makerbot replicator+ and mini+ redesign 3D printing

makerbot, a global leader in the desktop 3D printing industry, has announced new 3D printing solutions that address the wider needs of professionals and educators. makerbot believes its new solutions offer engineers and designers a faster and more effective way to develop ideas and offer educators a better way to integrate 3D printing technology in the classroom to teach creativity and problem solving.

the makerbot ‘replicator+’ and ‘replicator mini+’ are both faster and quieter than their predecessors and feature larger build volumes for printing bigger models or more prints at one time. the ‘replicator+’ is approximately 30 percent faster; has a 25 percent larger build volume; and is 27 percent quieter than the 5th generation makerbot ‘replicator’. the ‘replicator mini+’ is approximately 10 percent faster; has a 28 percent larger build volume; and is 58 percent quieter than its predecessor. both come with the swappable makerbot ‘smart extruder+’, which is designed and tested to provide improved performance over a longer period of time.

video courtesy of makerbot

when it comes to 3D printing, designers and engineers often put a high priority on predictability and how accurately a print resembles its digital model. in that regard, the new makerbot ‘replicator+’ and ’replicator mini+’ improve several aspects of print quality, including print precision; surface appearance; and reduced warping and curling. these print quality improvements are enabled by the re-engineered hardware, including the gantry; Z-stage; build plate; and extruder carriage (replicator+ only); in combination with fine-tuned firmware and a new slicing engine. the ‘replicator+’ also features a flexible build plate, making it easy to remove larger prints by simply bending the plate. the new grip build surface included on both new printers ensures that prints adhere better without the use of blue tape, resulting in improved reliability and reduced warping and curling. redesigned rafts and supports break away more easily for a cleaner print surface of printed parts.

makerbot replicator+ has approximately 30% faster print time its predecessor

the new makerbot print and mobile applications are designed to allow professionals to easily integrate printers into their workflow and help educators introduce their students to 3D printing. these applications help streamline the print preparation process, save time, and produce higher quality prints. both printers have been re-engineered and tested to provide improved performance—that means faster, easier, and more reliable printing with a bigger build volume. with the makerbot ‘slate gray tough PLA filament bundle’, engineers can create more durable, high-impact strength prototypes and fixtures. for educators, makerbot is also launching thingiverse education to discover 3D printing classroom content created by other educators.

replicator+ features a flexible build plate, simplifying the removal process of larger prints

‘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, CEO of makerbot. ‘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.’

makerbot replicator mini+ prints 28% larger than its predecessor, so you can print bigger models

the makerbot print software helps streamline the 3D printing experience for any workflow. native CAD support, for example, allows users to easily import common CAD files and assemblies. this new feature eliminates the need for .stl files and can result in significant time savings by reducing the number of files the user needs to manage and mundane steps for each iteration. users can now organize 3D files and multiple build plates into projects and easily email project files as attachments to collaborate with others. storing information as complete project files instead of stand-alone model files allows users to save the print settings and build plate layout of one or more designs as one file.

on-board LCD screen supports 8 languages: english, spanish, italian, french, german, japanese, korean + chinese

makerbot print also enhances the print preparation process, saving time and helping users achieve high quality prints. the new auto arrange feature automatically positions objects across multiple build plates to print them simultaneously or sequentially. with dynamic print settings, users can change settings like resolution or thickness for each individual model on the build plate, saving time by printing models with varying print settings simultaneously. a new print preview option lets users review the ‘smart extruder+’s’ path to make adjustments before printing a model. users can either review each individual layer or play an animated video preview to see support material placement and validate that small features are printable.

native CAD support eliminates the need for .stl files, resulting in significant time savings