3D Printing: Is it possible to use an aftermarket controller on a MakerBot?

3D Printing: Is it possible to use an aftermarket controller on a MakerBot?


The Question: I've got a dead MakerBot Replicator Dual and I'm not really interested in
fixing it with about half the parts being proprietary, discontinued, and
therefore very expensive. So, I'm wondering if it's possible to use a
controller board used on some of the other RepRap machines.
I'd assume that it's all relatively the same, mostly need a means of routing/
regulating power to the servos/fans/etc. based on a g-code. If that's true,
then I'm also assuming the next step is ensuring the slicing engine spits out
the right format for the board (.s3g, .x3g, .gcode, etc.) and that the slicing
engine knows the proper bounds for the machine.
Side question, if I used an another controller board, would I be able to still
run MakerWare/MakerBot Desktop? So far, I've preferred the MiracleGrue slicer,
but I've used Cura on Octopi and it'd suffice.

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