Considered by many to be the very best manufacturer of 3D printing hardware and software, the folks at MakerBot continue to knock it out of the park when it comes to easily accessible, simple, and straightforward to use, but incredibly capable desktop style 3D printing solutions – and this is on full display with the all-new MakerBot Replicator 2.
The next generation of the desktop 3D printer that “started it all”, this amazing piece of technology has been designed to help anyone and everyone utilize all that the 3D printing industry has to offer at a price point that’s tough to beat.
No, the MakerBot Replicator 2 isn’t on par with major production-sized or commercial 3D printing solutions – but when it comes to desktop 3D printing and rapid prototyping/iteration for small businesses, schools, and organizations operating on tight budgets, it doesn’t get any better than this!
MakerBot has smashed it out of the park once again!
Overview
Engineered specifically to print 30% faster than the previous version of the Replicator, the MakerBot Replicator 2 is a system that also offers a 25% increase as far as build volume is concerned while also improving precision, repeatability, consistency, and streamlined software/hardware interface.
The old version of the Replicator was a runaway success for sure, but the MakerBot Replicator 2 improves upon that older version in almost every single way possible. This is a system that clearly shows smart engineering “under the hood”, and the people at MakerBot were serious about making the most of the more than 380,000 hours of research and testing that went on behind the scenes to produce the MakerBot Replicator 2.
Smart, sleek, streamlined, and capable of modern magic and miracles in the realm of 3D printing, this is an amazing piece of hardware that you don’t want to have to go without.
Initial Impressions
The very first thing you are going to notice about the MakerBot Replicator 2 is that it has been rigorously engineered to produce amazingly high-definition 3D prints with 100 µm layer resolution inside of a large enough build volume to produce most any scale prototype you can imagine.
The 100 µm layer resolution not only promises to provide you with crystal clear finished products (with whatever finishing and texture you would like to create) but also guarantees that your print is finished just the way it is when it comes out of the MakerBot Replicator 2. You can forget about having to send down rough edges, fiddle with “loose components” or knock off blurbs and blobs that are knock-off when you decide to move forward with other kinds of 3D printers.
All of that hassle and headache go right out the window when you decide to move forward with this unit!
The control panel and module on the MakerBot Replicator 2 have also been streamlined significantly compared to the previous version. The folks at MakerBot listen to the 3D printing community and made sure to correct the handful of mistakes and missteps that were made with the original Replicator.
The new system is really easy to use, incredibly intuitive right out of the box and provides you with all of the information you need to know about your print up front and center while allowing you to control core aspects without any loss in efficiency.
It’s also really nice to see a company pair they are hardware with its software as successfully as the folks at MakerBot have. These systems dovetail nicely with one another (and with any other 3D printing solutions from MakerBot), and you will be able to get every single drop of peak performance out of the MakerBot Replicator 2 without having to fuss around too much.
Of course, the Replicator 2 is also tremendously flexible and you will always have the option to use any different number of software solutions for accessories with this component – even if they are from other manufacturers and other 3D printing companies. Flexibility is the name of the game with this setup, something that you will come to appreciate.
Special Features
The brand-new flex build plate with built-in “grip build surface” guarantees that you are going to be able to produce lightning-fast printed projects without any letdown in clarity, resolution, or consistency. Prints are going to adhere better to the perfectly level surface so that there isn’t any warping or crawling, but you’ll also be able to effortlessly remove your printed projects thanks to the ability of the surface to bend when you apply force – and only when you apply force.
This is a system ready to go right out of the box, and there’s something to be said about that. There are plenty of other 3D printers out there that are nowhere near as close to “set it and forget it” as the MakerBot Replicator 2, printers that require you to spend hours setting up, modifying, and then calibrating the system.
You’ll never have to worry about that with this unit!
Pros
The folks at MakerBot have improved upon the previous version of the Replicator in every way imaginable with this version.
30% faster and with a 25% increase in build volume, you’re able to do more with the new MakerBot Replicator 2 than ever before
The improved “flex build plate” is a game changer that improves the consistency and recovery of your printed projects
Cons
You are going to be hard pressed trying to find even a handful of downsides or drawbacks to utilizing the new MakerBot Replicator 2. It may not be as large as other units or as fast as other units, but pound for pound, dollar for dollar, it doesn’t get a whole lot better than this.
Final verdict
With so many other 3D printing solutions available on the market today it can be a bit of a tall task trying to find the perfect ones for your needs.
Even still, the folks at MakerBot continue to lead the charge in this technology, and the MakerBot Replicator 2 is their latest version of what everyone else is trying to create with their desktop style 3D printers.
