Core77

Just as computers have gone from room-filling behemoths to things that fit on our laps, so too are manufacturing machines--specifically, milling machines used for rapid prototyping--continuing to shrink.

Roland DGA Corporation's latest, the MDX-40A, has a footprint of 26.3" x 29.9", which is comparable to the space that laser printers took up not too long ago. The 4-axis machine can carve up pieces as large as 12" x 12" x 4.1". At roughly $8,000, it isn't a casual purchase, but design studios looking to invest in the downturn will probably either buy one or covet one.

Learn more about the machine here.