​In case you're unfamiliar with who MakerBot is and what they do, they're one of the leaders in the 3D printing field, specifically in the creation of the printers themselves. With more than 80,000 MakerBots out in the wild, the company continues to strive towards its goal of putting a 3D printer in every home and classroom.

Since 2009, MakerBot has quickly risen to the top of a cluttered field of 3D printing manufacturing and services industry. Their new 170,000 square-foot space in Brooklyn spans three floors, is home to more than 140 employees and doubles the production capacity compared to MakerBot's previous factory.



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What's readily apparent is that the factory is designed with change in mind. The story of MakerBot over the past six years has been one of rapid innovation and constant, improving iterations, and the factory reflects those ideals — both in the way it functions and in the layout of the floor.







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The new factory streamlines the manufacturing process by bringing crucial functions, such as materials, production, product testing and shipping, closer to one another. This consolidation allows MakerBot to advance its manufacturing practices that emphasize waste reduction and efficiency.



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MakerBot seems heavily invested in human capital at this stage in its life, largely because of the speed at which the company's products change. Plant manager Diana Pincus explains that because robotic manufacturing machinery is created for one purpose — and because MakerBot is constantly creating new types of bots — investing in such devices would be simply useless.

The way that MakerBot quickly creates, tests and deploys "jigs and fixtures" is evidence that the factory is built with humans in mind. Jigs and fixtures are custom additions to the assembly line that can greatly improve productivity by securing or holding various pieces of the 3D printer.

These jigs and fixtures are printed in the factory, tested by employees and then implemented into the line if they prove successful. If not, they can quickly be replaced by new iterations within hours. With solid-state machinery, this type of change wouldn't be possible at such a fast pace.



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The tour also highlighted the importance of reviewing each piece of the manufacturing process, with multiple quality assurance checks at each step of the way (the new space is now home to MakerBot's largest QA operation to date.)

An array of 40 printers stand at the ready to test out extruders — an especially important fact considering the recent allegations that MakerBot knowingly shipped units with a faulty extruder — arguably the most important part of a 3D printer.



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The factory truly makes the most of the fact that they have a small army of 3D printers at their disposal. Small signage, decorations in conference rooms and bins for small parts are all 3D-printed and can be seen everywhere.

With a new space and expanded capabilities to build, MakerBot will continue to work with universities to create "Innovation Centers" like the one at SUNY New Paltz, which houses 30 printers and is a major step forward in 3D printing education.

The new factory aims to bring manufacturing and creativity back to Brooklyn and is part of Industry City, which is a campus of century-old warehouse structures situated on the waterfront in Sunset Park that houses a community of innovators and makers.