LAS VEGAS--(BUSINESS WIRE)--MakerBot, a global leader in the desktop 3D printing industry, is at the Consumer Electronics Show (CES) in Las Vegas this week and is on a mission to transform the way people think about 3D printing by building on the comprehensive MakerBot® 3D Ecosystem. Part of the MakerBot 3D Ecosystem expansion includes new materials and partnerships and services that help make 3D printing easier and more accessible to more customers. MakerBot’s presence at CES is at booth #72711, located in the Sands Expo Convention Center, CES Tech West, in Las Vegas, Nevada.
New for MakerBot in 2015:
1. MakerBot PLA Composite Filaments are made with composites of real Metal, Stone and Wood that provide beautiful, realistic and highly stabilized material for fifth-generation MakerBot Replicator® 3D Printers. These new filaments bring 3D printing closer to the look of a finished product, yet retain the nontoxic and ease-of-use properties that make PLA such a popular 3D printing material. With MakerBot PLA Composite Filaments, the exciting potential of the swappable MakerBot Replicator Smart Extruder will also be realized, as new Smart Extruders are developed to match the new materials.
2. MakerBot 3D Professional Services is a new division that brings MakerBot’s years of experience in the 3D printing industry directly to customers via expert consulting, education, design services, 3D printed products and software applications for companies, organizations and schools interested in incorporating 3D printing. The launch of MakerBot 3D Professional Services includes:
- Consulting from MakerBot
- MakerBot Learning
- 3D Design Services by MakerBot
- MakerBot 3D Printed Products
- MakerBot Innovation Center Management Platform
3. MakerBot Mobile True Remote Printing and Monitoring will now be fully realized! This exciting new MakerBot feature is designed to allow full control and monitoring of 3D printing on a fifth-generation MakerBot Replicator 3D Printer from anywhere, anytime, via a Wi-Fi or cell network and will be available in early 2015.
4. MakerBot Kit for MODO 801 is an application designed in partnership with the global software company The Foundry for MODO 801, that takes advantage of MakerBot’s open API and full integration with Thingiverse.com, one of the largest 3D design communities in the world for viewing, sharing, downloading and 3D printing 3D designs. This exciting integration allows MODO and Thingiverse users the ability to store, share and 3D print designs made with MODO 801.
5. MakerBot Thingiverse and GE FirstBuild Icebox Challenge Winners unveiled! Have you ever dreamed of being able to accessorize your home appliances with items made just for your lifestyle? Now you can with innovative 3D printed refrigerator accessories inspired by MakerBot Thingiverse and GE FirstBuild’s Icebox Challenge winning 3D printed accessories. Need a pizza box holder? A way to monitor your milk from the grocery store? What about unique storage solutions? FirstBuild is incorporating some of the 3D printed accessories crowdsourced from the Thingiverse and FirstBuild communities into its new ChillHub smart refrigerator, also being launched at CES. The Icebox Challenge is just the first of several design and innovation challenges that the MakerBot Thingiverse and GE FirstBuild communities are undertaking in 2015 to showcase the power of Real-Time Prototyping™ on a MakerBot Replicator 3D Printer.
6. Martha Stewart for MakerBot Digital Store is planning to expand in 2015 with new collections. CES 2015 will provide a venue to showcase how Martha Stewart Living Omnimedia incorporates MakerBot Replicator 3D Printers into its design process. The MakerBot CES experience will also include a sneak peek of some Martha Stewart for MakerBot Digital Store collections to come.
