A 2D Tour of a 3D Printer Factory

They seem to be targeting similar markets to Makerbot, Ultimaker, Shapercube, etc. (complete kits for those who don't want to source parts but are still pretty DIY), but I don't really see any competitive advantage versus those existing players. Not sure how they're planning on positioning themselves.

Makerbot's product has gotten a lot more mature since I originally picked up a Cupcake a year and a half ago. At the time, the majority of issues with all of the Reprap derivatives was the extruder (plastruder MK3 on the Cupcake). They've iterated like crazy since then, and the current generation stepstruder MK7 is second to none. Makerbot's also got the Thingiverse community behind them, a large support network of owners, and an established reputation and fanbase.

With the exception of more significant redesigns (Ultimaker), there isn't a whole lot of product differentiation in the space apart from price, aesthetics, reliability, and small auxiliary features. Buildatron's website focuses on their build and part quality, but current capabilities are pretty standard, and there generally isn't an issue with inferior parts in the pre-sourced kits.

I'm hoping to be pleasantly surprised, but unless Buildatron has some major tricks up their sleeve (which they could very well have in trying to develop a great software interface), it's impossible to justify buying a $500 more expensive product for their take on the open-source Mendel.

Very little new information will be taken from this multi page article unless you are a complete novice to the 3D printing world.

Here's the final output of the printer in question: http://www3.pcmag.com/media/images/328278-slide-15-img-8972....

You can see that it is not exceptional output resolution. Some imperfections are visible, as well as stair stepping on every layer.