New - Makerbot Replicator 2

New - Makerbot Replicator 2 http://store.makerbot.com/replicator2.html And... discuss! https://reprap.org/forum/read.php?1,155388,155388#msg-155388 Sun, 08 Mar 2026 17:20:42 -0400 Phorum 5.2.23 https://reprap.org/forum/read.php?1,155388,159075#msg-159075 Re: New - Makerbot Replicator 2 https://reprap.org/forum/read.php?1,155388,159075#msg-159075 brnrd General Sat, 06 Oct 2012 19:53:33 -0400 https://reprap.org/forum/read.php?1,155388,158947#msg-158947 Re: New - Makerbot Replicator 2 https://reprap.org/forum/read.php?1,155388,158947#msg-158947 And i disagree, even "boxy" designs can be assembled out of square (skewed).

So yes, i agree, i don't see why it would be any different than others *at all*, unless it has some revolutionary design feature i am not aware of.]]> orcinus General Fri, 05 Oct 2012 19:55:12 -0400 https://reprap.org/forum/read.php?1,155388,158931#msg-158931 Re: New - Makerbot Replicator 2 https://reprap.org/forum/read.php?1,155388,158931#msg-158931
I don't see anything mechanically in the replicator design that would make it capable of producing significantly higher or for that matter lower quality prints than most well calibrated repraps.

The box is probably stiffer than most threaded rod designs, and is difficult to assemble out of square, but the levels of stiffness and loads were talking about I doubt either one makes very much difference.]]> Polygonhell General Fri, 05 Oct 2012 17:54:40 -0400 https://reprap.org/forum/read.php?1,155388,158927#msg-158927 Re: New - Makerbot Replicator 2 https://reprap.org/forum/read.php?1,155388,158927#msg-158927 -------------------------------------------------------
> The Replicator 2 prints just PLA, huge print area,
> and amazing quality prints (much better than the
> other home 3D printers).

Oh really? My MendelMax prints in a 300x350mm area and can print better than the Replicator 2 can, plus I can print with PLA, ABS, and now polycarbonate.]]> NewPerfection General Fri, 05 Oct 2012 17:04:38 -0400 https://reprap.org/forum/read.php?1,155388,158893#msg-158893 Re: New - Makerbot Replicator 2 https://reprap.org/forum/read.php?1,155388,158893#msg-158893
Resins are kinda soft and squishy after printing. Resin cured objects often need to be "baked" under either a UV lamp or in sunlight for a while before they become fully rigid. After that they have roughly similar hardness properties to printed PLA.

Takes forever to print. Yeah, the price you pay for quality. It typically doesn't matter what industry you are in, the higher quality you want the final product, the longer it will take to fabricate. Same goes for my MendelMax at home. I can whip out a part in mere minutes with .35mm layer heights but will take SUBSTANTIALLY longer to print at .1mm layer heights. I would gladly wait hours for a part in which the layers are imperceptible.

It all comes down to what you want to use your printer for. I would consider paying the extra for the kind of quality this machine produces. While I can get good quality from my Mendel and I'm sure the Replicator can as well but they always look "printed"; you can never really get away from the stratified look without a lot of surface prep. I also think it looks very well engineered and is actually very interesting from a industrial design standpoint. I would love to have one of these printing away in our architectural office.]]> archistrong General Fri, 05 Oct 2012 13:50:13 -0400 https://reprap.org/forum/read.php?1,155388,158778#msg-158778 Re: New - Makerbot Replicator 2 https://reprap.org/forum/read.php?1,155388,158778#msg-158778

Quote
laird
The Replicator 2 prints just PLA, huge print area, and amazing quality prints (much better than the other home 3D printers).

