While Lulzbot and LeTourneau University battle it out for the most number of 3D printers operating simultaneously, will MakerBot and le FabShop win the Guinness World Record for the most 3D printers running at once in a Parisian department store? From April 3 until May 9, le FabShop (French for “the FabShop”) will have MakerBot Replicators printing on all five levels of Le BHV Marais in Paris, France, as part of an event the reseller is calling the “Grande Fabrique”.
MakerBot’s French reseller, le FabShop, has partnered with Le BHV to offer 3D printing workshops and live demonstrations for over a month this spring. MakerBot CEO Bre Pettis explained that, in some ways, this is a first for the company, “We are very excited to have MakerBot Replicator Desktop 3D Printers showcased in such an innovative and public forum. This is the first time such a large installation of 3D printers has been placed in a department store and also the first time 3D printing workshops have been offered on a such a long-term and public scale. It is going to be wonderful to see what is 3D printed.”
Replicators will be present and operating at every level of the department store, exposing Le BHV’s more than 30,000 daily visitors to the technology. At the same time, shoppers will have an opportunity to purchase prints representing Parisian landmarks, such as the Eiffel Tower, Louvre Pyramid, Arc de Triomphe, and Basilique du Sacre-Coeur in Montmartre, all of which can be purchased for 5 €. And, for 80 to 120 euros, shoppers can sign up for one of fifteen four-hour-long 3D printing workshops: 3D printing with SketchUp, 3D printing with Blender, 3D printing with Autodesk, 3D scanning with the MakerBot Digitizer Desktop 3D Scanner, Design with Autodesk 123D, Cooking and 3D printing, Fixing your home with 3D printing, and Master classes in 3D printing. Full details about the workshops are listed here.
Bertier Luyt, founder and president of le FabShop, had this to say about le Grande Fabrique, “Every floor at BHV will have MakerBot Replicator 3D Printers on display where visitors can see the 3D printing process up close and personal. This is an incredible opportunity for le FabShop to bring the 3D printing magic of MakerBot Replicator Desktop 3D Printers and scanners to a large audience, with more than 30,000 visitors expected per day, and almost a million visitors over the course of the five weeks. La Fabrique du BHV Marais will be France’s largest 3D printing exhibition to date! Our close relationship with MakerBot, the global leader in desktop 3D printing, and the support of Le BHV Marais, allowed us to think big for this event. Everyone at le FabShop is very excited about this event and is looking forward to showcasing what 3D printing is all about.”
[nggallery id=164]As one might guess, the MakerBot machines will be available for purchase at the department store, including the MakerBot Digitizer. So, if you’re Parisian or just in Paris, you might swing by to see how some of our favorite technology looks in the City of Light.