“CES 2015 is different for us in that we are purposefully not introducing new 3D printers at CES this year. Instead, we are focusing our efforts on creating the most comprehensive MakerBot 3D Ecosystem to support our customers,” noted Jenny Lawton, CEO of MakerBot. Lawton went on to state, “Last year was a really big year for us. We brought three new MakerBot Replicator 3D Printers to market, plus we launched numerous other initiatives including MakerBot Desktop, MakerBot Mobile and MakerBot PrintShop; we introduced the MakerBot Digital Store and brought on licensed partners Sesame Street, Uglydoll, Hello Kitty and Martha Stewart; and we expanded our global presence with MakerBot Europe and our retail presence to the point where MakerBot Replicator 3D Printers and the MakerBot Digitizer™ Desktop 3D Scanner are now available in more than 500 retail stores throughout the U.S. and Europe. That is a lot. For 2015, we are focused on enhancing the overall MakerBot 3D Ecosystem by listening to our users, fine-tuning our 3D printers, iterating our software and apps to unlock their full potential, and launching new MakerBot PLA Composite Filaments as well as services that will make 3D printing even more interesting and accessible.”
Lawton also noted, “We know there is a lot of hype around 3D printing. We also know that 3D printing is not plug and play. It can be challenging and that is why a major emphasis is on creating a MakerBot 3D Ecosystem that helps make 3D printing easier and more accessible. At CES, we want to ground the hype and showcase how educators, businesses and real users have incorporated MakerBot 3D printing into their daily work and lives.”
MakerBot’s CES booth experience illustrates how real users are incorporating 3D printing into their workflow, saving time and money, and inspiring a whole new generation of innovators. MakerBot CES booth partners include:
- GE FirstBuild: Learn about the power of Real-Time Prototyping and innovative ways to rethink the traditional manufacturing process by incorporating 3D printing. At the MakerBot CES booth, meet two FirstBuild engineers and Natarajan (Venkat) Venkatakrishnan, the director of FirstBuild, and hear their vision for using 3D printing to transform the traditional design and manufacturing of products.
- Martha Stewart Living Omnimedia: MakerBot’s CES experience will feature a firsthand look at how 3D printing transforms the design process for Martha Stewart Living Omnimedia and helps bring designs to life and products to market faster and more affordably. Meet a Martha Stewart Living Omnimedia’s designer and learn how they take new product ideas from concept to completion by transforming the design process with 3D printing
- Whitby School: This pre-K through eighth grade school uses MakerBot Replicator 3D Printers for all grade levels to inspire and excite kids to think differently about their world and prepare them for the jobs of tomorrow. Meet Whitby School’s technology teacher and hear how she incorporates 3D printing into the school’s curriculum for math, science, art, business and more.
To learn more about MakerBot at the 2015 Consumer Electronics Show, visit booth #72711 in the Sands Expo Convention Center, CES Tech West, in Las Vegas, January 6-9, 2015.
About MakerBot
MakerBot, a subsidiary of Stratasys Ltd. (Nasdaq:SSYS), is leading the Next Industrial Revolution by setting the standards in reliable and affordable desktop 3D printing. Founded in 2009, MakerBot has built the largest installed base of desktop 3D printers sold to innovative and industry-leading customers worldwide, including engineers, architects, designers, educators and consumers. To learn more about MakerBot, visit makerbot.com.
Note Regarding Forward-Looking Statements
The statements in this press release relating to Stratasys’ beliefs regarding the benefits consumers will experience from the introduction of new MakerBot PLA Composite Filaments, MakerBot Professional Services, MakerBot Full Remote Printing and Monitoring, the MakerBot Kit for MODO 801, MakerBot and GE FirstBuild Icebox Challenge winners, and other partnerships, Stratasys’ expectation on the timing of shipping the new materials, features and services, as well as the statements in this press release relating to Stratasys’ expectations of the benefits that it will receive from its partnerships with Martha Stewart Living Omnimedia, The Foundry, GE FirstBuild and any other partners are forward-looking statements reflecting management's current expectations and beliefs. These forward-looking statements are based on current information that is, by its nature, subject to rapid and even abrupt change. Due to risks and uncertainties associated with Stratasys' business, actual results could differ materially from those projected or implied by these forward-looking statements. These risks and uncertainties include, but are not limited to: the risk that consumers will not perceive the benefits of the new MakerBot PLA Composite filaments, products and services and partnerships, to be the same as Stratasys does; the risk that unforeseen technical difficulties will delay the shipping of the MakerBot PLA Composite Filaments or other services; the risk that the benefits that Stratasys expects from the partnership will not materialize, or could be less, than Stratasys currently expects, due to technical or other unforeseen reasons; and other risk factors set forth under the caption “Risk Factors” in Stratasys' most recent Annual Report on Form 20-F, filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) on March 3, 2014. Stratasys is under no obligation (and expressly disclaims any obligation) to update or alter its forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise, except as otherwise required by the rules and regulations of the SEC.
