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Interviews: Ask Bre Pettis About Making Things
As co-founder and CEO of MakerBot Industries, Bre Pettis is a driving force in the Maker and 3-D printing world. He's done a number of podcasts for Make, and even worked as an assistant at Jim Henson's Creature Shop in London after college. Makerbot's design community, Thingiverse, boasts over 100,000 3D models, and inspires countless artists and designers by allowing them to share their designs. Bre has agreed to set aside some time from printing in order to type answer to your questions. Normal Slashdot interview rules apply.
Stratasys acquired Makerbot a few months ago. Has things changed on the hardware or software side? What changes await for the future?
Will Makerbot release a cheaper FDM 3D printer?
Does Makerbot have any plans for an UV 3D printer, either laser-based or projector-based?
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I note that the Replicator 2 and Replicator 2X share many components.
Will there ever be plans to release an upgrade kit for the Replicator 2 which adds a more powerful Power Supply, Heated Build Plate, and/or a second Extruder Head Assembly?
It would be nice to be able to add those options to the Rep2 in order to print ABS and other materials, or to do multi-color prints.
Follow up Question relies on the proviso that an upgrade kit is planned....
Will you shut up and take my money already?!
Sig Follows: "Suppose you were an idiot. And suppose you were a member of Congress. But I repeat myself." -- Mark Twain
Mr. Pettis thanks for taking the time. Your 3D printers are nice.
My question:
What is needed to take consumer home-based 3D printing beyond novelty items? Specifically everyday home consumers not pure hobbyists.
Of course 3D fabricators are used for more than "novelty items" in several commercial and industrial applications, but for several reasons, not the least of which is cost of the 3D fabricator, most of what people make is just knick knacks, novelty items, and bric-a-brac.
What will we need to see technologically to take consumer home fabrication beyond things like action figures? Ex: making something like a flashlight or toothbrush
Thank you Dave Raggett