Thanks for the report. What exactly does "other home 3D printers" mean. It would be more helpful to be specific what you're comparing it to.]]> brnrd General Fri, 05 Oct 2012 02:31:50 -0400 https://reprap.org/forum/read.php?1,155388,158773#msg-158773 Re: New - Makerbot Replicator 2 https://reprap.org/forum/read.php?1,155388,158773#msg-158773
Formlabs is beautiful engineering, with a laser exposing UV sensitive resin, so the print quality is amazing, but it's very, very slow and very, very expensive ($2,800). As in, it printed 0.1mm layers, about one layer a minute, so printing a small rook took hours. The result was stunning of course. But the printed resin feels quite soft, so you wouldn't want to handle it much - perfect for lost wax style casting or display items, not for things to use. And the costs were high - about $200 per liter of resin, so 5-10x the cost of ABS or PLA. I think that jewelers and artists will LOVE the Formlabs printer. In terms of FOSS, it's utterly proprietary - the printer, the resin, the software, etc., was all proprietary. And no Mac support (yet). And you have to print from your computer connected live to the printer. Formlab is an MIT spinoff, and clearly has money. The printer was beautiful, the display was beautiful, etc.

The Replicator 2 prints just PLA, huge print area, and amazing quality prints (much better than the other home 3D printers). I suspect that he metal frame helps a lot, and the fan and PLA are sharper than the ABS prints from the Replicator.

The B9 printer was also pretty cool - very similar to the Formlabs printer, but cheaper ($1,600). Instead of a laser it has a DLP projector, so the resolution is video pixels while the Formlab printer uses the laser to draw vectors, which (kinda) gives better resolution. And it only printed orange, while the Formlabs printed grey or (soon) clear. In contrast to Formlab, B9 is made from sheet metal with a DLP projector on a shelf pointing up. So nowhere near as slick. But the printed objects looked great, and that's ultimately what matters.

The Rostok printers were also pretty cool. There's a Kickstarter making injection molded arms, etc., and selling a kit. It wasn't as amazingly fast as I hoped - perhaps watching the Ultimaker spoiled me. But it's very cool to watch those three motors bob around.]]> laird General Fri, 05 Oct 2012 01:59:01 -0400 https://reprap.org/forum/read.php?1,155388,158771#msg-158771 Re: New - Makerbot Replicator 2 https://reprap.org/forum/read.php?1,155388,158771#msg-158771
The Replicator and Replicator 2 are printed to by the same software, as they're basically the same machine (metal frame, fan, print bed, different, but same electronics and basic technology). The GUI can be either ReplicatorG (FOSS Java) or MakerWare (proprietary GUI based on QT). MakerWare is a GUI that lets you pick things to print, and enter some print parameters (layer height, material, etc.), which ships them off to Conveyor, which is FOSS. Behind that, both MakerWare and ReplicatorG use either Skeinforge or Miracle-Grue, both FOSS. ReplicatorG can also run Slic3r. So all of the software that does the real work is FOSS. Note in particular that MBI did a lot of new development (Miracle-Grue and Conveyor) by starting new FOSS projects in github, open to anyone, so they're clearly not trying to close everything about their printers, but just the branded UI. Not as friendly as if it was 100% open, but 95% open is still more open than almost any other company, and the 5% gives them some legal protection from someone simply shipping copies of their printers and software, with no R&D investment. As a small company selling into a tight-knit community "don't be lame" is sufficient defense, but as 3D printing is growing into a mass market, they probably felt that they needed a little more protection, particularly given that someone tried to do exactly that a few months ago.]]> laird General Fri, 05 Oct 2012 01:44:59 -0400 https://reprap.org/forum/read.php?1,155388,157213#msg-157213 Re: New - Makerbot Replicator 2 https://reprap.org/forum/read.php?1,155388,157213#msg-157213 > The numbers you
> put up for the replicater 2 for positioning are
> utterly worthless when printing. Just because the
> replicater 2 is able to move it's z bed in
> 0.0025mm incriments, dosen't mean it's able to
> print at that height. It can onlt print at a layer
> height of 0.1mm. Which makes me think you either
> know nothing about 3D printers or are aspokesman
> for makerbot trying to confuse people about
> resolution, so they make the poorer choice by
> buying the makerbot. Which is it?

Neither, but I guess you didn't read my post very carefully and comprehend my assertions:

> For RepRaps and the R2, it's tough to specify
> resolution based only on mechanical features,
> given that a blob of molten plastic is deposited
> by a 0.40mm (or whatever) nozzle. I don't yet have
> a 3D printer but it seems to me that ultra fine
> positioning resolution is rather moot, given the
> design features employed in the technology.

