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LAS VEGAS—Admit it: You know you want to make your own life-sized, wearable Storm Trooper helmet at home. And now you (somewhat) easily can. MakerBot, the biggest name in 3D printing, announced a new trio of desktop 3D printers during a press conference on Monday at CES: an updated MakerBot Replicator, the Replicator Mini, and the Replicator Z18. These models represent an entire ecosystem of printers with something to appeal to all interests and skill levels.
"With this latest generation of Replicators, the question is not 'are you going to buy one,' but 'which one are you going to get?'" said MakerBot CEO Bre Pettis during MakerBot's CES press conference.
Together, this triple threat makes up the MakerBot Replicator 3D Printing Platform, and all share some new under-the-hood upgrades over their predecessors. All three sport an on-board camera that captures the build process, a new extruder (called the Smart Extruder) attaches using high-powered magnets, and wireless connectivity that can send a notification message to your mobile devices when a print is finished or if you're low on filament.
Replicator Mini: 3D printing for the masses
Image: MakerBot
The entry-level printer, which Pettis dubbed the "point-and-shoot" of the group, is the Replicator Mini, which MakerBot designed with consumers in mind. It's compact and easy to use, and only has one button, showing off MakerBot's new one-touch printing solution. It's already optimized for speed and doesn't require any leveling, so it's pretty much good to go as soon as you open the box. The Replicator Mini costs $1375 and ships this spring.
Image: MakerBot
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