MakerBot - Replicator Desktop 3D Printer - Multi

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• Rated 4 out of 5 stars

  A very good and interesting printer

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  We just got the printer and have only printed one object. It set up easily and printed without fail. The printer gave off only an extremely mild odor, only noticeable when standing over it, but only one of us could tell. It did not seem as loud as some inkjet printers. The only reason for 4 stars instead of 5 is there has not been enough time to do more with it, so we don't know how it will work on some other projects.

  Posted 9 years ago by Jamie

• Rated 3 out of 5 stars

  Great printer, once reliability issues resolved.

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  The MakerBot Replicator Fifth Generation is a feature-rich 3D printer. The printer is on the more expensive side and provides some additional features for the price, including a camera to view progress, apps for iOS and Android, a removable print bed and a Smart Extruder. MakerBot runs Thingiverse.com, and integration with the iOS, Android, PC and Mac versions of their software is really nice. The filament is housed in the back wall of the printer on a liftable section that hides it from view. The filament rolls are skinny, but you are not prevented from using an external PLA filament roll and feeding it to the printer. The filament runs through a tube over the top of the printer to the Smart Extruder. The Smart Extruder head is removable and can be replaced if needed. Those who have a 3D printer have most likely used MakerBot's website Thingiverse.com to share or download 3D objects to print. All of MakerBot's apps (PC, Mac, iOS and Android) have good integration with Thingiverse, allowing you to save a Thing and print from the Internet-connected printer or any of the apps. This can all help you manage, organize and keep track of Things you want to print or have already printed. So while you can download and print anything from the site on any 3D printer, it's a cool feature that the printer can directly access your account of Things. MakerBot's software on Mac and PC is solid and includes the ability to explore Thingiverse, view items saved to your Thingiverse account, prepare an object to print, and find help videos. Printing an object has the standard print options for moving, resizing and rotating the object on the platform. Loading and unloading filament can be done with the software or by using the screen, dials and buttons on the printer. On the same screen you use to prepare your object for printing, there is a monitor option that shows a live feed from the camera on the printer, as well as extruder temperature, elapsed time and estimated time until completion. The printer uses PLA plastic, which doesn’t need a heated bed and is biodegradable and eco-friendly. Blue painters tape is placed over the glass to help with adhesion. The bed is easily removed by sliding it forward, and the glass can be removed from the plastic tray for cleaning and applying tape. The Smart Extruder needs to be installed by selecting the option on the printer screen and attaching the extruder. It's held in place by magnets and clicks easily into place. Another option on the printer will heat up the extruder and walk you through loading filament into the extruder. Leveling the bed is done by following the on-screen prompts. You begin by turning two knobs on the bottom of the printer and then going through a series of slowly turning a knob while watching for a light on the extruder. I noticed better printing results if I ran the leveling process every few prints. The MakerBot application supports printing from Mac, PC, Linux, iOS and Android devices. The printer can be connected to a Wi-Fi connection or to a USB cable connected directly to the computer. A file can also be placed onto and printed directly from a USB drive. Printer status updates can be sent to your smartphone, and the built-in camera can take photos for easy monitoring and sharing from the desktop and smartphone app. This is a nice feature for knowing when your print is done. Our printer was failing on over half of our prints initially, but with some settings changes and software updates, it has improved. MakerBot's support section on their website has a number of good videos that cover many issues that can happen with their printers. For example, there is a setting under Device -- Device Preferences -- Z Offset that I needed to adjust to get the extruder to print a little closer to the bed to resolve issues with the first layers adhering properly. After leveling the bed and updating this setting, I was able to get it back to printing. Larger flat prints are still lifting up at the edges. This is common with printers that don’t have a heated bed, and it’s no exception with the MakerBot. There were some prints that would stop extruding partway through the print, but this seems to have been cleared up with some recent firmware updates for the printer. It does a great job printing objects but doesn't do small details really well. Smaller threaded bolts and gears didn't have a good fit, although larger threads were OK. Most printers have issues with these finer details, which isn't a big issue unless you're printing parts that require a high level of precision. The MakerBot Replicator Fifth Generation 3D printer is a solid printer with some good features and good apps for managing your prints. I’m a little hesitant to give it a higher rating due to the issues and problems with prints that I noticed. I’m hoping that MakerBot can clear up some of these issues with a future firmware update, as it’s a great printer when it works. The ability to use any PLA filament -- once you roll it on a spool that fits in the printer -- is great. The camera is a little novel, but it's still a neat feature if you want to get a quick picture of your final product or see how your print is doing. Pros: -- Software is great with a lot of features not found on other printers. -- Created by the established company MakerBot. -- Supports a lot of platforms (Mac, PC, Linux, iOS and Android). -- The integration with their website Thingiverse makes for a great experience. -- Ability to use any PLA filament. -- Software has a polished and complete feel to it and is easy to use. Cons: -- We had a lot of failed prints in the beginning, including extruder errors. (We tried disabling the extruder error detection but still had issues.) -- Got a few prints where the printing would just stop in midair, but the printer continued to operate as if it were still printing. -- Higher price range.

  Posted 10 years ago by JasonR_BBYSTAFF

• Rated 1 out of 5 stars

  results of the crazy printer

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  The 3d printer is very good to create many designs but the price is too high accessories is rare to find in stores also its very high price in all accessories. When making the design it is very slow to create it, it might remind u of how fast a turtle or snail is to go from your house to go 1mile away in 24 hours! The price of the model should be $600-$300 on my opinion. Buy it if u want to waste time to make designs on the printer and waste of money(!) good for u.

  Posted 9 years ago by jmilil1989