Case Study: MakerBot Industries achieves rapid, photorealistic product marketing with KeyShot

MakerBot Industries - Customer Case Study

MakerBot Industries, a pioneer of the open-source 3D printer movement, expanded into a broad product line including the 5th‑generation MakerBot Replicator and complementary printers and scanners. As the product family and marketing needs grew, the design team required a striking, consistent visual presentation that could support concept evaluation and customer-facing imagery from early design through launch.

MakerBot integrated KeyShot with their SolidWorks workflow and rapid prototyping on Replicator printers to produce photorealistic renders early in development, evaluate designs in real‑world lighting, and create reusable view sets for quick updates. The result: high-quality web and print imagery, faster and cheaper production than traditional photo shoots, and clearer cross-team communication by pairing physical prototypes with realistic renderings.

MakerBot Industries