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Supporting Details on MakerBot PLA Composite Filaments, MakerBot 3D Professional Services, MakerBot Mobile True Remote Printing and Monitoring, MakerBot and The Foundry, MakerBot Thingiverse and GE FirstBuild, and Martha Stewart for MakerBot Digital Store
MakerBot PLA Composite Filaments
2015 will be the year MakerBot launches new MakerBot PLA Composite Filaments. The MakerBot PLA Composite Filaments will be available in three categories: Metal, Stone and Wood. MakerBot PLA Composite Filaments shown at CES include Bronze, Iron, Limestone and Maple, and are made of highly filled composites that MakerBot believes to be different from any other 3D printing material on the market. The new MakerBot PLA Composite Filaments are created to provide beautiful and realistic 3D prints. Paired with special MakerBot Replicator Smart Extruders, MakerBot PLA Composite Filaments are planned to be available for printing on the MakerBot Replicator Mini Compact 3D Printer, the MakerBot Replicator Desktop 3D Printer and the MakerBot Replicator Z18 3D Printer.
MakerBot is excited to be able to announce the development of the MakerBot PLA Composite Filaments, which are expected to take advantage of the full potential of the MakerBot Replicator Smart Extruder. The MakerBot Replicator Smart Extruder was created to be modular and easily swappable. With extra MakerBot Smart Extruders on hand, you can easily swap out the extruder to match the material you are using and minimize downtime caused by clogs or other mechanical issues.
These new MakerBot PLA Composite Filaments bring aesthetically pleasing material to 3D printing and brings Real-Time Prototyping closer to the actual appearance of a finished product. The new materials have the look and feel of the actual metal, stone or wood, yet retain the nontoxic and ease-of-use properties that make PLA such a popular 3D printing material. The Maple filament can be sanded, stained and finished and makes beautiful wood 3D printed components. The Bronze and Iron MakerBot PLA Composite Filaments have the weight and look of and also retain the properties of those metals. The Bronze will naturally develop a patina over time and the Iron can be used for numerous functional purposes, including magnetization. The Limestone can be stained or painted with just a pen and is what MakerBot believes to be a great material for architectural and archeological 3D prints. To learn more about MakerBot PLA Composite Filaments, visit store.makerbot.com/filament/composite.
MakerBot 3D Professional Services
As a global leader in desktop 3D printers, MakerBot partners with leading innovators in education and businesses and is at the forefront of this rapidly evolving market. MakerBot has seen that many institutions and businesses often need advice and support adopting this transformative and disruptive technology. To help its customers, MakerBot has launched:
Consulting from MakerBot, which offers MakerBot’s unparalleled expertise in 3D printing to help companies, universities and other organizations make educated decisions in incorporating 3D printing into their business or environment. Consulting from MakerBot is aimed to help organizations realize the market advantage of incorporating 3D printing as well as seize revenue-generating opportunities in 3D design and printing. Consulting from MakerBot is designed to help assess, implement and optimize an investment in 3D printing. MakerBot works with clients with a range of goals, from speeding innovation to reducing costs, to differentiating a brand. Consulting from MakerBot can bring skills to the table for assessment, industry analysis, process planning, change management, or even printer administration. To learn more Consulting from MakerBot, visit makerbot.com/consulting.
