MakerBot Industries

We’re growing quickly and we’re looking to add an purchasing assistant to our team. Most of the work involves buying parts from vendors and executing purchase orders. Here is the full scoop on the job:

Responsibilities:
- Purchase parts from vendors for both inventory and research & development
- Maintain accurate inventory records
- File packing slips and invoices
- Enter customer data into databases
- Other clerical/administrative duties as required

Requirements:
- 2-3 years of experience purchasing inventory for a medium-large size company
- Experience maintaining inventory records
- Strong background of being trustworthy and honest
- Excellent computer skills – Windows, Microsoft Office (Word, Excel, PowerPoint), Internet
- Strong work ethic and detail-oriented attitude
- Background check required

Preferred:
- Experience or interest in working with robotics
- Associates/Bachelor’s degree in business

If you’re interested in this job, please email your resume to hiring.purchasing-assistant@makerbot.com. In your email, please include a brief explanation about why you want to work with us and how your qualifications and experience will add value to our company.

Working hours: 10am-6pm, M-F, Full-Time

Compensation: based on experience

We’ve been growing quickly and we’re looking to add some hard-working people to our team. The job we have open is for a production tech. Most of the work you’ll be doing is packing nuts, bolts and other small objects into plastic bags. Here is the full scoop on the job:

Responsibilities:
- Assemble and pack nuts & bolts into small kits
- Work quickly and accurately
- Maintain accurate inventory records in our database
- Perform quality checks to ensure kits are made appropriately
- Restock supplies from warehouse
- Maintain a clean and orderly work area
- Arrive to work consistently on-time

Requirements:
- Detail oriented
- Strong work ethic and able to work in a fast-paced work enviroment
- Able to lift 35 lbs.
- Rock solid computer skills (Windows, Internet, Email)

If you’re interested in this job, please email us your resume to hiring@makerbot.com. In your email, please include a brief explanation about why you want to work with us and how your qualifications and experience will add value to our company.

For more information on our company, please visit: www.makerbot.com

• Location: Boerum Hill

Many of you have been asking for a laser scanner that can turn your CupCake CNC into a 3D copier. Thingiverse user tc_fea (aka my dad) is hard at work making that a reality. Using Visual Basic, ANSYS and a lot of math, tc_fea has gone from scan to print. Leave a comment if you’d like to see the source code and we’ll be sure to post it online.

Required Equipment

• Chessboard
• Laser-line level
• Web camera
• Windows PC with Visual Basic

Step 1 – Scan the Object

First, tc_fea puts the scan object in front of a known, calibrated background – in this case an antique chessboard. He manually moves the laser line level incrementally across the image, taking a picture after each move.

Step 2 – Compute the Point Cloud

Tc_fea feeds the multiple scan images into his Visual Basic software for processing. The software does the following:

1. Subtracts each scan image from a baseline image (with no laser line). This produces a very high contrast scan line.
2. Subtracts the RGB component colors separately from the scan line, pixel-by-pixel (using Bresenham’s Algorithm). This allows a color scan.
3. Applies a threshold filter to isolate the scan line from the background.
4. Assemble the scan lines into a point cloud by performing a number of image transformation routines based on OpenCV methods
5. Renders an image of the 3D point cloud in color

Step 3 – Mesh and Create an STL file in ANSYS

Next, tc_fea meshes his point cloud in ANSYS, a analysis package used, among other things, to analyze fighter jets and certify nuclear reactors. Overkill? Absolutely. Expensive? You bet. Fortunately, tc_fea is using an affordable demo version called ANSYS ED, which has many of the features in the full version, but limits the number of nodes and elements. Tc_fea’s program kicks out a pretty good point cloud, so you could probably accomplish the same thing in MeshLab or Blender (both free).

Step 4 – Print!

Finally, tc_fea prints the scanned part using his CupCake CNC running ReplicatorG! Homemade scan to print for less than $100!

For more things designed by tc_fea, go to http://www.thingiverse.com/tc_fea/things

I’m not sure how long it would take me to explain an “Edible CupCake” to an outsider, but I would sure have fun trying. In either case, these cookies were yummy. These were made for us by  http://www.cakescometrueandtrufflestoo.com/ and arrived at the BotCave intact, all the way from Ohio. Next step – an edible Frostruder!

We’ve now finished shipping Batch #14, over two weeks ahead of schedule! We’re also well into shipping Batch #15, which is also now two weeks ahead of schedule. As usual, I can’t tell you exactly when your CupCake will ship, but I can tell you that we are currently on track to meet our stated deadline of the middle-of-May for this batch. We’re working very hard to ship you your CupCakes as soon as possible while still meeting our stringent quality standards.

Seizing the Means of Production!

