Other Machine Co., the desktop CNC maker that arguably popularized desktop cutting systems, will continue under the new name of Bantam Tools and do more to court teachers and professional designers, according to CEO Danielle Applestone.
“We originally focused on the hobbyist market, but soon realized that 90 percent of our machines were being purchased by professional engineers and educators,” said Applestone at the Modern Machine Shop Top Shops conference in Indianapolis, Indiana. “This rebrand helps us focus on those professionals and educators, who dramatically accelerate their pace of development and innovation with our machines.”
The company turned heads when its flagship Othermill Pro raised more than $300,000 on Kickstarter to deliver a circuit board milling machine — which industry observers called the circuit board equivalent of a 3D printer.
According to the company, the venture’s new name is inspired by the Bantam rooster, a small and feisty chicken. The name change comes after Other Machine was acquired by Bre Pettis, an entrepreneur known for founding 3D printer startup Makerbot. Pettis has also produced videos for Make:.
“We really believe that a machine like the Bantam Tools Desktop PCB Milling Machine is at the forefront of the digital desktop manufacturing movement,” Pettis said. “This machine changes the way prototyping is done, making it fast, easy and affordable. That’s a paradigm shift that makes iterating a daily or hourly process instead of one that happens every couple weeks or months.”
Late last year, Pettis introduced a jewelry line under the name Bre & Co.
Bantam’s milling machine, which is used by clients including the United States Defense Department, New York University and Adafruit, retails for $3,199.
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