From the prints I've seen, I believe the resolution of a printed feature can be somewhat finer than the dimensions of the print nozzle orifice. This is because it is possible, by adjusting-down and controlling the rate the plastic is dispensed, to deliver less than "a full blob" of molten plastic. However, I doubt that features significantly finer than the size of the nozzle can be printed.

BTW, the Form 1 build platform is too small for my needs, the printer is scheduled for delivery next year, and it is significantly more expensive than the R2. I'm very interested in the Form 1, but I don't even think it warrants a comparison with the R2 at this time. By the time the Form 1 is shipped, the 3D printing world will have changed again--maybe even a couple of times! ;)

Presently, an R2 vs. Form 1 comparison is like comparing apples and oranges!]]> calinb General Thu, 27 Sep 2012 13:59:27 -0400 https://reprap.org/forum/read.php?1,155388,157158#msg-157158 Re: New - Makerbot Replicator 2 https://reprap.org/forum/read.php?1,155388,157158#msg-157158
You're aware of the utter hypocrisy of your post, right? Especially in light of your blatant commercialism in promoting another company]]> xiando General Thu, 27 Sep 2012 09:11:44 -0400 https://reprap.org/forum/read.php?1,155388,157146#msg-157146 Re: New - Makerbot Replicator 2 https://reprap.org/forum/read.php?1,155388,157146#msg-157146 -------------------------------------------------------
> Dark Alchemist Wrote:
> --------------------------------------------------
> -----
> > what Pettis did
> > to the food you put in your mouth.
>
> Pettis did something to my food? D:
Yeah, didn't he help make The Cupcake? LOL.]]> Dark Alchemist General Thu, 27 Sep 2012 08:23:30 -0400 https://reprap.org/forum/read.php?1,155388,157140#msg-157140 Re: New - Makerbot Replicator 2 https://reprap.org/forum/read.php?1,155388,157140#msg-157140 -------------------------------------------------------
> what Pettis did
> to the food you put in your mouth.

Pettis did something to my food? D:]]> orcinus General Thu, 27 Sep 2012 07:40:45 -0400 https://reprap.org/forum/read.php?1,155388,157137#msg-157137 Re: New - Makerbot Replicator 2 https://reprap.org/forum/read.php?1,155388,157137#msg-157137
So I'll say again there is no comparison

Replicater 2 (The Loser)
XY print resolution= maybe 3mm
Z print layer resolution= 0.1mm

Form Labs (The Winner)
XY print resolution= 0.3mm!!!!! (10X the replicater 2)
Z print layer resolution = 0.025mm HOLY SHIT!! (4x the replcater 2, making layers essentially invisible to the naked eye)