Makerbot Operators,

We have shipped a number of CupCake CNC kits with a minor defect. This defect is easily remedied and is well within the scope of the MakerBot operator to implement.

Products Affected

The issue is relatively minor which affects CupCakes with a Serial Number of 982 and above. This includes part of Batch #13 and all of Batch #14. Batch #15 should be unaffected.

Description of the Problem

An incorrect X-Cap has been included in the CupCake CNC Lasercut parts kit. The bolt holes on this part do not line up with the bolt holes on the mating part, the X-Back. As such, you are unable to bolt the X-Cap to the X-Back. See the photo below which shows the misaligned holes. (Please note that two identical X-Caps are included. The X-Front will correctly mate with one of the X-Caps).

Solution

The problem is easily fixed. MakerBot Operators who have purchased one of the affected kits may pursue one of the following options:

1. Drill new holes in the X-Back, using the X-Cap as a template.
2. Glue the X-Cap to the X-Back.
3. Contact MakerBot for a free replacement X-Cap (email contact@makerbot.com).

All CupCake CNC’s in Batch #14 which have shipped to date have a replacement X-Cap included.

Instructions for Drilling Holes in the X-Back

If you decide to pursue this option, here is how you should drill holes in the X-Back:

Step 1: Place the X-Cap on top of the X-Back and carefully align the top edges as shown.

Step 2: Using a 3mm drill bit, drill two holes into the X-Back, in the same location as the holes in the X-Cap.

Thanks for working with us to fix this issue and thanks for your loyalty! The fix is plain and simple and your bots should be up and running in no-time.

Friends,

We’ve completed shipping Batch #13, two weeks ahead of schedule! Our original estimated ship date for this batch was at the end of April. We plan to begin shipping Batch #14 next week, although at this point I can’t commit to how many we’ll be able to ship or when we’ll be able to ship them. As you may recall, the original commit date for Batch #14 was the middle of May. We’re going to try our best to beat this deadline as well.

Cheers,

Sam

We’ve been growing quickly and so we’re looking to add a shipping tech to our team to help us make the world a better place, one 3D printer at a time. If you think you know someone who might be a good fit, send us an email at hiring@makerbot.com. Here are the details on the open position:

As a shipping tech, you will be responsible for picking, packing and shipping customer orders. We pride ourselves on working hard, being innovative and having fun. By working for us, you will be a part of the next manufacturing revolution.

Pay & Benefits
- $12/hour full time (approximately 40 hours/week)
- Health, Vision and Dental benefits

Duties
- Assemble and pack customer orders
- Process shipping information and print shipping labels
- Maintain appropriate inventory records
- Restock inventory from warehouse – lift up to 40 lbs
- Receive and process inbound inventory shipments
- Perform quality checks on assembled kits to ensure accuracy

Required Skills
- Detail oriented
- Quick learner
- Strong work-ethic and ability to work in a fast-paced environment
- Willingness to grow with the company and recommend improvements to processes & procedures
- Experience using a PC

Desired Skills
- Experience using UPS WorldShip software
- Experience working in a shipping department for a medium/large size company

Please send you resume via email to hiring ‘at” makerbot.com. Job location is Brooklyn, NY.

Loyal Customers, Hackers and Dreamers,

We just put Batch #15 up for sale on the store. Our expected ship date for this batch is the middle of May. To summarize, this is my best estimate of ship dates for the following batches:

Batch #12 – Complete!

Batch #13 – We have already shipped half of this batch. If all goes well we will finish shipping by the end of the week. Our original commit date for this batch was the end of April, so we are on track to beat this deadline.

Batch #14 – If all goes well we will begin shipping this batch next week. Original commit date was the middle of May so we are on track to beat this deadline as well.

Batch #15 – Estimated ship date in the middle of May. I’ll keep you updated as I know more.

Special thanks to flatironjoe for giving me some customer feedback. As a result, I’m doing my best to keep you updated on a regular basis.

Cheers,

Sam

I’ve been receiving a lot of requests to provide more information on our status of shipping orders. I’ll do my best to keep you informed on a regular basis with as much information as I have.

CupCakes

Today we finished shipping Batch #12. We have already begun to ship Batch #13. Our original estimated date for shipping Batch #13 was at the end of April, but we’ve been working around the clock to get them to you as soon as possible. At this point I can’t give you precise ship dates on individual orders, but I can tell you that we are currently ahead of schedule for Batch #13.

Generation 3 Electronics

Many of you have pre-ordered Generation 3 Electronics. We’ve shipped a number of these out already. My best estimate is that we’ll be able to ship the rest at the end of next week.

That’s all I have for now. I’ll keep you posted as I know more. Thanks for all of your support! We’re working hard to grow our company and meet/beat our deadlines.