MakerBot Launches Method, the First Performance 3D Printer
December 11 2018 - 8:00AM
Business Wire
MakerBot Method Breaks Price-Performance
Barriers, Making Industrial 3D Printing Features Accessible to
Individual Designers and Engineers;
Enables Unlimited Design Freedom, Dimensionally
Accurate Prints, and a High Degree of Reliability Previously only
Available on Industrial Systems
MakerBot, the pioneer of desktop 3D printing, introduces a new
category for the professional segment with the launch of Method,
the first performance 3D printer. Performance 3D Printing bridges
the gap between desktop and industrial 3D printing by bringing
features that were previously only available on industrial 3D
printers to professionals at a significantly lower cost. Method
leverages industrial technologies and expertise from Stratasys®
(NASDAQ: SSYS) and combines it with the accessibility and ease of
use for which MakerBot is known.
This press release features multimedia. View
the full release here:
https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20181211005192/en/
(Photo: Business Wire)
Industrial technologies on the MakerBot Method 3D printer
include a Circulating Heated Chamber, Dual Performance Extruders,
Precision PVA Water Soluble Supports, Dry-Sealed Material Bays, and
an Ultra-Rigid Metal Frame. Method also includes built-in sensors
and automation features that are designed to provide users with a
seamless experience. The printer’s industrial features control the
3D printing process to deliver a high level of precision,
reliability, and dimensional accuracy at an accessible price. This
technological breakthrough defines the new Performance 3D Printing
category.
“In an age of disruption, businesses are under pressure to
innovate and bring products to market faster. Current desktop 3D
printers derive their DNA from hobbyist 3D printers and are
insufficient for many applications in the professional segment,”
said Nadav Goshen, MakerBot CEO. “We believe that Method is the
next step in helping organizations adopt 3D printing at a larger
scale. Method provides a breakthrough in 3D printing that enables
industrial designers and mechanical engineers to innovate faster
and become more agile. It is built for professionals who need
immediate access to a 3D printer that can deliver industrial
performance to accelerate their design cycles. Method is developed
to bring industrial technologies into an accessible platform,
breaking the price-performance barrier and redefining rapid
prototyping in the process.”
Method is designed to deliver industrial reliability and
precision by carefully controlling every aspect of the 3D print
environment, resulting in repeatable and consistent parts with ±
0.2 mm dimensional accuracy1 as well as vertical layer uniformity
and cylindricity. Until now, this level of precision has been
limited to industrial-grade 3D printers. The dual extrusion system
found in Method combined with water-soluble PVA provides a superior
surface finish, and enables unlimited design freedom and
unrestricted geometries, such as complex overhangs without
scarring.
Method allows users to turn their CAD files to parts faster by
providing a seamless and reliable workflow without tinkering, up to
2X faster print speeds than desktop 3D printers2. Method offers
out-of-the-box deployment and a hassle-free guided setup, making it
easy to install and use. Method also includes automated maintenance
procedures and support to ensure a smooth and seamless user
experience.
Method delivers industrial-level performance at one-third of the
first-year cost of ownership of an entry-level industrial 3D
printer. With Method, teams can reduce design risks by testing and
validating prototypes with accuracy early and often, minimizing
potential cost overruns later in production. It is also designed to
provide an elevated level of speed and control into product design
cycles while reducing production costs – helping businesses bring
products to market faster.
Industrial Reliability and Precision
From concept validation to functional part performance, Method
is created to deliver consistent print results that match design
dimensions.
- The Circulating Heated
Chamber controls the temperature and quality of every layer.
In providing full active heat immersion during the entire duration
of the print, Method allows printed materials to cool at a
controlled rate, providing higher dimensional accuracy while
improving layer adhesion and part strength.
- Dual Performance Extruders are
built for high-speed printing without compromising part accuracy. A
dual-drive gear system grips the material securely while a powerful
19:1 gear ratio provides up to 3X the push force of a typical
desktop 3D printer. This allows Method to provide a consistent feed
of material into the hot end to produce consistent geometry. The
new lengthened thermal core is up to 50% longer than a standard
desktop hot end to enable faster extrusion rates, and allows for
smooth extrusion throughout its high-speed movements and
accelerations.
- Precision PVA Dissolvable
Supports enable fast and easy support removal without
compromising part design or dimensional accuracy. Water-soluble PVA
provides unrestricted geometric freedom and superior print quality
and surface finish without the need for harsh solvents of
industrial 3D printers or manual labor of removing breakaway
supports.
