Earlier this year, MakerBot released its new and improved Replicator 3D desktop printer just in time for CES 2012. The sub-$2000 price range on the device was a turning point for 3D printing technology. High-quality, affordable and user-friendly 3D printers are finally making their way into homes. Now, the company has announced its Replicator 2, bringing easier faster and even more affordable 3D printing to a desktop near you.
Featuring a 100-micron layer resolution, the Replicator 2 is the company's highest resolution printer yet. Capable of creating bigger, professional-quality models, the Replicator 2 is ideal for the desktop of a professional engineer, yet easy enough for anybody with an imagination to use. In addition to its upgraded printing abilities, the Replicator 2 also features a new sleek, futuristic design. According to Makerbot CEO Bre Pettis, it "is available in any color, as long as it is black."
“The new MakerBot Replicator 2 Desktop 3D Printer sets a new standard in resolution, build volume, and professional quality in the desktop 3D printer market,” Pettis explains. “With our fourth generation product, we have made the best desktop 3D printer on the market, made it affordable to both professionals and hobbyists, and made it cool looking.”
Like most modern 3D printers, the Replicator 2 uses the renewable bioplastic PLA to create larger prints without warping or cracking materials. With a build volume of 410 cubic inches (11.2” L x 6.0” W x 6.1” H), the Replicator 2 gives its operator a much larger space for multiple-part or larger projects. The MakerBot Replicator 2 Desktop Printer is already available for purchase at the company's new online store. The price tag of $2,199 is a bit higher than the previous model, but Pettis firmly believes it to be a worthwhile investment for any professional engineer.
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Old_Fogie_Late_Bloomer I want one so bad... :-D I wrote some code about a year ago in college to create files for a 3D printer and got them printed out...best class project EVAR. I have a 3D cross-section of a 4D Julia set and two Menger sponges (one whole, one halved down the diagonal) sitting on my desk at home.Reply -
Old_Fogie_Late_Bloomer friskiest"is available in any color, as long as it is black" what???http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Henry_ford#Model_TReply
(Insert cane-shaking rant about modern education here...) -
willard friskiest"is available in any color, as long as it is black" what???You've stumbled across something known as a "joke." Try to keep up.Reply -
aoneone So can I print out new shoes or computer parts? Oh wait.. its not 2060 yet.. Well gee, what exactly do I print out in 3d that is useful and NOT a complete waste of my time, money, and maybe my life? LOLReply -
freggo Would be nice to get an idea how much the 'ink' is.Reply
In other words, how expensive is it to make an item.
Do I want to make custom (personalized) LEGOs for the kids and become the hero dad ? :-)
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thecolorblue aoneoneSo can I print out new shoes or computer parts? Oh wait.. its not 2060 yet.. Well gee, what exactly do I print out in 3d that is useful and NOT a complete waste of my time, money, and maybe my life? LOLReply
"the Replicator 2 is ideal for the desktop of a professional engineer, yet easy enough for anybody with an imagination to use"
engineers, artists, creative types... maybe not you though. no big, all things are not for all people -
darknetdroid I think i would make really wicked custom bas-relief cases as a value added item for my smartphone repair business as a start. 50 bux a pop, could go a long way towards paying for the printer in a few months - just doing that. But that's just me...Reply -
g00fysmiley aoneoneSo can I print out new shoes or computer parts? Oh wait.. its not 2060 yet.. Well gee, what exactly do I print out in 3d that is useful and NOT a complete waste of my time, money, and maybe my life? LOLReply
you can probably print out the shoe soals with rubber glue them on and prolong hte life of an existing pair. might actusaally be able to make croc liek shoes .. or make a computer case out of ABS plastic -
Old_Fogie_Late_Bloomer aoneone...useful and NOT a complete waste of my time, money, and maybe my life...Well, that depends on your definitions of "useful" and "waste". If I had one of these I'd have a desk covered in little models. If their only "use" is to look pretty or cool or awesome, I wouldn't consider that a "waste".Reply
Heck, $2200 is less than i spent putting together my desktop computer.