Ahead of the Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas last week, it had been rumoured that something big was coming from Makerbot, the New York based 3D printing company acquired by Stratasys in 2013.
And so it came to pass, as Makerbot unveiled its new product line on the opening day of the show. As usual, Makerbot surpassed expectations and launched three new 3D printers together with a host of desktop and mobile apps.
Making the point that this is MakerBot’s 5th consecutive year at CES, Bre Pettis, the gregarious host of the press conference, also noted that the company’s first exhibit at CES, back in 2010, featured the only 3D printer at the show. This year however, they were part of a dedicated 3D printing zone with a vastly improved product offering in four short years.
Unveiled one by one, Bre first introduced the world to the MakerBot Replicator Mini billed as a ‘compact 3D Printer that is easy-to-use and just right for smaller spaces such as college dorm rooms, classrooms, multi-workspaces and the home.’ The MakerBot Replicator Mini’s expected retail price will be $1,375 with planned availability later this year, around spring time.
The second reveal was the third iteration of the MakerBot Replicator Desktop 3D Printer. Essentially the Replicator 3, but, notably, this is NOT what they are calling it. Highlighting it’s “unmatched speed, reliability, quality and connectivity for all prosumer 3D printing needs,” the big news was the increased build volume, 11% larger than the Replicator 2, and faster print speeds at 100-micron layer resolution. This latest Replicator 3D Printer is available immediately at a retail price of $2,899.
In his final reveal Bre uncovered the MakerBot Replicator Z18 3D Printer. As its name suggests it builds up to 18 inches in the Z axis, with a 12 x 12 inch build plate. This, Makerbot believes, means that the Z18 offers the best price/performance ratio in its category for printing large industrial prototypes, models and products and/or printing multiple models at once within an enclosed and heated build chamber. The Z18 is coming in at $6,499 and you’ll have to wait until spring to pre-order.
MakerBot also announced some new apps, including MakerBot Desktop and MakerBot Mobile, which are set to provide a complete 3D printing solution to discover, manage and share 3D prints – from your desktop computer or a mobile device. MakerBot Desktop is expected to be available 3 February 2014, while MakerBot Mobile is expected to be available on IOS in the spring and then on Android later in the year.
