A revolution in 3D printing is upon us, and it has been driven by amateur robotics enthusiasts. The 3D printer is not a tool that is limited to making robots - 3D printers can be used for home fix-it jobs and a wide variety of other projects.

"A MakerBot is an affordable, open source 3D printer. It's a machine that can make things. It's your own little factory!"

The MakerBot costs about a thousand dollars, and it employs software that can create and break down a 3D modeled object. It then feeds that data to a 3D printer which is essentially a plastic modelling machine that melts and remolds plastic into any desired shape. The name MakerBot derives from the fact that it is a type of robot, and also from the fact that it is capable of making things, but also because the MakerBot was built by enthusiasts who themselves like making robots. There are several huge events every year called Maker Faires which are full of home-made robots, many of which have been created by this MakerBot. The enthusiasm of its users indicates that the MakerBots are catching on, albeit currently within a small early adapter group.

The beauty of the MakerBot is its broad applicability: it can be used to build anything out of plastic. The MakerBot can build other bots, but it can also build any object you can imagine: stuff for your home, garage, toys, models, you name it.

These 3D printers are really just consumer versions of fabrication technology that is used industrially in factories and shops all around the world, but cost anywhere from $25,000 to $250,000. What makes the MakerBot revolutionary is its relatively cheap cost and small size. As more people learn about them and understand their potential applications, a lot of small business will begin taking advantage of this, either to create unique branded products, or to fabricate new parts, or even to fix old ones.