MakerBot: Difference between revisions

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|Website=https://makerbot.com/

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'''{{wplink|MakerBot|MakerBot Industries, LLC}}''' was an American technology company specializing in the design and manufacture of 3D printing peripherals and accessories. Originally an offshoot of the {{wplink||RepRap}} project, MakerBot initially produced open-source kit printers and operated the public project repository Thingiverse, which MakerBot's founders created in 2008. In 2012, with the launch of it's Replicator 2 3D printer, MakerBot fully pivoted to closed-source consumer and enterprise machines. It was acquired by Stratasys in June 2013.<ref>https://www.forbes.com/sites/kellyclay/2013/06/19/3d-printing-company-makerbot-acquired-in-604-million-deal/#4f6d94091ef8 ~~([http~~://web.archive.org/web/20251004104042/https://www.forbes.com/sites/kellyclay/2013/06/19/3d-printing-company-makerbot-acquired-in-604-million-deal/ ~~Archived~~])</ref>

'''{{wplink|MakerBot|MakerBot Industries, LLC}}''' was an American technology company specializing in the design and manufacture of 3D printing peripherals and accessories. Originally an offshoot of the {{wplink||RepRap}} project, MakerBot initially produced open-source kit printers and operated the public project repository Thingiverse, which MakerBot's founders created in 2008. In 2012, with the launch of it's Replicator 2 3D printer, MakerBot fully pivoted to closed-source consumer and enterprise machines. It was acquired by Stratasys in June 2013.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Clay |first=Kelly |title=3D Printing Company MakerBot Acquired In $604 Million Deal |url=https://www.forbes.com/sites/kellyclay/2013/06/19/3d-printing-company-makerbot-acquired-in-604-million-deal/#4f6d94091ef8 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20251004104042/https://www.forbes.com/sites/kellyclay/2013/06/19/3d-printing-company-makerbot-acquired-in-604-million-deal/ |archive-date=2025-10-04 |website=[[Forbes]]}}</ref>

MakerBot was at one point, the market leader in desktop FDM 3D printers, but its market dominance was steadily eroded by an explosion in popularity of less-expensive, open-source competitors.<ref>https://web.archive.org/web/20171027020235/https://fortune.com/2015/11/27/why-makerbot-and-3d-systems-are-losing-the-desktop-3d-market/</ref> Its closed-source machines and business practices proved to be unpopular with the largely DIY-focused maker community. Starting in 2015, MakerBot began to focus more on the enterprise and education markets, ultimately abandoning the consumer market by 2017. It also laid off hundreds of employees during this time.<ref>https://www.vice.com/en/article/makerbot-just-laid-off-20-percent-of-its-staff/ ~~([http~~://web.archive.org/web/20251004104042/https://www.vice.com/en/article/makerbot-just-laid-off-20-percent-of-its-staff/ ~~Archived~~])</ref><ref>https://web.archive.org/web/20170702132043/https://fortune.com/2017/02/15/makerbot-3d-printing-layoffs/</ref>

MakerBot was at one point, the market leader in desktop FDM 3D printers, but its market dominance was steadily eroded by an explosion in popularity of less-expensive, open-source competitors.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Zaleski |first=Andrew |date=2015-11-27 |title=Why MakerBot and 3D Systems are Losing the Desktop 3D Market |url=https://fortune.com/2015/11/27/why-makerbot-and-3d-systems-are-losing-the-desktop-3d-market/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171027020235/https://fortune.com/2015/11/27/why-makerbot-and-3d-systems-are-losing-the-desktop-3d-market/ |archive-date=2017-10-27 |website=[[FORTUNE]]}}</ref> Its closed-source machines and business practices proved to be unpopular with the largely DIY-focused maker community. Starting in 2015, MakerBot began to focus more on the enterprise and education markets, ultimately abandoning the consumer market by 2017. It also laid off hundreds of employees during this time.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Pearson |first=Jordan |date=2015-04-17 |title=MakerBot Just Laid Off 20 Percent of Its Staff |url=https://www.vice.com/en/article/makerbot-just-laid-off-20-percent-of-its-staff/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20251004104042/https://www.vice.com/en/article/makerbot-just-laid-off-20-percent-of-its-staff/ |archive-date=2025-10-04 |website=[[VICE]]}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |last=King |first=Rachel |date=2017-02-15 |title=MakerBot Prepares for Another Round of Layoffs |url=https://fortune.com/2017/02/15/makerbot-3d-printing-layoffs/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170702132043/https://fortune.com/2017/02/15/makerbot-3d-printing-layoffs/ |archive-date=2017-07-02 |website=[[Forbes]]}}</ref>