- Dry-Sealed Material Bays form a
seal to keep filament material pristine and reduce moisture
absorption. A suite of built-in sensors monitors humidity and
alerts users of any changes to the environment—a feature previously
only available on industrial 3D printers. This feature is
especially crucial for water-soluble PVA, which quickly absorbs
moisture when left in the open with devastating consequences on
print quality.
- MakerBot Materials for Method
are manufactured to exacting diameter and quality specifications.
Shipped in a vacuum-sealed metalized polyester bag, quality can be
preserved right up until opening. MakerBot offers two categories of
materials for use with Method: Precision and Specialty.
Precision Materials are extensively tested by MakerBot for
the highest reliability and measurably accurate parts and include
MakerBot Tough, MakerBot PLA, and MakerBot PVA. Specialty
Materials are for users looking for materials with advanced
properties to push the limits of what's possible. These materials
provide basic print performance and can require additional workflow
steps to print successfully. The first material on the platform is
PETG, one of the most widely used polymers with excellent
engineering properties, with more to follow.
- The Ultra-Rigid Metal Frame runs
the full length of the Method body to offset flexing. Less flexing
means more consistent prints with better part accuracy and fewer
failures.
Faster, Better 3D Printing
Method makes industrial 3D printing technologies accessible to
individual designers and engineers. Advanced workflow features turn
Method into an everyday tool that accelerates the agile design
process. Users can turn their CAD files to parts faster and print
up to 2X faster than desktop 3D printers.
- The Smart Spool provides
valuable information, including type, color, and amount of material
remaining via an RFID chip directly to MakerBot Print, while
desiccant in the spool maintains a low moisture level inside the
drawer bay.
- The 5” Capacitive Touchscreen
provides the latest status updates of current print jobs and allows
users to navigate the menus in the most intuitive way.
- MakerBot Print Software easily
integrates with 25 of the most popular CAD programs to allow
designers and engineers to design with what they know best. For
easy collaboration, teams can also save 3D files as projects and
share them via the native Cloud Management platform. Method’s
built-in onboard camera also allows users to monitor their print
progress remotely with MakerBot Print or the MakerBot Mobile
app.
- The Spring Steel Build Plate
provides true flatness for unyielding part accuracy and enables the
printed part to pop off the plate.
The MakerBot Method 3D printer has been tested by MakerBot for
over 220,000 hours of system reliability, subsystem, and print
quality testing3.
Shipping of Method is expected to begin in Q1 2019. Pre-orders
are now available. To learn more about the MakerBot Method 3D
printer, visit makerbot.com/Method.
MakerBot also has dedicated business offerings that are created
to reduce downtime and keep teams moving. To learn more about
Method for Business, visit makerbot.com/Method-for-Business.
About MakerBot
MakerBot, a subsidiary of Stratasys Ltd. (Nasdaq: SSYS), is a
global leader in the 3D printing industry. We help create the
innovators of today and the businesses and learning institutions of
the future. Founded in 2009 in Brooklyn, NY, MakerBot strives to
redefine the standards for 3D printing for reliability,
accessibility, precision, and ease-of-use. Through this
dedication, MakerBot has one of the largest install bases in the
industry and also runs Thingiverse, the largest 3D printing
community in the world. We believe there's an innovator in
everyone, so we make the 3D printing tools that make your ideas
matter. Discover innovation with MakerBot 3D printing.
To learn more about MakerBot, visit makerbot.com.
Note Regarding Forward-Looking Statements
The statements in this press release relating to Stratasys’
and/or MakerBot's beliefs regarding the benefits consumers will
experience from the MakerBot Method 3D Printer and its features,
and MakerBot Materials for Method, Stratasys’ and MakerBot's
expectation on the timing of shipping the MakerBot Method 3D
Printer and MakerBot Materials for Method, 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' and MakerBot's businesses, 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 MakerBot Method 3D Printer and MakerBot Materials for Method
to be the same as Stratasys and MakerBot do; the risk that
unforeseen technical difficulties will delay the shipping of the
MakerBot Method 3D Printer and MakerBot Materials for Method; 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 February 28, 2018.
Stratasys (or MakerBot) 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.
_____________________________ 1 ± 0.2 mm or ± 0.002 mm per mm of
travel (whichever is greater). Based on internal testing of
selected geometries. 2 Based on internal print speed testing
compared to popular desktop 3D printers when using the same layer
height and infill density settings. Dependent upon object geometry.
3 Expected total amount of testing to be completed prior to
shipping.
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version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20181211005192/en/
For MakerBotBennie Shambennie.sham@makerbot.com
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