Abstract: A 3D printer device utilizing at least one Quantum Cascade Laser (QCL) image head having at least one beam focused in a focal plane of the device for building on a surface of the device a 3D model of a target object from a digital image. The inventive 3D printer is more compact in size due to the use of QCL image heads, which provides focused wavelengths of QCLs matching the absorption properties in plastics for more efficient absorption of the radiant energy. Each QCL channel power in the inventive 3D printer can be doubled by combining two lasers with a polarization beam splitter. The QCL image head is provided with Pulse Width Modulation (PWM) for compensating for imaging speed. The invention includes a method for scaling up the building speed of 3D printing regardless of detail level. The invention discloses an affordable 3D printer using QCL technology while maintaining high standards of resolution, use of quality materials, and rapid building speeds.