MakerBot Filament Only in new Replicator?

[JohnA136]

The chips are in the Statasys, I have not seen the NEW MakerBots in person yet.

[urbanmyth]

In the end, I think that all the major 3D printer brands will go though route and make it so that you need to purchase their own filament. It's how 2D printers became so successful, and it will be how 3D printers can drop enough in price that everyone will want one in their homes.

[WildZBill]

I work with a Stratasys Mojo, their low end machine. The filament costs 10 times more than open market filament, and you can not substitute. There are many other methods they use to insure that every single print costs you a fortune.
Keep RepRap alive! This revolution is occurring because the technology is cheap and available to everyone.

[squadus]

If they are going this route then im expecting for the filament to be high quality and issue free.

[TarlSS]

Ugh, such BS. My next printer is probably going to be a non-makerbot for this reason. The Replicator 2 is a great machine, but they are going in the wrong direction.

[JohnA136]

I believe there is an option to just run regular filament in through the top on the new Gen 5 MakerBots? On the Stratasys machines, the cartridges are computer chipped so it is much more difficult to bypass their proprietary filament. The new MB will have all new extruders and controller boards, they should run and print better than the previous ones.

[QuiveringToad]

If there isn't already a way of doing it, I'm sure someone will come up with a way to use other companies filaments in the Gen 5 Replicators.

[MysteryAlabaster]

This will definitely influence me greatly when I go to buy my next printer...

If I can convince my boss to let me take our used Makerbot spools, even if I have to pay something for them, then I might be willing to go through the trouble of respooling all my filament...

[RAMTechRob]

I've heard a rumor that only MakerBot brand filament will work in the new line of Replicator printers. Is this true?

That rumor is not true. You can re-spool or use another spool outside of the thier holder.

[dcullen]

It's really a pretty smart idea by MakerBot. If they can find a way to limit the filament to only their own, they could afford to drastically drop the prices of their hardware (printers) by making their profits off of filament. Although we may not like it, in the long run, it will help the 3D Printing industry by lowering the price of hardware significantly.

<sarcasm>Yeah, because MB has demonstrated their commitment to keeping prices down </sarcasm>