3D Printers
This printer shares the low cost features and Fused Deposition Modeling (FDM) technology of the Replicator 1, but with an improved accuracy of around 0.1 mm. It can only print using PLA plastic, however it offers a large range of colors for prints.
Accuracy: 0.1 mm
Material: PLA Only
Specifications & Instructions
Uses FDM technology with 0.2-0.3 mm accuracy. At a slightly higher material cost than the MakerBot, it prints more reliable ABS parts with less warping, has a bigger build volume and gives better results when ample support material is required.
Accuracy: 0.2-0.3 mm
Material: ABS
Specifications & Instructions
Prints high quality, durable plastic parts for engineering and mechanical design applications. Including functional testing, form and fit verification, rapid prototyping, design communication, rapid tooling and more.
Accuracy: 0.032 mm
Material: Rigid Only
Specifications & Instructions
Uses Polyjet technology (layered resin cured by UV light) which has 16 micron layer thickness and can print both flexible and rigid materials in a small selection of colors. This has the highest material cost but also offers the most precise and functional parts.
Accuracy: 0.016 mm
Material: Rigid and Flexible
Specifications & Instructions
Selecting the Right Printer by Job Type
Visual Model (Non-functional)
If you are printing a part just to visualize what it looks like in real-life or for brainstorming in a meeting, then we recommend you use the MakerBot printer, since they are the least expensive in terms of material costs ($50/kg) and they have a wide array of colors to choose from. They are also a good option for standalone functional objects that do not require aesthetically pleasing surface finishes.Functional Assembly Part
If you want your printed part to be incorporated into a working assembly or proof of concept prototype and you don't have high requirements in terms of accuracy, then you may want to consider using the MakerBot Replicator 2 or the Stratasys Prodigy Plus. The MakerBot Replicator 2 is better if you want to print with PLA, as it is a little more accurate than the Stratasys Prodigy Plus and its material costs are lower. However, it does not handle parts that require support material well, for example, parts that have large overhangs. If you have a part with large overhangs that require support material, or you want the part to be made out of hard ABS plastic, then we recommend you use the Stratasys Prodigy Plus, which produces strong rigid parts with only a limited number of colors. Material costs for the Stratasys are around $75/kg, and labor costs associated to printing tend to be a bit higher as it is laborious to remove the support material.High Accuracy Part
If you have high demands in terms of accuracy for your part, for example, if you want to make sure certain parts clip together as designed, then you should consider using the Objet Eden 333, since it produces parts very precisely, although the material costs are very high and so is the labor cost, as the machine requires quite a lot of work to set-up for each print. The finishing on this printer is excellent, and it can also print both rigid ABS like plastics as well as flexible rubbers in a variety of durometers.