Sources: MakerBot Knew of Smart Extruder Issues Prior to Release - New release coming

[Eddie]

I am not one for conspiracy theories by any means. However, 3DPrint.com recently was provided with information from 2 sources that wish to remain anonymous. One source claims that MakerBot executives knew of the many problems that the Smart Extruders had, and then went ahead and released them anyway. The source says that MakerBot will soon release a new version of the Smart Extruder, which works a whole lot better than the first. It may be released as soon as CES 2015.

Have you guys had experience with the Smart Extruder? Do you think MakerBot should have held off on the release, instead focusing on making the product better?

Read and see more about this "rumor" at: http://3dprint.com/29687/makerbot-smart-extruder/

[johnschneider89]

This aligns with what we've heard from MakerBot employees (both current and former) at various tradeshows.

It's not a huge mystery that this is why MakerBot now encourages customers to purchase MakerCare and multiple Smart Extruders with their printer. They've been trying to buy time while still growing their customer base so that when the new Smart Extruder(s) come out, they will have an army of now-functional 3D printers out there.

It is a rather clever, if devious, way of doing things.

[DragonXtreme]

From my perspective them releasing it when they did was fine. The design is for it to be swap-able so revisions and improvements could be made throughout the printers life cycle. Do I like the fact that I got a horrible smart extruder out of the box that failed in the first week, no, it really ticked me off. They came through with two more extruders for me to use and though they have given me far less issues than the first one they are not the new revision. I have two of those arriving tomorrow based on tracking. 3.4 and the new revised smart extruders would have been nice to have at launch but the company is still in it's transitioning of a hobby to mainstream and I expect a lot more changes over the next couple of years.

[LambdaFF]

Regardless of the possible update, I think it's shady way to do business.

[wpilgrim]

The "update" from makerbot doesn't do anything but make the story worse. Basically their rep said that nothing new is coming to fix the problem and the "new" designs are already out. So basically all the hope that people might have gained in the idea of a fixed better extruder was dashed by that terrible response from Makerbot.

Also pretty disappointed that the title was softened up and that the whiteboard pictures were pulled. If everyone keeps bowing off complaints and baby stepping around makerbot how are consumers supposed to be informed of the real problems that plague the company and its machines.