This is Makerbot’s CES 2013 booth. Most booths have a wall or two to display their tech on. What did Makerbot do? Built a wall of 3D printers, of course.
Makerbot used CES 2013 to announce the newest 3D printer in its line-up: the Makerbot Replicator 2X.
Makerbot calls the 2X an “experimental 3D printer”, not because the technology isn’t proven, but because it’s using a completely different kind of material to print with.
The Replicator 2 uses what’s known as PLA filament for printing. It’s a biodegradable polymer that gets wrapped into a spindle and passed into the Replicator’s extruder for printing and shaping. Easy enough. The new material, however, is what’s called thermoplastic ABS which is more difficult to deal with.
On top of the new material, Makerbot made a few changes to the design for the Replicator 2X that makes it a little more sturdy overall.
Read more about it on Makerbot’s blog. [Makerbot]