MakerBot Method 3D Printer

The MakerBot Replicator Series (Replicator , and Replicator Z18) are entry level 3D printers, ideal for first time users. The MakerBot Method Series (Method, Method X) are manufacturing workstation 3D printers, capable of finished part dimensional accuracy of /-0.2mm .  All MakerBot 3D printers are compatible with MakerBot PLA and Tough Materials.  When quick engineering and industrial design prototypes are required, with  a tolerance accuracy of /-0.2mm (0.007 in),  and low temperature materials are adequate, the MakerBot Method 3D Printer is the right choice for you.

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Description

MakerBot 3D Printers are  designed for educators, engineers and designers in learning or office environments,  who use 3D applications to create new ideas and prototypes.  Ready to go, right out of the box, MakerBot 3D Printers offer the simplest setup experience and easy-to-use software with no tinkering required. Get models quickly, affordably, without the need for expertise or manual post-processing. The MakerBot Replicator Series (Replicator , and Replicator Z18) are entry level 3D printers, ideal for first time users. The MakerBot Method Series (Method, Method X) are manufacturing workstation 3D printers, capable of finished part dimensional accuracy of /-0.2mm .  All MakerBot 3D printers are compatible with MakerBot PLA and Tough Materials.  When quick engineering and industrial design prototypes are required, with  a tolerance accuracy of /-0.2mm (0.007 in),  and low temperature materials are adequate, the MakerBot Method 3D Printer is the right choice for you.

Engineers and designers can minimise outsourcing costs and turn-around-time by bringing 3D printing in house.  Increase the impact of design with 3D models and compress time-to-market by creating prototypes, manufacturing aids, and other parts that require complex assemblies, extreme geometries, and commercial precision.  Additionally, create high-quality concept, presentation, or fit/form/function models  easily and  in-house, enabling design reviews, marketing photos, packaging development, ergonomic testing, prototyping and customer tradeshow samples.

Enhance your STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering & Mathematics) curriculum by including performance 3D printing.  Students and teachers will enjoy the convenience of printing high quality models right next to their desks, with the ease and flexibility expected of office printing. MakerBot 3D Printers set the standard for clean, classroom-friendly, anyone-can-use 3D printing. Educators can gain access to affordable 3D printing technology as a tool for teaching model-making and prototyping, replacing manual model-making methods. Fully automated, MakerBot 3D solutions do not require an expert to perform print management or finishing tasks, which lets teachers and students focus on what really adds value: learning how to design. MakerBot 3D Printers are optimised to work with MakerBot PLA material,  a non-toxic and easy-to-print material safe for the classroom or home.

At Design Supply, a MakerBot Authorised Partner, we work closely with MakerBot to provide the best solutions available to get the job done for your business and maximise your opportunities. With over 28 years of experience in the large format printer market, we offer expertise and knowledge in tailoring the exact solution for your specific application.

VIDEOS

Method X 3D printer

 

How Smart Design use a 3D printer

 

KEY FEATURES

The MakerBot Method 3D Printer is the first performance 3D printer with industrial 3D printing accuracy and desktop 3D printer accessibility.  Print PLA, Tough, and Speciality PETG materials and support PVA in a 60°C circulating heated chamber.  The Method 3D Printer is ideal for concept applications, including quick prototypes, fit tests and concept iterations. Accelerate product development by putting speed and control into your design cycles, while reducing production costs to bring your products to market faster.  A project requiring 10 design iterations can be reduced time wise, from 40 days with an outsourced supplier, to 4 days in-house using the MakerBot Method 3D Printer.  Reduce design risk, using the Method 3D Printer by testing and validating more prototypes with accuracy early and often in the product development cycle, minimising potential design mistakes found late in production and potential cost overruns.

Reclaim the cost of development time by eliminating tinkering and calibrating with reliable and high quality prints made with the MakerBot Method 3D printer. The MakerBot Method 3D printer is reliable and delivers the best and most consistent results with a dimensional accuracy of +/-0.02mm (+/-0.007in).  Innovative design of the MakerBot Method 3D printer means  the temperature is controlled and quality of every layer printed is optimised.  Dual Performance Extruders allow you to operate an extruder with model material, and a second extruder for structure material, to accelerate print times while providing dimensional accuracy.

