MakerBot Updates Controversial Extruder

One of the key selling points of MakerBot's fifth-generation printers was that the company componentized the extruder to make it easier to swap out and repair. The company has just released the new MakerBot Smart Extruder+, which MakerBot says has been designed and tested for better print performance over a longer period of time.

That's going to be critical for the company's success moving forward, as the previous extruder included in its fifth-generation printers allegedly suffered a high failure/replacement rate and is at the center of an ongoing class action lawsuit against the company.

“The advances we made with the MakerBot Smart Extruder+ are a big step forward and set a new benchmark in 3D printing,” said Jonathan Jaglom, CEO of MakerBot. “The extruder is the most critical part of a 3D printer and it is a part that wears out after a certain period of time and needs to be replaced. We engineered and tested the Smart Extruder+ to enhance its reliability, provide better performance and extend its lifetime. Because it is swappable, the Smart Extruder+ can also reduce downtime when it’s time to replace it.”

In July, investors filed suit against parent company Stratasys and several executives and former executives of both companies, claiming that MakerBot knowingly released a faulty product and artificially inflated share value.

According to MakerBot, the company conducted 160,000 cumulative hours of testing on the new extruder over 5,800 individual prints and across two teams at MakerBot and Stratasys to ensure independent verification of the results. The extruder performed reliably for more than 700 hours on a Replicator desktop printer, and more than 90% of the test units were printing successfully at more than 1,200 hours of print time. The company has doubled the warranty period on the extruder to six months, with no limit to the amount of MakerBot PLA used.

The extruders include enhanced thermal management and an extended PTFE tube, as well as faster print start up and refined build plate leveling. New smart sensors have improved performance and streamlined the printing process. The component also communicates with MakerBot Desktop and MakerBot Mobile for status updates.

The new extruder costs $199 (slightly more than its predecessor), and was expected to ship on Jan. 18. Current owners of MakerBot fifth-generation printers can buy the extruder for $99.

Source: MakerBot