MakerBot Learning, a hands-on, creative and collaborative 3D printing workshop program custom tailored to meet a company, school or organization’s needs. MakerBot’s highly trained expert 3D printing experts lead workshops that provide teams the 3D printing and design expertise that they need to quickly and effectively get up to speed with 3D printing. These workshops provide an opportunity to learn quickly and accurately in guided, hands-on interactive environments, at the client’s site, or in MakerBot’s Brooklyn, New York, headquarters. 3D modeling, CAD software, 3D printing tips and printer maintenance are covered. Workshops can be customized from one-day 3D printer primer classes to full weeklong workshops for numerous employees. To learn more about MakerBot Learning, visit makerbot.com/learning.
3D Design Services by MakerBot, providing master-level expertise from MakerBot’s talented staff of 3D modelers and designers to help clients create 3D printable content. 3D Design Services by MakerBot offers 3D modeling, high-poly modeling, industrial design, technical illustration, rendering and conceptual modeling that result in customized concepts and the highest-quality 3D printable designs. By utilizing 3D Design Services by MakerBot, customers can accelerate the design workflow and can leverage MakerBot’s extensive experience in ideation, model making and prototyping, all optimized for 3D printing. Project range from one-of-a-kind special 3D prints to large-scale 3D design and printing projects. To learn more about 3D Design Services by MakerBot, visit makerbot.com/3D-design-services.
MakerBot 3D Printed Products, a one-stop shop for quick and reliable 3D printing. Great for 3D printed logos, giveaways, models, prototypes and parts. MakerBot 3D Printed Products offers affordable 3D prints of 50 to 100,000 units with a faster turnaround than injection molding. MakerBot has its own MakerBot Innovation Centers with 200+ MakerBot Replicator 3D Printers ready to fulfill 3D print orders. Each project is individually quoted based on specific needs. MakerBot 3D Printed Products can use a 3D design already created or work with customers to incorporate 3D Design Services by MakerBot for special custom orders. To learn more about MakerBot 3D Printed Products, visit makerbot.com/3D-Printed-Products.
MakerBot Innovation Center Management Platform, a proprietary MakerBot software platform that takes the management of 30 or more MakerBot Replicator 3D Printers to a whole new level. Available exclusively as part of a MakerBot Innovation Center, a centralized, scalable 3D printing solution, the MakerBot Innovation Center Management Platform both improves the accessibility of 3D printers and increases their output. The MakerBot Innovation Center Management Platform allows for complete monitoring and queuing of 3D printing jobs, remote user interface and the ability to cost-effectively staff and maintain a large-scale MakerBot Innovation Center. The software platform comes with rapid installation and deployment, technical and user training sessions, side-by-side operational planning and the option of strategic assistance or even professional staffing solutions. To learn more about the MakerBot Innovation Center Management Platform, visit makerbot.com/innovation-center.
MakerBot Mobile True Remote Printing and Monitoring
MakerBot Mobile is one of the exciting innovations that MakerBot brought to its MakerBot Replicator 3D Printing Platform in 2014 and is planned to be expanded in 2015 to include true remote 3D printing and monitoring, expected to be available in the first quarter of 2015. With MakerBot Mobile on an iPhone or Android device (new for Android expected in 2015), owners of fifth-generation MakerBot Replicator 3D Printers will be able to take advantage of true remote printing and monitoring via a mobile device, at anytime, from anywhere, if on a cell or Wi-Fi network or Internet connection. MakerBot Mobile enables the user to have the ability to preview digital files before 3D printing, to prepare files for 3D printing, including placing multiple items on a build plate, and then allows you to start a 3D print and monitor its progress, all from a mobile device. This exciting application takes 3D printing to a whole new level. You can start and monitor 3D printing on a MakerBot Replicator 3D Printer without being in the same room as the printer; you could even do it from across the country. True remote printing and monitoring functionality are expected to be live in early 2015. To learn more about remote printing and monitoring via MakerBot Mobile, visit makerbot.com/mobile.