On August 31, 2022, Stratasys finalized a merger between MakerBot and its long-time market competitor Ultimaker.<ref>https://investors.stratasys.com/news-events/press-releases/detail/793/stratasys-completes-merger-of-makerbot-with-ultimaker ([http://web.archive.org/web/20251221201519/https://investors.stratasys.com/news-events/press-releases/detail/793/stratasys-completes-merger-of-makerbot-with-ultimaker Archived])</ref> The merged company is known as Ultimaker, with the MakerBot branding only retained for its Sketch line of education-focused 3D printers.

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==Consumer-impact summary==

* '''User Freedom:''' MakerBot updated the Thingiverse terms of use to say that MakerBot owns everything submitted by users on Thingiverse. However, MakerBot later changed this so that users own what they submit to Thingiverse. MakerBot also stopped making open-source printers, and started making closed-source printers instead with proprietary hardware and software.

*'''User Freedom:''' MakerBot updated the Thingiverse terms of use to say that MakerBot owns everything submitted by users on Thingiverse. However, MakerBot later changed this so that users own what they submit to Thingiverse. MakerBot also stopped making open-source printers, and started making closed-source printers instead with proprietary hardware and software.

* '''Market Control:''' MakerBot has extensive competition, with other brands such as [[Bambu Lab]], [[Creality]], and Prusa Research having more market share than MakerBot. Makerbot also merged with Ultimaker, and only the Sketch line of printers is under the MakerBot brand name.

*'''Market Control:''' MakerBot has extensive competition, with other brands such as [[Bambu Lab]], [[Creality]], and Prusa Research having more market share than MakerBot. Makerbot also merged with Ultimaker, and only the Sketch line of printers is under the MakerBot brand name.

