Markforged 3D Printers
Markforged 3D printers are an excellent choice for users that need a streamlined experience to create strong, complex 3D printed parts. Markforged continues to lead the industry with its patented Continuous Fiber Reinforcement (CFR™) technology, which optimizes and strengthens every layer of your printed part. Top Markforged 3D printer features are:
- Advanced Material Capabilities
- User-Friendly Software and Cloud Connectivity
- Prints parts 10x stronger than ABS with CFR technology
About Markforged 3D Printers
Markforged is known for its high-quality 3D printers that use advanced materials to produce strong and precise parts. Here are three reasons why the Markforged Onyx One, Onyx Pro, and Mark Two are good choices:
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Advanced Material Capabilities: These printers use the company's proprietary Onyx material, which is a mix of nylon and chopped carbon fiber. This gives the output a high degree of strength, stiffness, and dimensional stability not typically seen in parts printed with standard materials.
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User-Friendly Software and Cloud Connectivity: Markforged's Eiger software is designed to be user-friendly and is cloud-based, enabling easy sharing and collaboration on designs. It also facilitates remote monitoring and control of the printing process.
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Versatility across Range: The Onyx One, Onyx Pro, and Mark Two offer a good range of capabilities, making them suitable for a variety of applications. The Onyx One is ideal for entry-level users who want to print parts with high-quality Onyx material, while the Onyx Pro introduces continuous fiberglass into the mix for increased strength. The Mark Two offers the highest degree of performance in the series, with the ability to print parts using continuous carbon fiber, Kevlar, and other materials for maximum strength and durability.
Markforged's Continuous Fiber Reinforcement (CFR™) - Why It's Amazing
Markforged's Continuous Fiber Reinforcement (CFR) is a patented process that lays down a continuous strand of fiber within a traditional FFF 3D printed part. A second nozzle extrudes the fiber (carbon fiber, fiberglass, or even Kevlar) into the part, increasing the strength of the part.
3D Print Parts that are 10x Stronger than Traditional Materials
Markforged's CFR technology was created to reinforce 3D-printed parts, making them stronger and more durable for functional and industrial applications. Because of the continuous fiber strand, parts are an order of magnitude stronger, stiffer, and more durable than plastic, and even maintain heat and chemical resistance.
Don't believe this? Check out this video of a 3D printed part that has been reinforced with carbon fiber using Markforged's CFR technology.
CFR Technology is Robust Enough to Replace Machined Metal
Continuous Fiber Reinforcement allows Markforged 3D printers to produce parts that are strong enough to replace some machined aluminum metal parts. Of course, this can depend on the parameters of the model and application, but overall, the strength added by CFR technology is on par with that of aluminum machined parts. Plus, it's an affordable alternative to metal machining, and usually has a faster turnaround time.
Just ask Wärtsilä, solutions specialists and manufacturers in marine and energy markets, who are using Markforged 3D printers for a variety of applications, but most notably, for a lifting tool that is used for building and servicing cargo ship engines.
Usually, these lifting tools are made from solid steel, but even the carbon fiber 3D printed part was able to lift up to 960kg with a safety factor of four!
“This will enable Wärtsilä to speed up the introduction of new products with faster, cheaper, and safer tool creation.” — Giuseppe Saragò, Director, Manufacturing Excellence, Wärtsilä
There are a Variety of Continuous Fiber Materials to Choose From
Markforged's continued dive into developing top-tier materials to use with their machines and CFR is neverending, and so far that dive has produced some fantastic results. Markforged desktop 3D printer users can create with the following materials to fit any application*:
- Carbon Fiber
- Aramid Fiber (Kevlar®)
- Fiberglass
- HSHT Fiberglass
The ability to prototype or create usable parts from a variety of materials is essential for many industries, the U.S. Army included. They use Markforged machines and materials to create personal protective equipment (PPE), window wiper brackets for military vehicles, tools, and low-volume production parts.