MakerBot has recently launched a new ‘Verified Prints’ program for Thingiverse, its extensive repository of 3D files. It seems they are sorting through Thingiverse, testing and pre-slicing files to ensure a high-quality 3D print every time — for appropriate files anyway. That’s to say the designs that are suitable for 3D printing — there are still a great many that are not.
To quote MakerBot’s own explanations as to why they have taken this rather hot step to cool your stepper motor from one too many misprints:
‘Experimental works-in-progress are a key part of what makes Thingiverse amazing, and that aspect of the site will continue to grow and thrive. But we know there are those of you in the community who are just getting started or don’t want to spend the time experimenting with the more challenging designs on the site. You just want to download and print – that’s what MakerBot Verified Files are about. While we’re starting with just over 75 files, we have begun testing and adding more Verified Files to more Thing pages.’
There we have it. The black MakerBot Verified Files button on a Thing page now means that you can click the MakerBot Verified tab to download pre-sliced .x3g files. The files can also be identified whilst browsing Thingiverse by the red check mark symbol as illustrated. You can easily access a collection of all the Verified Files here.
That selection includes a host of Halloween goodies to print out with your extortionately high priced $130 per kilo MakerBot glow-in-the-dark PLA as I rage about here – or should you be able to discern a rip-off when you see one, the team have also included a wealth of genuinely fun printables for you too.
