Ultimaker

Founded in Holland, as a spinoff of the FabLab in Utrecht, Ultimaker is the first European company to build a solid, global business around its open source, cartesian, low-cost desktop 3D printer.

After enjoying early success with the first Ultimaker, which was initially sold as a kit and had a wooden frame, the company rose to international recognition with the Ultimaker 2, one of the most successful 3D printers in the sub-€3,000 price range. It was characterized by the stylish exterior design with a white frame which somewhat reminded of the classic Apple style, indicating that the system was build for a wider demographic.

The system was sufficiently reliable to be used for basic professional jobs and also cost-effective enough that it was accessible to Fablab and 3D printing enthusiasts. It also remained largely open source. Over the years new systems have become even more affordable and reliable, however, the company now has a recognizable name and a global company structure behind it.

The Ultimaker 2 – also available in extended and smaller versions, set the bar for 3D printers at a new level and is currently still considered one of the best 3D printers available on the market. The company offers a full 3D print experience: In addition to providing hardware, Ultimaker unleashes creative potential by hosting the community sharing platform called YouMagine and free, highly appreciated 3D printing software Cura.

The company released the new Ultimaker 3 family of 3D printers to fix some of the bugs that plagued the first two models and to introduced double extruder capabilities, thus unleashing further creative potential in terms of geometric freedom.