calinb Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> The Silence Wrote:
> --------------------------------------------------
> -----
> > There is no comparison between the printers
> >
> > Replicater 2
> > XY resolution= maybe 3mm
> > Z resolution= 0.1mm
> >
> > Form Labs
> >
> > XY resolution= 0.3mm!!!!!
> > Z resolution = 0.025mm HOLY SHIT!!
> >
> > I rest my case, and I could give a f**k what it
> > looks like as long as it can print like that.
>
> The Form 1 looks really cool, but I can't get one
> in 4-6 weeks, AFAIK, like a Replicator 2. Also, I
> don't know how they define "resolution."
>
> For RepRaps and the R2, it's tough to specify
> resolution based only on mechanical features,
> given that a blob of molten plastic is deposited
> by a 0.40mm (or whatever) nozzle. I don't yet have
> a 3D printer but it seems to me that ultra fine
> positioning resolution is rather moot, given the
> design features employed in the technology.
>
> From the Makerbot R2 brochure specs.
>
> Positioning Precision:
> XY: 0.011 mm
> Z: 0.0025 mm
>
> Layer Resolution Settings:
> High 0.100 mm
> Medium 0.270 mm
> Low 0.340 mm
>
> -Cal]]> The Silence General Thu, 27 Sep 2012 07:13:57 -0400 https://reprap.org/forum/read.php?1,155388,157125#msg-157125 Re: New - Makerbot Replicator 2 https://reprap.org/forum/read.php?1,155388,157125#msg-157125 Dark Alchemist General Thu, 27 Sep 2012 06:14:00 -0400 https://reprap.org/forum/read.php?1,155388,157096#msg-157096 Re: New - Makerbot Replicator 2 https://reprap.org/forum/read.php?1,155388,157096#msg-157096 I did it and it was collected, the sense of doing some good to help others is far more valuable than anything else I can imagine,
so if you are looking for a game changer, why not have a network of printers where the medical world can get models to help them before surgury, also I was asked some time ago to help a woman who had had an eye removed, this was bad enough but she hated going out as people starred at her, why not develop a 3d printer to make prosthetics for such people.]]> johnrpm General Thu, 27 Sep 2012 03:12:49 -0400 https://reprap.org/forum/read.php?1,155388,157078#msg-157078 Re: New - Makerbot Replicator 2 https://reprap.org/forum/read.php?1,155388,157078#msg-157078 -------------------------------------------------------
> There is no comparison between the printers
>
> Replicater 2
> XY resolution= maybe 3mm
> Z resolution= 0.1mm
>
> Form Labs
>
> XY resolution= 0.3mm!!!!!
> Z resolution = 0.025mm HOLY SHIT!!
>
> I rest my case, and I could give a f**k what it
> looks like as long as it can print like that.

The Form 1 looks really cool, but I can't get one in 4-6 weeks, AFAIK, like a Replicator 2. Also, I don't know how they define "resolution."

For RepRaps and the R2, it's tough to specify resolution based only on mechanical features, given that a blob of molten plastic is deposited by a 0.40mm (or whatever) nozzle. I don't yet have a 3D printer but it seems to me that ultra fine positioning resolution is rather moot, given the design features employed in the technology.

From the Makerbot R2 brochure specs.

Positioning Precision:
XY: 0.011 mm
Z: 0.0025 mm

Layer Resolution Settings:
High 0.100 mm
Medium 0.270 mm
Low 0.340 mm

-Cal]]> calinb General Thu, 27 Sep 2012 00:21:45 -0400 https://reprap.org/forum/read.php?1,155388,157060#msg-157060 Re: New - Makerbot Replicator 2 https://reprap.org/forum/read.php?1,155388,157060#msg-157060 droftarts General Wed, 26 Sep 2012 21:17:07 -0400 https://reprap.org/forum/read.php?1,155388,157050#msg-157050 Re: New - Makerbot Replicator 2 https://reprap.org/forum/read.php?1,155388,157050#msg-157050 -------------------------------------------------------
> I could give a f**k what it
> looks like as long as it can print like that.

You're a hacker so of course you don't care but as I have said before the mass consumer does care and they care more than I wish they did but without the mass consumer taking one of these and running with it this will never make the changes to society and the world that it should, or at least that I had hoped.]]> Dark Alchemist General Wed, 26 Sep 2012 20:03:20 -0400 https://reprap.org/forum/read.php?1,155388,157049#msg-157049 Re: New - Makerbot Replicator 2 https://reprap.org/forum/read.php?1,155388,157049#msg-157049
The Silence Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> This is a forum about 3D Printing not politics and
> bickering go somewhere else if you want to do
> that. You want to talk about 3D printing stay.
>
> In more exciting
> news!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
>
> There has been a great disturbance in the 3D
> printing force (Yes it has its own special type of
> force). The arrogance of Makerbot has cause a new
> foe to appear I give you our new champion!!!
>
>
> Form Labs
>
> Silence falls.]]> Kt General Wed, 26 Sep 2012 20:01:38 -0400 https://reprap.org/forum/read.php?1,155388,157047#msg-157047 Re: New - Makerbot Replicator 2 https://reprap.org/forum/read.php?1,155388,157047#msg-157047
Replicater 2
XY resolution= maybe 3mm
Z resolution= 0.1mm

Form Labs

XY resolution= 0.3mm!!!!!
Z resolution = 0.025mm HOLY SHIT!!

