Home 3D printing by Mattel

Earlier this February, Mattel Inc. kicked-off New York Toy Fair by announcing an easy-to-use 3D printing eco-system for families – ThingMaker Design™ App and the ThingMaker™ 3D Printer.  Through a previously announced collaboration with Autodesk Inc, ThingMaker is designed to virtually hand over the “keys to the toy factory.”  The iconic ThingMaker from Mattel first debuted as the original at-home maker device in the 1960s, and has been completely re imagined for the 21^st century. The ThingMaker 3D printing eco-system, combined with a little imagination, is all families need to design, create and print their own toys from start to finish.

Whether creating figures such as dolls, robots and dinosaurs, or wearable accessories like bracelets and necklaces, Mattel’s new ThingMaker eco-system is the answer for at-home creative play. By downloading the ThingMaker Design App, families can browse through easy-to-follow templates or tap into their imaginations and build their own creations from hundreds of parts. When the masterpiece is ready for creation, designs get sent right to the ThingMaker 3D Printer, which prints parts in batches for easy assembly via ball and socket joints.

“In today’s digital age, it’s more important than ever for families to transcend the digital world and make their ideas real,” said Aslan Appleman, senior director, at Mattel. “ThingMaker pushes the boundaries of imaginative play, giving families countless ways to customize their toys and let their creativity run wild. We’re thrilled to work with the 3D design experts at Autodesk to bring this one-of-a-kind experience to life.”

“We’re excited to work with a storied company like Mattel to develop an app that bridges the digital and physical worlds and brings new forms of making to the next generation of designers and engineers,” said Samir Hanna, vice president and general manager, Digital Manufacturing Group, Autodesk. “Creativity begins with inspiring the individual. The ThingMaker eco-system makes building your own creations not only possible, but more intuitive for young creators than ever before.”

Available fall 2016 in the U.S., consumers can purchase ThingMaker 3D Printer at an expected SRP of $299.99 with pre-orders beginning February 15, 2016 on Amazon.com.  Mattel will have a variety of filament color options available for the ThingMaker 3D Printer with additional design content including branded options rolling out at a later date.  The ThingMaker Design App also works with other printers; it is available now and free to download for iOS and Android devices.

Here is a preview of ThingMaker by trusted FamilyGamerTV team:

Paavni Janjua

Co-founder and Editor at Mantaray Technologies. Paavni is mother of two wonderful kids and a technology lover who loves photography, cooking and travelling.