Graphics Reference
In-Depth Information
Figure 5-7.
Coordinates on the Replicator 2
The Extruder
If the frame is the skeleton and the gantry is the arms, the extruder is the
heart of a MakerBot. It's what enables a MakerBot to build things out of plas-
tic. The extruder has a precisely controlled motor that pulls the raw filament
into a
melt chamber
. This melt chamber contains an electric heating element
that instantly liquefies the plastic into a viscous goo. The extruder uses the
unmelted filament to push the molten plastic out through a 0.4 mm nozzle
and onto the build surface. The principle is exactly the same as a hot glue
gun, except far more accurate. As the MakerBot moves the extruder around
it is able to lay down a thin bead of plastic, layer upon layer, until it builds your
designs.
The Electronics
The brain of the Replicator 2 is MakerBot's new and improved MightyBoard,
a fully custom 3d printer electronics platform. MakerBot's previous two 3D
