MakerBot announced today that it is now shipping the new Replicator Mini, a small 3D printer for people who don’t have much space or want to try out printing objects on a budget. At $1,375, it’s still not quite a cheap household appliance, but it’s a much easier purchase than the $2,899 full-size Replicator.
The printer can create objects that are almost 4 inches square and 5 inches tall, and has a total base of slightly less than a square foot. It’s designed to make it easy for people to easily print items, without having to worry about calibrating the printer.
Compared to MakerBot’s larger, current-generation offerings, the Mini is fairly small, but its build capacity is actually larger than the Cupcake CNC and Thing-O-Matic, MakerBot’s first two 3D printer kits.
What’s more, the Replicator Mini costs less fully assembled than the Thing-O-Matic, which would set users back $2,500.
Today’s announcement is another step in the ongoing move to make 3D printing more accessible to the masses. While fiddling with extruders and trying out new build platforms has been a staple of the Maker community for years now, that same level of tinkering is beyond many users who might otherwise find a 3D printer a useful tool. The launch of the Replicator line has made it possible for people who want a complete, out-of-the-box experience to buy a printer that’s designed to just work, and then start using it.
Microsoft has been one of the companies leading the charge towards a 3D printed future, working with MakerBot and other companies to build 3D printer support into Windows 8.1. In addition, Microsoft Stores have featured the “MakerBot Experience,” a section of the store that allows people to see MakerBot printers at work.
