For that price, you could own the first mass- market, consumer- grade 3D printer. It’s the equivalent of the first Homebrew desktop computer, or an early laser printer in terms of starting a revolution. This was a tool that extended the reach of the DIY maker community and, because of its widespread appeal and useful tech, brought 3D printing from sci-fi novelty to the mainstream.
Before the Replicator, prototypers used CNC (computer numerical control) machines that revealed an object by carving away the exterior. Or massive stereolithography machines that were complicated, expensive, and larger than a refrigerator. The Replicator, on the other hand, was not much larger than a milk crate and was easy for anyone with a home computer to use.
This story is from the Popular Mechanics March/April 2021 edition of Popular Mechanics South Africa.
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This story is from the Popular Mechanics March/April 2021 edition of Popular Mechanics South Africa.
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