==Incidents==

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 |Website=https://makerbot.com/
 }}
-'''{{wplink|MakerBot|MakerBot Industries, LLC}}''' was an American technology company specializing in the design and manufacture of 3D printing peripherals and accessories. Originally an offshoot of the {{wplink||RepRap}} project, MakerBot initially produced open-source kit printers and operated the public project repository Thingiverse, which MakerBot's founders created in 2008. In 2012, with the launch of it's Replicator 2 3D printer, MakerBot fully pivoted to closed-source consumer and enterprise machines. It was acquired by Stratasys in June 2013.<ref>https://www.forbes.com/sites/kellyclay/2013/06/19/3d-printing-company-makerbot-acquired-in-604-million-deal/#4f6d94091ef8 ([http://web.archive.org/web/20251004104042/https://www.forbes.com/sites/kellyclay/2013/06/19/3d-printing-company-makerbot-acquired-in-604-million-deal/ Archived])</ref>
+'''{{wplink|MakerBot|MakerBot Industries, LLC}}''' was an American technology company specializing in the design and manufacture of 3D printing peripherals and accessories. Originally an offshoot of the {{wplink||RepRap}} project, MakerBot initially produced open-source kit printers and operated the public project repository Thingiverse, which MakerBot's founders created in 2008. In 2012, with the launch of it's Replicator 2 3D printer, MakerBot fully pivoted to closed-source consumer and enterprise machines. It was acquired by Stratasys in June 2013.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Clay |first=Kelly |title=3D Printing Company MakerBot Acquired In $604 Million Deal |url=https://www.forbes.com/sites/kellyclay/2013/06/19/3d-printing-company-makerbot-acquired-in-604-million-deal/#4f6d94091ef8 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20251004104042/https://www.forbes.com/sites/kellyclay/2013/06/19/3d-printing-company-makerbot-acquired-in-604-million-deal/ |archive-date=2025-10-04 |website=[[Forbes]]}}</ref>
-MakerBot was at one point, the market leader in desktop FDM 3D printers, but its market dominance was steadily eroded by an explosion in popularity of less-expensive, open-source competitors.<ref>https://web.archive.org/web/20171027020235/https://fortune.com/2015/11/27/why-makerbot-and-3d-systems-are-losing-the-desktop-3d-market/</ref> Its closed-source machines and business practices proved to be unpopular with the largely DIY-focused maker community. Starting in 2015, MakerBot began to focus more on the enterprise and education markets, ultimately abandoning the consumer market by 2017. It also laid off hundreds of employees during this time.<ref>https://www.vice.com/en/article/makerbot-just-laid-off-20-percent-of-its-staff/ ([http://web.archive.org/web/20251004104042/https://www.vice.com/en/article/makerbot-just-laid-off-20-percent-of-its-staff/ Archived])</ref><ref>https://web.archive.org/web/20170702132043/https://fortune.com/2017/02/15/makerbot-3d-printing-layoffs/</ref>
+MakerBot was at one point, the market leader in desktop FDM 3D printers, but its market dominance was steadily eroded by an explosion in popularity of less-expensive, open-source competitors.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Zaleski |first=Andrew |date=2015-11-27 |title=Why MakerBot and 3D Systems are Losing the Desktop 3D Market |url=https://fortune.com/2015/11/27/why-makerbot-and-3d-systems-are-losing-the-desktop-3d-market/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171027020235/https://fortune.com/2015/11/27/why-makerbot-and-3d-systems-are-losing-the-desktop-3d-market/ |archive-date=2017-10-27 |website=[[FORTUNE]]}}</ref> Its closed-source machines and business practices proved to be unpopular with the largely DIY-focused maker community. Starting in 2015, MakerBot began to focus more on the enterprise and education markets, ultimately abandoning the consumer market by 2017. It also laid off hundreds of employees during this time.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Pearson |first=Jordan |date=2015-04-17 |title=MakerBot Just Laid Off 20 Percent of Its Staff |url=https://www.vice.com/en/article/makerbot-just-laid-off-20-percent-of-its-staff/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20251004104042/https://www.vice.com/en/article/makerbot-just-laid-off-20-percent-of-its-staff/ |archive-date=2025-10-04 |website=[[VICE]]}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |last=King |first=Rachel |date=2017-02-15 |title=MakerBot Prepares for Another Round of Layoffs |url=https://fortune.com/2017/02/15/makerbot-3d-printing-layoffs/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170702132043/https://fortune.com/2017/02/15/makerbot-3d-printing-layoffs/ |archive-date=2017-07-02 |website=[[Forbes]]}}</ref>
 On August 31, 2022, Stratasys finalized a merger between MakerBot and its long-time market competitor Ultimaker.<ref>https://investors.stratasys.com/news-events/press-releases/detail/793/stratasys-completes-merger-of-makerbot-with-ultimaker ([http://web.archive.org/web/20251221201519/https://investors.stratasys.com/news-events/press-releases/detail/793/stratasys-completes-merger-of-makerbot-with-ultimaker Archived])</ref> The merged company is known as Ultimaker, with the MakerBot branding only retained for its Sketch line of education-focused 3D printers.
@@ Line 17: / Line 17: @@
 ==Consumer-impact summary==
-* '''User Freedom:''' MakerBot updated the Thingiverse terms of use to say that MakerBot owns everything submitted by users on Thingiverse. However, MakerBot later changed this so that users own what they submit to Thingiverse. MakerBot also stopped making open-source printers, and started making closed-source printers instead with proprietary hardware and software.
+*'''User Freedom:''' MakerBot updated the Thingiverse terms of use to say that MakerBot owns everything submitted by users on Thingiverse. However, MakerBot later changed this so that users own what they submit to Thingiverse. MakerBot also stopped making open-source printers, and started making closed-source printers instead with proprietary hardware and software.
-* '''Market Control:''' MakerBot has extensive competition, with other brands such as [[Bambu Lab]], [[Creality]], and Prusa Research having more market share than MakerBot. Makerbot also merged with Ultimaker, and only the Sketch line of printers is under the MakerBot brand name.
+*'''Market Control:''' MakerBot has extensive competition, with other brands such as [[Bambu Lab]], [[Creality]], and Prusa Research having more market share than MakerBot. Makerbot also merged with Ultimaker, and only the Sketch line of printers is under the MakerBot brand name.
 ==Incidents==