Getting Started with MakerBot

Chapter 5. Meet the MakerBot Replicator 2

Wherein the reader is informed of the mechanisms that imbue common and readily available tools and building materials with the raw power of making and imagination.

For many people, the very idea of a MakerBot is still something entirely new-a machine that can make anything still seems like science fiction. As MakerBot and other low-cost printer vendors work to bring 3D printing to the masses, science fiction is becoming everyday fact. Still, only a few people have seen one in person, and even fewer know how they works. Though the underlying engineering principles behind a MakerBot are quite complex, in a nutshell, a MakerBot is a very precise, robotic hot glue gun mounted to a very precise, robotic positioning system. Let’s take a look under the hood.

Capabilities

The MakerBot Replicator 2 is a state-of-the-art desktop 3D printer, with capabilities above and beyond the previous generations of MakerBots. It has a huge build platform which gives you the superpower to print things BIG! It has advanced software and improved hardware that makes print resolution finer than ever. Every one was assembled with love in Brooklyn by skilled technicians. Best of all, it was designed with a focus on ease of use so you can have your MakerBot Replicator 2 replicating within minutes of taking it out of the box.

Facts and Figures

The Replicator 2’s build volume is nearly 7 liters (more than 400 cubic inches); that’s roughly the size of a shoebox. It’s tricky to ...