MakerBot Digitizer Desktop 3D Scanner

MakerBot Digitizer Desktop 3D Scanner

MakerBot has released the  MakerBot Digitizer desktop 3D scanner, which the company says can easily create 3D files for use with the company’s printers.

“Bringing the MakerBot Digitizer Desktop 3D Scanner into the world has been a big goal of ours this year,” said MakerBot CEO Bre Pettis. “We are really excited about the MakerBot Digitizer. This is another innovative product for visionaries, early adopters, experimenters, educators, creative hobbyists, 3D sculptors, organic modelers, designers, and architects who want to be the first to become an expert in Desktop 3D Scanning.”

The MakerBot Digitizer takes a real-life object, scans it using a camera and two lasers, and creates a 3D digital file. It is optimized for and works seamlessly with MakerBot’s Replicator Desktop 3D Printers and MakerBot Thingiverse.

It outputs standard 3D design file formats that can be modified and improved in third-party 3D modeling programs, like Autodesk’s free software MeshMixer. Users can upload scans directly to MakerBot’s Thingverse.com. Objects up to 8-in. in diameter and 8-in. tall, and up to 3 kg, can be digitized.

“We believe that the MakerBot Digitizer Desktop 3D Scanner is an innovative technological breakthrough that sets the standard for affordable desktop 3D scanning,” said Pettis. “We focused on making the MakerBot Digitizer super easy to use, intuitive and simple. The MakerBot Digitizer is powered by MakerBot MakerWare software, and we plan to offer in the future additional software updates that are expected to add even more features and capabilities.”

For more information, visit Stratasys and MakerBot.

Sources: Press materials received from the company and additional information gleaned from the company’s website.