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Lawsuit claims MakerBot knowingly sold glitchy 3D printers
If you bought one of MakerBot's fifth-generation 3D printers only to have trouble running it, you're not alone. A recently filed class action lawsuit alleges that MakerBot and its parent company Stratasys committed a "fraudulent scheme" by knowingly shipping these Replicator printers with flawed extruders (the part that melts and deposits filament) that tend to clog. Supposedly, management was bragging about rapid growth to investors at the same time it was skimping on quality control and dealing with loads of returns and repairs. By the time MakerBot was starting to lay off workers and otherwise admit that things had gone off the rails, shareholders had lost millions of dollars.
MakerBot's mammoth Replicator Z18 3D printer goes up for pre-order
If you want some truly heavy-duty 3D printing, you'll be glad to hear that MakerBot's Replicator Z18 is now available for pre-order. Pay $6,499 and you'll get to craft objects up to a lofty 18 inches tall once the printer ships this spring. Should that be a tad overpowered, you'll be just as pleased to know that MakerBot has started shipping the latest generation of its normal-sized Replicator for a more reasonable $2,899. Both devices offer built-in cameras, Smart Extruders and full networking, so you're really paying for capacity -- you only need to pay the Z18's premium if you really need the headroom.
