The hottest topic in the world of 3D printing the past couple of weeks has been the announcement of the new Replicator 2 from the traditionally “hobbyist” friendly MakerBot Industries. The new Replicator is a step in a new direction for MakerBot and is targeted more to the professional 3D print market and less so to the hobbyist group that the firm has traditionally catered to with its open-source designs.

In fact, MakerBot appears to truly be taking its vision to the next level. The firm’s new Replicator 2 will directly compete against offerings from larger, more established companies like 3D Systems and Stratasys. MakerBot president and co-founder Bre Pettis has responded to criticisms from the hobbyist community by essentially stating the MakerBot is indeed embracing a bigger market. MakerBot has gone from the big name in a little town to a little name in a big city.

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