MakerBot announced its new MakerBot Replicator 2 3D printer, its 4th generation MakerBot and the best ever desktop 3D printer, according to CEO Bre Pettis.

Targeted at engineers and professionals, but priced closer to the consumer models, the Replicator 2 is a force. It is a major step forward from previous home 3D printers and features:

• 100 micron layer resolution – no more ridges
• PLA – renewable bioplastic 3D printing material takes less power to print
• It comes assembled, not a kit

The new printer is priced at $2,199, a slight increase from the original MakerBot, which costs $1,749.

In addition, MakerBot launched new software called MakerWare.

Introducing MakerWare™, the ideal software to drive your MakerBot—and not just because it’s pretty and simple to use. This Beta release of MakerWare™ includes an all new slicing engine that prepares models up to 20 times faster than before and improves print times by up to 30 percent. But wait, there’s more!

• Some clever code optimizations make for stronger, more consistant prints.
• MakerWare™ lets you open multiple models at once and arrange them on the build platform.
• You can easily scale, move, or rotate individual models or groups of models at once.
• Now you can work with both .stl and .obj files.

Here’s a video showing MakerBot’s new announcements.