Method MakerBot, a subsidiary of Stratasys Ltd., Eden Prairie, Minn., has drawn from its parent company’s expertise in industrial additive manufacturing with the launch of this new fused-deposition-modeling printer. Designed to fill the gap between desktop and industrial 3-D printing, the Method can be used for prototyping and product design. Featuring a pair of extruders, dual-drive gear system and dry-sealed material bays, the printer produces water-soluble polyvinyl alcohol (PVA) supports. The printer has an ultra-rigid metal frame, and it comes with a 5-inch touch screen. A suite of 21 built-in sensors monitor conditions such as humidity and temperature. Materials include PVA, PETG and an enhanced, proprietary polylactic acid that has properties similar to ABS.
What’s new? The printer. Carrying a starting price of $6,499, it has been available for pre-order for about three months.
Benefits Fast, accurate printing. MakerBot claims that the Method can produce print jobs in as little as half the time of desktop 3-D printers.
MakerBot Industries LLC, Brooklyn, N.Y., 347-334-6800, www.makerbot.com
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