The MakerBot Method 3D Printer is loaded with Smart Sensors and Connectivity including a network of 21 intelligent sensors embedded throughout the Method 3D Printer, making material and print management easy and accessible; Smart Spools and the Smart Assistant Loader, for monitoring material details including colour and quantity remaining directly within MakerBot Print; a built-in 5 inch full-colour touchscreen display, for receiving instant status of the current print job and navigating menus the most intuitive way you already know, with your finger; and a built-in 640 x 480 camera, making it easy to monitor print jobs, capture your creations being built, and share them online.

The MakerBot Method allows you the freedom to print in virtually unlimited geometry, by utilising best-in-class water soluble PVA support. MakerBot Precision  material will perform every feature that MakerBot Print software offers and reliably slices and prints every time. The MakerBot Method 3D printer, MakerBot Precision materials, Dual Performance Extruders and MakerBot Print software deliver high quality prints every time. Compatible MakerBot Precision materials include PLA, PETG,  and Tough for model materials and Water-Soluble PVA for structure materials.

Save time and accelerate iteration by pairing the MakerBot Method with MakerBot Print software and MakerBot Mobile.  The Makerbot Method 3D Printer is Cloud-enabled and can be controlled remotely with MakerBot Print or the MakerBot Mobile app.  MakerBot Print can import native CAD parts and assemblies, auto-arrange them during print preparation, and then print them on one or more printers. MakerBot Mobile includes an all-new wireless set up guide to start printing quickly and easily. The MakerBot Mobile and MakerBot Print app enable remote monitoring of the printing status.

 

SPECIFICATIONS

The MakerBot Method 3D Printer  uses Fused Deposition Modeling print technology to deliver paper-thin print layers of 20-400 microns resolution.  The MakerBot Method 3D Printer supports a build volume of 19.0 x 19.0 x 19.6 cm (length, width, height) (7.5 x 7.5 x 7.75 inches) in single extrusion and 15.2 x 19.0 x 19.6 cm (length, width, height) (6.0 x 7.5 x 7.75 inches) in double extrusion.  The Method has Dual Performance Extruders for model and support materials to accelerate print times while providing dimensional accuracy. The build speed is made up of the maximum material flow rate and the print head travel speed.  The MakerBot Method has a maximum material flow rate of ∼50mm³/sec and up to 500mm/sec print head travel speed that the extruder moves on the xy axis.

The Method 3D Printer is manufactured with an Ultra-Rigid Metal Frame construction, a precision-calibrated  Spring Steel  Build Platform and Build Plate with Reusable Grip Surface,  and an enclosed circulating heated build chamber of up to 60°C, for unyielding part accuracy.  Sitting on a calibrated bed base and manufactured from precision machined aluminium, the Build Plate leverages high strength positional magnets to conform itself truly flat to the bed base.  Build Plate adhesion comes from a a layer of poly-carbonate and the elevated temperature of the plate, as it absorbs heat from the circulating heated chamber.  Once the print is complete, the plate pulls off from its base, and can be easily flexed to release the finished printed part.   Two heat exchangers with active blowers envelope each print with hot air during the entire print cycle, delivering consistent dimensional accuracy and optimal part strength.

Dual Performance Extruders for the MakerBot Method 3D printer provide the ability to print with soluble support material alongside model material.   Seamless orchestration between the Dual Performance Extruders provides a consistent feed of hot liquefied material across every print layer.  Built from the ground up, to accelerate print times and provide dimensional accuracy across every part, the Dual Performance Extruder system includes an extruder for model material, and an extruder for soluble support material.  The Dual Performance Extruders include a lengthened thermal core (48.2mm core length) with less than 60-second heat up time.   The lengthened thermal cores are 50% longer than desktop 3D printers, allowing for more efficient heating during the entire material loading and extrusion process.  Each Performance Extruder contains a suite of sensors that detect when material is running low and allows for active jam detection during the entire print duration.  The Dual Performance Extruder system has a 19:1 dual-drive gear ratio, to keep material loaded and ready for reliable material extrusion at every layer.  The Dual Drive gear system grips material securely with three times the force of a typical desktop 3D printer.  The Dual Performance Extruders are easy to swap or replace, minimising downtime by enabling you to quickly replace a worn extruder in minutes.  The modular design lets you plan for the natural wear common to 3D printing extruders and prepares you to quickly adapt to future innovations in the fast evolving world of 3D printing.  MakerBot Precision PLA Material coupled with The Dual Performance Extruders ensure steady flow through the extruder nozzle.  The nozzle diameter is 0.4mm(0.15 inch) and every colour is comprehensively quality tested at both 20-400 micron layer resolutions. Get smooth-to-the-touch surfaces that don’t need sanding, finishing or post-production. Choose a single colour to print, and settings that range from fast draft to finer resolution.