I rest my case, and I could give a f**k what it looks like as long as it can print like that.]]> The Silence General Wed, 26 Sep 2012 19:54:29 -0400 https://reprap.org/forum/read.php?1,155388,157046#msg-157046 Re: New - Makerbot Replicator 2 https://reprap.org/forum/read.php?1,155388,157046#msg-157046
I agree with your points about 3d printer and as much as I want one I do ask myself why do I want one. I know I can print a few off hand things but Lord knows I don't need more knick-knacks and bric-a-brac around my house.

What I really wanted was one to change the paradigm for the planet but I was naive because RepRap is not at the level of quality and speed one needs to cause a paradigm shift. Now if the price you pay to make a RepRap is what a powder printer would cost as well as the resources being comparable then I believe the shift could happen. I know someone will bully in here grasping their RepRap to their chest and shouting that change is happening now but I must ask you to step back and look at the 7 billion people on this planet and tell me that change is truly happening. It isn't nor do I suspect it will for an extremely long time if ever and not by an Adrian Bowyer RepRap until many changes take place (generation 99 perhaps?).

So, it is a valid question and I think for most people the answer is they will use it like a toy for awhile then it will sit in a corner somewhere having the dust and cobwebs of neglect all over it.]]> Dark Alchemist General Wed, 26 Sep 2012 19:48:01 -0400 https://reprap.org/forum/read.php?1,155388,157043#msg-157043 Re: New - Makerbot Replicator 2 https://reprap.org/forum/read.php?1,155388,157043#msg-157043
Anyway, back to the 3D printer talk. I think the formlabs printer is interesting, it's the first resin-stereolithography printer to come out that's even vaguely close to being affordable. It will go down really well with designers, architects and the people who like making figurines - the detail on these sorts of printers is generally very high. Quality of reprap/FDM prints has always been an issue with the layman. The price comparison with the Replicator 2 is really interesting too; I would love someone like Wired to do a comparison of the two. However, stereolithography is not without it's problems. The main one being the cost of the resin, which is about 3x the cost of filament (1L of resin is $150, 1KG of filament is approx $50). Also, I'm not sure how strong the resin models are once printed. Anybody know?

The real problem that faces both formlabs and perhaps more challengingly Makerbot, is what do consumers actually want a 3D printer for? Are artists, designers, architects and engineers enough of a market to sustain turn-key printers? (The rest of us just build our own.) It's still difficult to come up with a sensible, mass-market reason to have a 3D printer. We're still waiting for our 'killer app'.]]> droftarts General Wed, 26 Sep 2012 19:34:20 -0400 https://reprap.org/forum/read.php?1,155388,157023#msg-157023 Re: New - Makerbot Replicator 2 https://reprap.org/forum/read.php?1,155388,157023#msg-157023 Dark Alchemist General Wed, 26 Sep 2012 17:30:30 -0400 https://reprap.org/forum/read.php?1,155388,157021#msg-157021 Re: New - Makerbot Replicator 2 https://reprap.org/forum/read.php?1,155388,157021#msg-157021
I wish them luck!]]> akhlut General Wed, 26 Sep 2012 17:26:38 -0400 https://reprap.org/forum/read.php?1,155388,156999#msg-156999 Re: New - Makerbot Replicator 2 https://reprap.org/forum/read.php?1,155388,156999#msg-156999 -------------------------------------------------------
> This is a forum about 3D Printing not politics

Everything is about politics from what Pettis did to the food you put in your mouth.

> and
> bickering go somewhere else if you want to do
> that. You want to talk about 3D printing stay.
>
> In more exciting
> news!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
>
> There has been a great disturbance in the 3D
> printing force (Yes it has its own special type of
> force). The arrogance of Makerbot has cause a new
> foe to appear I give you our new champion!!!
>
>
> Form Labs
>
> Silence falls.
That looks like it crawled up out of the 1950's and is one ugly beast.]]> Dark Alchemist General Wed, 26 Sep 2012 16:12:32 -0400 https://reprap.org/forum/read.php?1,155388,156995#msg-156995 Re: New - Makerbot Replicator 2 https://reprap.org/forum/read.php?1,155388,156995#msg-156995
In more exciting news!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

There has been a great disturbance in the 3D printing force (Yes it has its own special type of force). The arrogance of Makerbot has cause a new foe to appear I give you our new champion!!!

