MakerBot Replicator+
The new for 2016 MakerBot Replicator+
Since Jonathan Jaglom was instated as CEO of MakerBot the desktop 3D printer manufacturer has spent a considerable amount of time repositioning itself away from the hype-laden, ‘one in every home’ brand his previous incumbent Bre Pettis chased. A raft of new solutions shows the Stratasys-owned company moving towards a more professional 3D printing solution.
At TCT Show 2016 the company will demo the first new printers launched since Jaglom took charge over two years ago. The new machines, MakerBot Replicator+ and Replicator Mini+, have been tested for over 380,000 hours to ensure that the technology is reliable, the lack of which has been a criticism of the company in the past.
“We have gone through a cultural shift here at MakerBot over the past year, where listening and understanding the needs of our customers are cornerstones of our company. As a result, we’ve gained an in-depth understanding of the wider needs of professionals and educators that has informed our product development process,” said Jonathan Jaglom, at the launch. “Our new solutions for professionals and educators are based on feedback addressing how we could accelerate and streamline the iterative design process and make teaching with a desktop 3D printer easier and more effective.”
The new MakerBot Replicator Mini +
The new for 2016 MakerBot Replicator Mini +
Alongside with a host of new MakerBot eco-system solutions including new software and a tougher PLA material, the new machines claim to solve many of the issues that have limited desktop 3D printing’s effectiveness for engineers and educators, groups that do not have time to tinker with a machine but require a one click solution that works every time. Both machines have a bigger build volume and a faster speed then the previous generation.
The new software packages, MakerBot Print and MakerBot Mobile, are designed to help improve workflow processes. Amongst the new features of the desktop software is native CAD support, new print settings that allow the user to arrange multiple trays and edit the print settings of each assembly plus a print preview option. The updated version of MakerBot Mobile includes a Guided Setup feature that walks the user through the entire 3D printer setup process step by step.
MakerBot Slate Gray Filament Bundle
MakerBot Slate Gray Filament Bundle
In what must be considered a bumper update to MakerBot’s offering the Brooklyn-based outfit has also launched ‘Slate Gray Tough PLA Filament’. The new material is aimed at professionals wanting to create functional prototypes, jigs and fixtures. The final announcement comes in the form of Thingiverse Education, which is designed for educators to be able to plan lessons around 3D printed projects.
In all, this is an incredibly well thought through launch of a range of specifically targeted products. All of which will be being demonstrated to the public for the first time on booth A12 at TCT Show + Personalize 2016. Register for the show here.