The MakerBot Method 3D Printer is compatible with MakerBot Precision PLA , MakerBot Precision Tough, MakerBot Water-Soluble Precision PVA,and MakerBot Specialty PETG.  MakerBot Precision PLA Material is available in cool gray, natural, true colours (black, white, orange, red). MakerBot Precision Tough Material is available in  slate gray, safety orange, onyx black and stone white, and is ideal when additional model  strength and durability is required.  MakerBot Water-Soluble  Precision PVA  delivers unrestricted geometric freedom (large overhangs, cavities, etc) and superior print quality and surface finish.  Additionally, MakerBot Water-Soluble Precision PVA ensures fast and effortless support removal without compromising part design or dimensional accuracy.  MakerBot Specialty PETG is available in natural, red and black.

MakerBot Precision PLA (polylactic acid) material is a vegetable-based plastic material, which is a fully biodegradable thermoplastic polymer consisting of renewable raw materials. MakerBot Precision PLA Material is composed of the purest grade resin available on the market, minimising curling and warping.   With tight tolerances to ensure steady flow through the extruder nozzle, MakerBot Precision PLA material performs every feature that MakerBot Print software offers and reliably slices and prints every time, reducing down time and creating the highest quality prints.

For high print accuracy  and increased pristine lifetime of material, the Method 3D Printer has a Dry-Sealed Material Bay.  A suite of built-in sensors provides the optimal storage environment for printing materials, a feature previously only available in industrial 3D printers. The Smart Assist Material Loader automates the loading process from  the spool to the extruder, using a sensor and drive motor, and the Smart Spools with RFID sensors, provide real time information on material type, colour and amount remaining.

The MakerBot Method X 3D Printer delivers seamless CAD to part workflow with Autodesk Fusion 360, Autodesk Inventor and DS Solidworks.  The MakerBot  Method 3D Printer works with Windows (7, 10)and  MAC OS X (10.9+),  and supports over 25 file types including MakerBot (.makerbot), STL (.stl), SolidWorks (.sldprt, .sldasm), InventorOBJ (.ipt, .iam), IGES (.iges, .igs), STEP AP203/214 (.step, .stp), CATIA (.CATPart, .CATProduct), Wavefront Object (.obj), Unigraphics/NX (.prt), Solid Edge (.par, .asm), ProE/Creo (.prt, .asm), VRML (.wrl), Parasolid (.x_t, .x_b).

The MakerBot Method 3D Printer is app and cloud enabled, and includes Wi-Fi, Ethernet and USB connectivity, ensuring a seamless production workflow.  MakerBot Mobile and MakerBot Print app allow remote monitoring of the printing status and provides access to an extensive library of objects waiting to be replicated.  MakerBot Print is advanced software so you can print on multiple build plates sequentially or simultaneously with multiple 3D printers. Store, organise, and access a wide range of 3D design files in your personal Cloud-enabled library.

The MakerBot Method 3D printer  has a 5 inch touch screen, for easy, computer free access to printing menus, commands and your cloud storage library.  The touch screen allows you to set up and maintain your 3D printer, preview print files, and easily access your object library.  The touch screen shows how much filament remains, and lets you monitor your 3D Printer settings.

Optional accessories for the MakerBot Method include additional MakerBot  Build Plates for more rapid printing and removal of 3D prints at your convenience.

Design Supply’s expertise can help you determine the best 3D printing solutions for your particular printing needs and budget. As you would expect from MakerBot, reliable performance is a given. For added peace of mind, MakerBot 3D printers feature a one year extended  warranty and additional MakerCare support plans are available.

