Make your own 3D printer - MakerBot at CES 2010

Build your own 3D printer for under $1000

You may have a laser printer, or an ink-jet printer, but whatever printer you have, it prints on paper, or other flat media. But if you had a MakerBot, one of the coolest gadgets shown at the 2010 CES, you could print three dimensional objects.

3D printers have existed for a while. They are used by manufacturing and design firms to prototype parts or build small quantities of specialized parts. They work under computer control by depositing (or removing) a plastic type material. They are all very expensive.

The MakerBot is an open source 3D printer – meaning the design and software is freely available (see http://makerbot.com or http://Thingiverse.com). You can also purchase a kit for a bit under $1000 and build your own.

Examples of objects created with a MakerBot

Building a MakerBot is not for the faint of heart – it’s a complex machine. Even using it requires careful nursing (in fact, building one is better than buying one because you’ll be familiar enough with the machine to perform the necessary cleaning, calibration and maintenance). But for those who have the interest, you can have your own 3D printer for a fraction of the cost of one of the commercial units.

One can envision a time, perhaps a decade from now, when 3D printers will be as inexpensive and readily available as today’s higher end color laser printers (if not a low cost ink-jet printer). But for now, the MakerBot can be your in-home product factory.