From the Chicago Tribune:

Chicago-based Inventables says it plans to give away 3D carving machines to libraries and other public maker spaces in all 50 states.

CEO Zach Kaplan says the inspiration comes from the success of the Chicago Public Library’s Maker Lab, winner of the Social Innovator Award at the 2013 Chicago Innovation Awards. His company, which donated equipment to the Maker Lab, says it also wants to build the market for its 3D carving machines.

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The desktop 3D carving machines, also known as CNC milling machines, make computer-designed objects out of real materials, like wood and steel. They sell for about $650 and differ from the more-publicized 3D printers, which make objects using strands of plastic.

The article also points out, “between July 2013 and last month, more than 44,000 people visited the [Chicago Public Library] Maker Lab, 5,700 of them taking classes…

Read the Complete Chicago Tribune Article

Formal announcement of program/details expected during a presentation by Kaplan at MakerCon on Wednesday, May 14, 2014).

The goal of this program is to make sure every state has free access to learn about digital manufacturing.

A bit more in this news release.