 

WHAT'S IN THE BOX

MakerBot Method 3D Printer

MakerBot Print Software

MakerBot Mobile and MakerBot Print app

USB Cable

Power Cable app

1 year extended warranty

MakerBot Method Accessories:

Performance Base Station

Method Performance Grip Build Surface (pack of 3)

Model 1 Performance Extruder

Support 2 Performance Extruder

Spring Steel Build Plate

Accessory Toolkit

Consumables :

Tough Precision PLA Bundle

MakerBot Precision  PLA Material, available in 0.75kg/1.65lb) spools:

True Red

True Orange

True White

Cool Gray

True Black

Precision Support PVA

MakerBot Specialty PETG Material, available in spools:

Natural

Red

Black

MakerBot Precision Tough PLA Material, available in 0.75kg/1.65lb) spools:

Onyx Black

Stone White

Safety Orange

Slate Gray

Service Contracts:

1 year in Warranty-Onsite Service Contract

2 year in Warranty-Onsite Service Contract

 

 

 

 

DATA SHEETS

MakerBot Method and Method X Data Sheet 

MakerBot Method and Method X Data Sheet with specifications

MakerBot Method, Replicator +, Replicator Z18 comparison data sheet

MANUFACTURER INFORMATION

Founded in 2009, Brooklyn-based MakerBot®, a subsidiary of Stratasys Ltd., is a global leader in desktop 3D printing. MakerBot helps create the innovators of today and the businesses and learning institutions of the future.  MakerBot strives to redefine the standards of 3D printing for reliability, accessibility, precision, and ease-of-use.  MakerBot has one of the largest install bases in the industry and also runs Thingiverse, the largest 3D printing community in the world.  There are over 13,000 MakerBot Desktop 3D Printers in use by engineers, designers, researchers, and people who just like to make things.

The MakerBot Store at 298 Mulberry Street in the NoHo district of Manhattan offers people the chance to learn about desktop 3D printing, see demonstrations, and buy all kinds of cool products made on MakerBot Desktop 3D Printers. At MakerBot’s Thingiverse.com, MakerBot owners can access and contribute to a “universe of things.” Thingiverse has over 28,000 projects, models, and useful things that can be downloaded and made for free.

The original MakerBot Replicator was named “Best Emerging Tech” at the 2012 Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas. The MakerBot Replicator 2 Desktop 3D Printer was another huge step forward for MakerBot.  The fifth generation MakerBot Replicator+ prints 30% faster than its predecessor and offers 25% larger build volume and 28% quieter printing. For greater reliability and precision, it features improved hardware with a redesigned gantry and  z-stage with stiffer materials and sturdier construction, and Flex Build Plate with Grip Surface, eliminating the need for blue tape, providing better print adhesion and easier removal.  To ensure consistent performance, new MakerBot 3D printers and their subsystems were re-engineered and rigorously tested for 380,000+ hours across multiple facilities.

MakerBot Smart Extruder+ is a culmination of product design, technology and 160,000+ hours of rigorous testing, that delivers dependable, consistent performance with superior results using MakerBot PLA (polylactic acid) Material.

The MakerBot Method Series of 3D printers represent breakthrough technology, developed from the ground up, leveraging industry-leading Stratasys patents, including high quality components including a circulating heated build chamber, dual performance extruders, precision water soluble support PVA,  precision filament material, dry-sealed material bay, intelligent suite of sensors, smart assist material loading and smart spools compatiblity.

In July, 2019, MakerBot and St. John’s University unveiled a new MakerBot Innovation Center.  St. John’s University is the first higher education institution in New York City to open a MakerBot Innovation Center and the second in the state overall.   Situated within the St. John’s University Technology Commons on its main campus in Queens, New York, the MakerBot Innovation Center offers a centralised location for students to design, create, and innovate.  The MakerBot Innovation Center is co-located with the University’s new e-sports environment and virtual reality pods to create an engaging and interactive community for students.  With access to over 20 MakerBot 3D Printers, students can have unfettered access to the tools and technology the need to propel their future career paths.  The St. John’s University Technology Commons was designed to elevate learning, promote collaboration across disciplines, and attract students and staff.  It enable the University to offer students wider access to 3D printing to teach ideation, problem-solving, and iteration. St. John’s University offers several courses that integrate 3D printing into their curricula, including Art & Design, Marketing, Foreign Language, Education, and Physiology.  Additionally, the University is in the process of creating classes on additive manufacturing and additive design approach, as well as an art elective in 3D printing and modeling.

MakerBot has been featured in The New York Times, The Wall Street Journal, The Economist, Wired, The Colbert Report, Fast Company, Engadget, Make: Magazine, Rolling Stone, Time.com, IEEE Spectrum, CNN, Financial Times, NPR, Vogue Italia and elsewhere.

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