Rat Rig
Rat Rig is a privately held Portuguese engineering company that designs and sells DIY modular CoreXY 3D printers (V-Core line), CNC mills, and proprietary filaments (PunkFil) directly to makers, hobbyists, and small commercial users via its own e-commerce store, shipping globally from its Faro, Portugal warehouse.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded2014
- HeadquartersFaro, Portugal
- Headcount11–50
- GTM typeB2C
- OfferingHardware or Manufacturing
What Rat Rig does
Rat Rig is a privately held Portuguese engineering company, registered as Rat Rig, Lda and headquartered in Faro, that designs, manufactures, and sells DIY modular machine kits — primarily high-performance CoreXY 3D printers under the V-Core line (V-Core 4, V-Core 4.1, V-Core 3) and the Rat Rig Mill CNC machine. Its core technology is an open-source, modular architecture in which a base printer chassis accepts a stack of upgrade modules (IDEX with Toolshift ©, Hybrid Y-axis, Steel Gantry, FlexPlate PRO) so that customers can incrementally extend capability instead of buying a new machine. The portfolio extends beyond machines into the PunkFil sub-brand of proprietary filament formulations (ABS, PETG, PETG CF10, ASA-CF), build plates, electronic components (Orbiter sensors, VAOC camera/LED modules, CNC electronics enclosures), and a comprehensive catalog of mechanical parts for builders and repairers.
Rat Rig operates a direct-to-consumer e-commerce model through its own Shopify storefront (ratrig.com), with no disclosed third-party resellers or retail partnerships. All orders ship from a single EU warehouse in Faro, Portugal, with DHL Express delivery available within 24 hours to European destinations, eliminating customs friction for EU buyers. Pricing is in USD for the US/Canada/Taiwan markets and EUR for the rest, with the flagship V-Core 4.1 kit listed at $1,142.20, the IDEX upgrade at $473.15, and consumables (filaments, FlexPlate PRO plates, Rat Pack hardware) covering the long tail. Customer segments are persona-driven and fragmented: 3D printing enthusiasts and makers represent the primary audience, with secondary use cases in CNC milling, DIY machine building, and small-batch commercial production. Marketing is community-led through official Facebook groups and a large unofficial Discord server, supplemented by a documentation portal at docs.ratrig.com and an email newsletter.
The company was founded in 2014, employs 11–50 people, and is described as independent and bootstrapped with no disclosed institutional investor or PE/VC backing. Ownership is opaque in the input data — the management team array is empty — and the legal entity Rat Rig, Lda (NIPC 514280654) remains the sole operating company with no subsidiaries, acquisitions, or restructuring events documented. Revenue, ARR, and funding figures are not publicly disclosed, and key strategic actions in the available record are concentrated in product launches, particularly the 2024 V-Core 4.1 release and its modular upgrade suite.
Rat Rig firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Rat Rig
- Legal name
- Rat Rig, Lda
- Website
- https://ratrig.com
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 2014
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 11–50 employees
- Short description
- Rat Rig is a privately held Portuguese engineering company that designs and sells DIY modular CoreXY 3D printers (V-Core line), CNC mills, and proprietary filaments (PunkFil) directly to makers, hobbyists, and small commercial users via its own e-commerce store, shipping globally from its Faro, Portugal warehouse.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Rat Rig industry classification
Industry- Product category
- 3D Printing Equipment
- NAICS
- Machine Shops (33271)
- SIC
- Screw Machine Products (3451)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Printer & System Spare Parts (Motors, Belts, Rails, Build Plates) (IMAAAIAA)
- akta.pro secondary industries
- CNC Machining & Programming (EDAOAGAA), Robotics Kits, Parts & Lab Equipment Providers (Education-Focused) (EDAMADAN)
Keywords
Where Rat Rig is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Faro
- HQ country
- Portugal
- HQ region
- Europe
Offices1 record
Markets served
Rat Rig business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2C
- Offering type
- Hardware or Manufacturing
- Cost components
- Supply Chain, Operations, Technology or R&D, Personnel, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure
Revenue model
- 3D Printer Sales: Sale of assembled and kit-form 3D printers including V-Core 4.1 and V-Core 3 series. Both complete printer kits and upgrade components are sold.
