Bre Pettis profoundly believes that 3D printing can make the world a better place. And after talking to him, it's hard not to leave feeling the same way.
The key is how it lets you experiment in the physical world in the same way people do with software.
"You learn that it's okay to fail," he told us. "If a print gets screwed up, what have I lost? Just 25 cents worth of plastic, really."
Pettis is the cofounder of MakerBot, a 3D-printing startup based in Brooklyn. After receiving numerous awards and delivering three generations of its hobbyist 3D printer, the company is at the height of its game.
Usually reserved for elite manufacturing companies, 3D printers cost tens of thousands of dollars (sometimes even more) and take up loads of space. It's probably the last thing a private individual would want in his house.
But then you look at the Replicator, MakerBot's 3D printer for normal people. It's about the size of a microwave and costs less than $1,800. It even arrives at your house assembled, so you don't even need to be especially tech-savvy to use it.
Pettis and company have figured out how to make the 3D printer into a home appliance just like any toaster or coffee maker you already have. MakerBot represents a total democratization of manufacturing. We started to think, "Why doesn't everyone have one of these?"
MakerBot was kind enough to show us around its workspace in Boerum Hill, Brooklyn. We were totally impressed.
The MakerBot Botcave is located in Boerum Hill, Brooklyn
Here's Bre Pettis, cofounder of MakerBot
MakerBots run all day, making all kinds of different objects. Here's one in the middle of making a statuette
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