3D Printers

MakerBot has unveiled the Replicator+ and Replicator Mini+ 3D printers, which are faster and quieter than their predecessors, with bigger build volumes and a new build plate. The company has also detailed a new Smart Extruder, a tougher PLA filament, and updates to the MakerBot web and mobile apps.

While companies like Local Motors are dabbling with the idea of a fully 3D-printed car, Mercedes-Benz Trucks is harnessing the on-demand benefits of producing spare parts in this way, using an environmentally friendly 3D printing process.

French startup Pollen has introduced a capable-looking, high resolution machine for the professional market called Pam, which can handle up to four different materials and comes in at a fraction of the cost of the Objet500 Connex3 multi-material printer from Stratasys.

The da Vinci miniMaker is an education-focused 3D printer that's aimed at encouraging the next generation of designers and engineers to get to grips with additive manufacturing. XYZ Printing has married beginner-friendly features with a bright, colorful and fun design.

​​A Dutch contracting firm hopes to replace the construction crew with a flexible 3D printer mated with robotics from the auto industry. The 3D Builder will start by creating a 1:4 scale version of the so-called "Landscape House​."

One of the benefits of 3D printing is the ability to do rapid prototyping, simply by printing a copy of a design and then tweaking as necessary. A new kind of printing system speeds up this process even more, by allowing for designs to be edited as they're being printed.

APWorks, a subsidiary of Airbus, has created of the world’s first 3-D printed motorcycle that can actually be used as a daily rider. The electric powered two-wheeler appears to be what would happen if H.R. Geiger designed a motorcycle.

GE has just opened a US$73 million Advanced Manufacturing Works plant in Greenville, South Carolina. Gizmag was on hand for the grand opening and has your sneak peek.

The latest 3D printer from Stratasys can build photorealistic prototypes in full color and using multiple materials in a single print process. It's the first of the company's Polyjet printers that can print in five colors – cyan, magenta, yellow, black and white.

Over the past few years, 3D printers have become more versatile and accessible to the average consumer. The OLO takes portability to the next level, given that millions already own half of the required hardware. It's designed to let users create 3D prints by using the light from a smartphone screen.

Mattel has announced that it’s bringing back the iconic ThingMaker toy making line, though this time in the form of a $300 3D printer designed specifically for kids. The device, along with a companion app, will allow users to design and print their own toys at home.

In a crowded field, the Ultimaker 2 Extended is one of the highest resolution desktop 3D printers available. It's larger footprint means it can also print larger, more complex projects than many of its brethren. Gizmag tried out this jumbo making machine to size up what it can do.