- CNC Machine Sales: Sale of Rat Rig Mill CNC machine kit and related CNC electronics enclosures and accessories.
- Parts & Accessories: Extensive catalog of mechanical parts including brackets, hardware, nuts/spacers/washers, plates, screws, wheels/bearings/pulleys, timing belts, and structural profiles.
- Electronics Components: Sale of electronic components for 3D printers including stepper motors, hotends, motherboards, drivers, accelerometers, LED modules, and cameras.
- Filament Sales (PunkFil Brand): Sale of proprietary PunkFil branded filaments in ABS, PETG, PETG CF10, and ASA-CF materials in various colors and weights.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| One time/ perpetual license | Pay-as-you-go | V-Core 4.1 Complete Printer Kit - US version |
| One time/ perpetual license | Pay-as-you-go | V-Core 4.1 Upgrade Kit |
| One time/ perpetual license | Pay-as-you-go | V-Core 4.1 Hybrid Upgrade |
| One time/ perpetual license | Pay-as-you-go | V-Core 4.1 IDEX Upgrade Kit |
| One time/ perpetual license | Pay-as-you-go | Steel Gantry Module |
| One time/ perpetual license | Pay-as-you-go | FlexPlate PRO Sets |
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | PunkFil Filaments |
| One time/ perpetual license | Pay-as-you-go | Rat Rig Mill CNC Machine |
| One time/ perpetual license | Pay-as-you-go | Rat Pack (Essential Hardware Kit) |
Go-to-market motion1 record
Distribution channels1 record
Marketing channels6 records
Rat Rig product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Rat Rig designs, manufactures, and sells open-source DIY modular 3D printer kits (V-Core 4, V-Core 4.1, V-Core 3 series), CNC milling machine kits (Rat Rig Mill), and proprietary filaments (PunkFil brand). The portfolio is supported by an ecosystem of modular upgrade kits, mechanical parts, electronics components, and accessories sold directly to end customers via their own online store.
Product overview
Rat Rig is an open-source hardware company specializing in high-performance 3D printers and CNC machines. The product portfolio centers on the V-Core series of CoreXY 3D printers (V-Core 4, V-Core 4.1, V-Core 3) and the Rat Rig Mill CNC machine. These core products are supported by an extensive ecosystem of upgrade modules including the IDEX Upgrade (dual extruder with Toolshift©), Hybrid Upgrade (enhanced Y-axis motors), and Steel Gantry Module. The company also offers proprietary PunkFil filaments (ABS, PETG, PETG CF10, ASA-CF, PLA) under its own sub-brand, along with accessories like FlexPlate PRO build plates, VAOC camera/LED modules, filtration systems, and comprehensive Rat Pack hardware kits. The V-Core 4 series features a modular architecture allowing users to customize and expand their machines with various performance and functionality upgrades.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Brands
- PunkFil: Proprietary filament brand offering ABS, PETG, ASA-CF, and PLA filaments in various colors.
Products and services
- V-Core 4 High-performance open-source 3D printer kit featuring a coreXY motion system, designed for precision printing at high speeds with support for various upgrade modules. Targeted at makers and hobbyists.
- V-Core 4.1 Latest iteration of the V-Core 4 printer, featuring improved components and enhanced build quality with the same high-performance coreXY architecture. Available as a complete US-region kit.
- V-Core 3 Previous generation high-performance 3D printer with coreXY motion system, available with various upgrade paths to newer versions.
- Rat Rig Mill CNC milling machine designed for precision machining, described as powerful and ultra-robust for desktop manufacturing. Currently sold out at listed price.
- PunkFil Filaments Proprietary brand of 3D printing filaments including ABS, PETG, PETG CF10, ASA-CF, and PLA variants in various colors and finishes.
- V-Core 4.1 IDEX Upgrade Kit Dual extruder upgrade for V-Core 4 enabling true multi-material printing with Toolshift © technology for fast toolhead changes without purge tower. Sold as standalone kit.
- V-Core 4.1 Hybrid Upgrade Performance upgrade adding extra motors to Y-axis for improved acceleration and precision during high-speed printing on V-Core 4. Sold as a standalone upgrade kit.
