In the background of Q’s home in No Time To Die sits a white 3D printer, pale tubes running from the top and a round blue button on the front. We believe it is the Ultimaker 3, the closest match we can identify. The Ultimaker 3 3D printer is a working tool for making real parts, and a considered piece of kit for a man who likes to build things.
In the film
The printer is visible in Q’s home in No Time To Die (2021), and Ben Whishaw’s Q is its owner. It sits in the background, and we have not been able to confirm the exact model: the identification rests on the white tubes and the round blue button, while the Ultimaker 2+ and the Ultimaker 3 Extended have also been suggested. Ultimaker itself has said one of its printers appears in the film.
The details of the Ultimaker 3 3D printer
Two materials at once. The print head carries two nozzles and lifts the idle one out of the way, which keeps prints clean. It also allows a dissolvable support material to be used alongside the main one, so complicated shapes need no breakaway supports.
Swappable print cores. The hot ends can be changed, with different cores for standard materials and for dissolvable supports. Matching the core to the material is meant to give greater reliability and fewer failed prints.
Size and reach. The build volume is 215 x 215 x 200mm. Layer resolution runs down to 20 microns with the 0.4mm nozzle, and the nozzle reaches 280 degrees Celsius.
Less fiddling. The heated glass build plate levels actively, which removes the awkward part of owning a printer. It connects by Wi-Fi, Ethernet or USB, and the maker supplies Cura, its free print-preparation software.
Owning it now
This is a tool, and the way to own one is to give it a purpose. Replacement parts for a drawer, a bracket for the study, a case for something you have designed: that is the sort of work it suits. At 342 x 380 x 389mm and 10.6kg it fits on a sturdy bench or shelf. Ultimaker designs it for a commercial or business environment, so we would put it in a workshop or study rather than a living room.
Buying one. The Ultimaker 3 has been replaced by the S3, and one retailer lists it as no longer available. If you want what is current, look at the S series. If you want the Ultimaker 3 itself, expect to look at a pre-owned machine, which is why our button runs an eBay search. Check its condition, print hours and nozzle cores carefully, and ask for a test print.
Specifications
| Model | Ultimaker 3 (Ultimaker 3 Extended is taller) |
|---|---|
| Technology | Fused deposition modelling, dual-extrusion print head with swappable print cores |
| Build volume | 215 x 215 x 200mm |
| Layer resolution | 200 to 20 microns with 0.4mm nozzle |
| Nozzle temperature | 80 to 280 degrees Celsius |
| Build plate | Heated glass, active levelling, 20 to 100 degrees Celsius |
| Supported materials | Nylon, PLA, ABS, CPE, CPE+, PC, TPU 95A, PP, PVA, breakaway |
| Connectivity | Wi-Fi, LAN, USB |
| Dimensions and weight | 342 x 380 x 389mm; 10.6kg net |
| Price | Not sold new; no maker RRP confirmed. Found second-hand |
Current printers and software are on Ultimaker’s own site.
Questions
Is this the exact printer in No Time To Die?
We cannot say for certain. An Ultimaker printer is in the film, and the white tubes and round blue button point to the Ultimaker 3, but the Ultimaker 2+ and 3 Extended have also been suggested.
Who owns the printer in the film?
Ben Whishaw’s Q does. It stands in his home and is seen in the background rather than used in a scene.
Is the Ultimaker 3 still made?
No. Ultimaker’s current range is built around the S series, and the S3 is the replacement. A retailer lists the Ultimaker 3 as no longer available, so check stock before you plan around it.
Can it print two colours?
Yes. It prints with two materials at once, which means two colours or a model material with a dissolvable support material.
More of Q’s world is in our gadgets and electronics guide, and in the story of Daniel Craig’s Bond.
