Brooklyn, NY—MakerBot Replicator 2 desktop 3D printers have been making appearances at select Microsoft retail stores on the West Coast, and now the company says the “MakerBot Experience” will expand to 15 additional Microsoft Stores across the country.
The MakerBot Experience is a hands-on 3D printing demonstration on MakerBot Replicator 2 desktop 3D printers that lets customers see 3D printing in action as well as purchase a MakerBot Replicator 2 and MakerBot PLA filament.
“We’re thrilled to offer the MakerBot Replicator 2 desktop 3D printer and our MakerBot PLA filament in Microsoft Stores,” said Bre Pettis, CEO of MakerBot. “We’ve seen tremendous interest and enthusiasm at the three initial MakerBot Experience stores. Rolling the program out to 15 additional Microsoft Stores supercharges our mission to bring 3D printing to more people.”
In June, MakerBot and Microsoft announced their collaboration at Microsoft’s BUILD conference, where MakerBot unveiled a 3D printer driver for Microsoft’s Windows 8.1 3D print pipeline. The companies also announced that MakerBot Replicator 2 desktop 3D printers would be available at select Microsoft retail stores and on microsoftstore.com.
“3D printing is a significant technological innovation, and we want all our customers to experience it first-hand, to learn how they can use and benefit from it in their own lives,” said David McAughan, chief operating officer for Microsoft retail stores. “The relationship with MakerBot has been very successful so far, and Microsoft looks forward to seeing the MakerBot Experience rolled out into more stores.”
The MakerBot Replicator 2 desktop 3D printer is MakerBot’s fourth-generation 3D printer, and it’s marketed as one of “the easiest and fastest tools for making professional-quality models and prototypes.” The printer features 100-micron layer resolution and offers an 11.2x6x6.1-inch build volume. The MakerBot’s 3D ecosystem, which is helping to drive the accessibility and adoption of the desktop 3D printer, includes Thingiverse.com, a collection of downloadable digital designs for making physical objects. The ecosystem also includes MakerWare software, MakerCare service, MakerBot filament, the MakerBot retail store, the MakerBot 3D photo booth and strategic partnerships with Autodesk, Adafruit, Nokia, OUYA, MoMA and Amazon.
MakerBot recently announced it will extend its 3D ecosystem with the MakerBot Digitizer desktop 3D scanner. makerbot.com