- V-Core 4.1 Steel Gantry Module Reinforced steel gantry upgrade for V-Core 4.1 providing enhanced rigidity for demanding printing applications. Sold as a standalone upgrade module.
- FlexPlate PRO Flexible build plate with double-sided Black Textured PEI coating, available in multiple sizes (310x310mm, 410x410mm, 510x510mm) for easy part removal.
Quantifiable outcome
- Dramatically improved recommended acceleration for input shaping, cutting down print time while maintaining quality
- +1 more outcomes
Companies that use Rat Rig
Customer profileSegments4 records
Ideal customer profiles3 records
Rat Rig technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Feature5 records
Rat Rig partnerships and signals
Strategic signalScale indicators1 record
Recent moves6 records
Expansion highlights5 records
Rat Rig competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- Prusa Research: Czech-based open-source FFF 3D printer manufacturer with a similar kit-based, community-driven model and comparable enthusiast/prosumer target customer.
- Voron Design: Open-source CoreXY 3D printer project (Voron 2.4, Trident) selling kits and parts; competes with Rat Rig in the DIY builder segment and overlaps on modular architecture.
- Creality: Large Chinese 3D printer OEM with a broad FFF product line; competes on price and accessibility against Rat Rig's premium DIY kits.
- Bambu Lab: High-performance CoreXY 3D printer maker (X1, P1, A1) competing directly with V-Core 4 on speed and quality, but with factory-assembled rather than kit delivery.
- Anycubic: Consumer and prosumer 3D printer maker (Kobra, Vyper) selling assembled machines that overlap with Rat Rig's FFF enthusiast market.
- Ultimaker: Professional-grade FFF 3D printer manufacturer targeting industrial and educational users; overlaps with Rat Rig on the prosumer/professional segment.
- Carbide 3D: Maker-focused CNC mill maker (Shapeoko, Nomad) competing with Rat Rig Mill in the desktop CNC segment for hobbyist and small-shop users.
Broad incumbents
- Formlabs: SLA/resin 3D printing incumbent serving professional and engineering customers; adjacent in the desktop manufacturing space but uses a different process.
- MakerBot: Established consumer/prosumer 3D printing brand (now part of Stratasys) offering assembled FFF printers; competes in overlapping customer segments but with a closed, turnkey model.
Emerging players
- Snapmaker: Multi-function 3-in-1 (3D printing, CNC, laser) machines; directly comparable to Rat Rig's 3D printer + CNC mill portfolio strategy.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat4 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights6 records
Customer concentration
Rat Rig social profiles
Digital presenceRat Rig financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Rat Rig leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Rat Rig funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Rat Rig M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about Rat Rig
What does Rat Rig do?
Rat Rig designs, manufactures, and sells open-source DIY modular 3D printer kits (V-Core 4, V-Core 4.1, V-Core 3 series), CNC milling machine kits (Rat Rig Mill), and proprietary filaments (PunkFil brand). The portfolio is supported by an ecosystem of modular upgrade kits, mechanical parts, electronics components, and accessories sold directly to end customers via their own online store.
Is Rat Rig a public or private company?
Rat Rig is a private company. It is classified as founder individual operated bootstrapped and is currently operating.
When was Rat Rig founded?
Rat Rig was founded in 2014. It employs 11 to 50 people.
Where is Rat Rig based?
Rat Rig is headquartered in Faro, Portugal, in the Europe region.
How does Rat Rig make money?
Five revenue lines are on record. 3D Printer Sales are the primary driver. The others are CNC Machine Sales, parts & Accessories, electronics Components and filament Sales (PunkFil Brand).
Who are Rat Rig's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are Prusa Research, Voron Design, Creality, Bambu Lab, Anycubic, Ultimaker and Carbide 3D. Broad incumbents are Formlabs and MakerBot. Snapmaker is listed as an emerging player.
Does Rat Rig have an API?
No public API is recorded for Rat Rig.
What industry is Rat Rig in?
Rat Rig's product category is 3D Printing Equipment. Its primary akta.pro industry code is IMAAAIAA, Printer & System Spare Parts (Motors, Belts, Rails, Build Plates), with a secondary code of EDAOAGAA, CNC Machining & Programming. Its NAICS code is 33271 and its SIC code is 3451.