If It Prints, I'll Let You Know

Despite ongoing efforts by some tech experts to bring 3D printers more accessible to consumers, the technology remains beyond reach for the average students who want to bring their creation to reality.  But at Virginia Tech’s College of Engineering, students won’t have to worry about such financial constraints because a 3D printer vending machine is just around the corner,

Called the Dream Vendor, the vending machine houses four MakerBot Thing-O-Matic 3D printers that students can use to make any 3D printed model they want.

Students can upload a standard .s3g file into the system and the printers will do the works of creating a model. When done, the printed object is dropped into a retrieval bay.

MakerBot has been actively involved in promoting 3D printing technology in education. In a Forbes interview last year, MakerBot co-founder Bre Pettis said he wants students to have an “invention engine” in the classroom so that students can design their idea and print it.

Pettis envisions MakerBot 3D printers not only in every company and home, but also in school to give students the opportunity to explore their ideas and make them a reality.

3D printers have gained media attention in the recent years because of its capability to produce a wide range of printable objects, ranging from toys to food to human organs.