Your MakerBot Replicator Z18 is Ready to Ship!

No waits, no backorders, the MakerBot Replicator Z18 is available to ship, and Media Supply is making shipping and delivery easier than the other guys. Read on to find out how.

MakerBot unveiled the Replicator Z18 at CES back in January, and it generated a lot of excitement, here at Media Supply and around the 3D printing universe. Its massive build volume (up to 12" x 12 x 18"), as well as MakerBot's new fifth generation technology (onboard camera for job monitoring and sharing, cloud and app compatibility, the Smart Extruder, Wi-fi connectivity), created quite a stir. Also noteworthy was the Replicator Z18's relatively low price. At under $6,500, it's a bargain when compared to similar professional systems with the extra-large build volume of the Z18. At the time of the Z18's unveiling, MakerBot announced that orders would begin shipping in the spring.

The optimists among us counted the days until March 20 for the release of the Z18, but those of us who have been in business for a long time knew that a "spring" release date usually means "just before summer." As it turned out, MakerBot shipped the Z18 to distribution late in June, and orders began shipping to end-users in July. There was a bit of a backlog of preorders, but as of today, August 1, the Replicator Z18 is in stock and ready to ship. While I love the anticipation of a new product release, is there anything more frustrating than doing your homework, coming to a decision on the system that's perfect for you, and placing your order, only to find out that it's a preorder and won't be available for a few weeks, or even a few months? Again, new releases and preorders are great, but I feel even better when I can let my customers know that the 3D printer they want is ready to go.

We've sold and shipped a number of the Replicator Z18s, and they are an excellent fit for any business or organization that requires large build volume from its 3D printer, but we've found that the Z18s capability to produce larger models works especially well for those using 3D printers in architecture and education. We've received great feedback from our customers, and this experience has led us at Media Supply to include a service that not everyone selling the Z18 does.

By default, the Replicator Z18 ships via freight service on pallet, which makes a ton of sense. It's a large system, and the jostling in shipping on a UPS or FedEx parcel truck could affect the calibration, so freight is definitely the way to go for the Z18. The problem with freight shipments is that not everyone has a loading dock. Those of you that don't deal with a lot of freight shipments may not know this, but freight truck drivers are not obligated to unload their freight, which means that if you don't have a loading dock, the truck driver will only take the Z18 to the back of the truck, and then it's up to you to take it off the truck. Sure, there are many truck drivers who are nice and will help out, but to us, this wasn't an acceptable delivery option for the Z18. That's why Media Supply includes lift gate service for every Replicator Z18 we sell. Lift gate service means that the driver will take the Z18 off the truck for you, and, at the very least, deliver it to your curb. Also, if you require inside delivery, we also offer this service for a very reasonable price (contact us for details).

The Replicator Z18 lift gate delivery service is a prime example of how Media Supply listens and responds to our customers' needs, and this sets us apart from the other online merchants and big box retailers out there. If you're thinking about or ready to purchase a Replicator Z18, I'm extremely happy to say that Media Supply has your MakerBot Replicator Z18 ready to ship.

For more information on the Replicator Z18, or to place your order, click here.