Form Labs

Silence falls.]]> The Silence General Wed, 26 Sep 2012 16:04:20 -0400 https://reprap.org/forum/read.php?1,155388,156939#msg-156939 Re: New - Makerbot Replicator 2 https://reprap.org/forum/read.php?1,155388,156939#msg-156939
If you, or anyone else, was offended I did not wish to offend but I get pretty riled up when it concerns socialism, communism or the junk I see filling up our land fills each day coming out of the country I mention (not counting all the lead in even food).

So, please accept my apology and get this thread back on track.]]> Dark Alchemist General Wed, 26 Sep 2012 11:03:59 -0400 https://reprap.org/forum/read.php?1,155388,156930#msg-156930 Re: New - Makerbot Replicator 2 https://reprap.org/forum/read.php?1,155388,156930#msg-156930
Dark Alchemist, relax, stop feeling like such a victim. Every thread I read which has a comment from you seems to end in an argument; it's really getting tiring. Accept other people, rightly or wrongly, have opinions different from yours, and that personally insulting people to try and get your point across does you no favours. If you could moderate your language to be less caustic and confrontational, people may be more responsive to your viewpoint. It's the subtle art of persuasion, backed up by facts, perhaps even references and statistics. I'm not going to argue with you on this, as this is my firmly-held opinion.]]> droftarts General Wed, 26 Sep 2012 10:40:12 -0400 https://reprap.org/forum/read.php?1,155388,156909#msg-156909 Re: New - Makerbot Replicator 2 https://reprap.org/forum/read.php?1,155388,156909#msg-156909
Notice:

You mean like Huawei fixing Cisco's bugs (after being their OEM) by rewriting their OS then one upping them with their routers?Not original they took what was already made so not original.
Or like Lenovo making IBMs laptops for years while everyone was raving about their reliability?Again, not original.
Or maybe Up!?Not original.
Or perhaps ZTE, currently 5th largest telecom equipment supplier in the world?See anything from them that is original? I sure don't.

Seems most of Asia has this issue where they can play the game via rote but it is the non Asians that have the ability to see a problem and can handle something that would broadside them. I work with India a bunch and I can tell you they do not deny that as long as it can be by script they will perform fine but if it takes a free self thought type of transaction you better find another place for your call center. This is why a lot of call centers have come back to the states because the customers demanded it as they refused to talk to them and China is not so dissimilar. It is in their upbringing and if you doubt that look at one of their classrooms where freedom of thought is punished at an early age and don't you even think about arguing a topic with a teacher over there and you are the student as you might not like what follows.

So, I am sure there are some Chinese on here but it doesn't matter I stand by my assertions backed by working with them and watching them over the decades.

Off the subject but I love how China has absolutely no pollution controls as I have seen the pictures of their industrial areas and if you can see the people in them they are wearing surgical type masks due to the smog that California in its worst year would look like a fresh spring day. If China is all that and a bag of chips why aren't they taking care of their own pollution to take better care of their citizens? Oh, and fudging the numbers to make them look better and getting mad when the US caught them is not a good way to be.]]> Dark Alchemist General Wed, 26 Sep 2012 08:53:56 -0400 https://reprap.org/forum/read.php?1,155388,156899#msg-156899 Re: New - Makerbot Replicator 2 https://reprap.org/forum/read.php?1,155388,156899#msg-156899 -------------------------------------------------------
> So, I call BS to your un-true remark. What
> quality item has China ever produced?

You mean like Huawei fixing Cisco's bugs (after being their OEM) by rewriting their OS then one upping them with their routers?
Or like Lenovo making IBMs laptops for years while everyone was raving about their reliability?
Or maybe Up!?
Or perhaps ZTE, currently 5th largest telecom equipment supplier in the world?

I won't even mention all the OEMs that stand behind most companies people never even think of as "chinese".]]> orcinus General Wed, 26 Sep 2012 08:25:15 -0400