to tree supports rather than grid supports — they peel off cleaner and use less filament. Flippers can usually be printed flat with no supports if you orient them correctly.
What filament do I need to get started?
Pick up PETG for the playfield, TPU for bumpers, and PLA for the shell. A 1 kg roll of each is enough to build the first module. Flarelab carries all three, plus the spare 0.4 mm nozzles you'll want before tackling a project this big.
Inspired by reporting from Hackaday.