MakerBot in Filmmaker Magazine
MakerBot got a nice write-up in filmmaker magazine.
WELCOME TO THE BOTCAVE
The sign on the door reads MakerBot Industries. Inside, boxes line the floors and there is a flurry of activity. A light humming sound fills the air. Machines buzz as they print physical objects that merely minutes before were 3-D renderings on a computer screen. This is the Botcave and within its walls resides a start-up that intends to change the face of printing. The MakerBot is a boxlike unit that prints thin plastic, laying it down layer by layer similar to a glue gun. Over time the layers build and become physical objects. During my visit I’m shown eyeglass frames, wall brackets, tweezers, action figures and even a 3-D rendering of Walt Dinsey’s head — all printed courtesy of MakerBot. The community around MakerBot is rabid with owners sharing designs and inspiring each other to create. Within this dynamic the MakerBot team has found a number of interesting ways to embrace their users’ passions while empowering them.
APPLICATION:
MakerBot does an excellent job of understanding the value of a niche community and providing tools and resources to enable them to share and “make.” Case in point: MakerBot is experimenting with crowd-sourcing manufacturing. Parts for the actual MakerBot are being printed by those in the community, thus eliminating the need for outside manufacturing. The goal is to eventually have an army of MakerBots making themselves. By giving the community an active role in literally and figuratively building the MakerBot they have tapped a loyal user base and in the process have energized a whole community.
The article goes on to profile a couple of other awesome startups including neighborgoods! Read more here!
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