MakerBot Thingiverse Partnerships
MakerBot and The Foundry, with its innovative software MODO 801 that is used by animation studios, game developers and the movie special effects industry, have partnered to bring together two industry leaders to revolutionize the 3D printing workflow. Launching at CES 2015 is the MakerBot Kit for MODO, the first-ever 3D app integrated into MakerBot’s Cloud Library and MakerBot Thingiverse.com to provide access to MODO 801’s easy-to-use content creation package that offers fully integrated modeling, sculpting, painting, special effects and animation tools. Through the MakerBot Cloud Library, users can manage their personal designs and create 3D printable files right from MODO 801. Those models can then be shared, collected and organized through Thingiverse.com. With the MakerBot Kit for MODO, users will be able to load and save .thing files; authenticate MakerBot accounts from inside MODO; explore Thingiverse and download free objects and files; update or delete objects on Thingiverse and the MakerBot Cloud Library from within MODO; generate photorealistic renderings of objects and upload cover images for items directly to Thingiverse and/or the MakerBot Cloud Library from inside MODO; and upload and store MODO files (.lxo) on Thingiverse and/or the MakerBot Cloud Library for improved editing and easy sharing with other MakerBot users. To learn more about the MakerBot Kit for MODO, visit thefoundry.co.uk/products/modo/kits/makerbot.
MakerBot Thingiverse and GE FirstBuild teamed up and encouraged engineering and 3D printing enthusiasts to “hack” their refrigerator to come up with 3D printed design solutions that have the potential to become new accessories for the FirstBuild ChillHub, a first-of-its-kind GE refrigerator that is “as smart as you.” The contest, dubbed the Icebox Challenge, inspired ideas ranging from purely 3D printed pieces to battery-operated electromechanical devices. MakerBot and GE FirstBuild are excited to announce the winners and showcase the winning designs at the MakerBot booth at CES.
- First prize goes to the Odor Eating HotSpot by Kurt Hamel of Providence, Rhode Island, a marine mechanical engineer who created the winning entry with inspiration from his wife, who guided his original idea of combining power and data toward tackling a common issue: the use of a box of baking soda to keep the refrigerator smelling fresh.
- Second prize goes to the Rad Reindeer by Sebastian Kerner of Wismar, Germany, a mechanical engineer who is currently enrolled as an industrial design student. His Rad Reindeer bottle holder was inspired by his life as a student. His refrigerator was often filled with fast food and countless bottles and cans that would roll around.
- Third prize goes to the Butter Pig by Steve Weber of Indianapolis, Indiana, a software developer in the automotive industry. The inspiration for his design came when he was cooking dinner and kept needing another pat of butter. He would intermittently slice the butter, then put it back in the refrigerator, and then cut it again, each time dirtying a knife. His idea was to make a simple butter cutter with a guillotine on one end, but he needed a way to push the butter toward the cutting mechanism, so he came up with the corkscrew idea.
The first-prize winner receives a MakerBot Replicator Desktop 3D Printer and has the potential to have his item featured as one of the accessories that GE offers the FirstBuild ChillHub smart refrigerator, also being launched at CES 2015. To learn more about the MakerBot Thingiverse and GE FirstBuild Icebox Challenge, visit Thingiverse.com.
MakerBot Digital Store
Martha Stewart for MakerBot Digital Store
The MakerBot Digital Store, which was created to sell original, fun and collectible digital content specifically designed for MakerBot Replicator 3D Printers, launched the Martha Stewart for MakerBot Digital Store Trellis Collection in November 2014. Since that time, the Martha Stewart Trellis Collection has become a popular collection to purchase, download and 3D print. At CES 2015, MakerBot and Martha Stewart Living Omnimedia are showcasing how Martha Stewart designers use Real-Time Prototyping on MakerBot Replicator 3D Printers, and also providing a sneak peek at some future items to be included in the MakerBot Digital Store. Visit the MakerBot CES booth to see the items in person, and watch the MakerBot Digital Store in the coming months for these exciting collections. For more information, visit digitalstore.makerbot.com/martha-stewart.
