Markforged Expands Its Industrial 3D Printing Capabilities with Metal Printing Option

On Tuesday, Markforged unveiled an expansion of its FX10 machine’s capabilities to include metal printing. This innovation is made possible through the introduction of the FX10 Metal Kit, which enables the machine to process metal filaments, featuring a newly developed stainless steel filament.

Initially launched at the last year’s end, the machine was designed for composite printing, handling materials such as carbon fiber and similar substances, including carbon-fiber-reinforced nylon. The company, based in the Boston area, advertises its ability to fabricate components that rival the strength of 6061-T6 Aluminum.

“The FX10 was conceived as a versatile platform, giving us the flexibility to introduce new advancements and enhancements without necessitating the acquisition of a new printer annually,” stated Shai Terem, CEO, in a statement. “With the addition of new software functionalities regularly, the FX10 Metal Kit aims to deliver incremental value on the production floor for the foreseeable future.”

In the realm of production, achieving manufacturing agility has been deemed paramount. Markforged asserts that its solutions fortify manufacturing elasticity by facilitating industrial-scale production precisely when and where it’s needed.

The sector of metal 3D printing witnessed significant shifts over the past year, notably Nano Dimension’s purchase of Desktop Metal. This move came two years following Desktop Metal’s reduction of its workforce by 12%.

Markforged encountered its own hurdles within the same timeframe. In April, a judgment compelled the firm to compensate $17.34 million to Continuous Composites for a patent infringement lawsuit.

In response to the ruling, Markforged articulated, “Whilst assessing the repercussions of the verdict on our operations, our robust financial standing, stringent cost management, and our innovative new product range keeps us optimistic about our journey ahead and our contributions towards the widespread adoption of additive manufacturing across production environments.”

During a financial briefing earlier this month, Terem delineated strategies to reduce Markforged’s yearly operating costs by more than $70 million. CFO Assaf Zipori disclosed the termination of the lease for the company’s previous headquarters within the same timeframe.

Scheduled to make its debut at the upcoming Manufacturing Technology Show in Chicago next month, the Metal Kit will showcase its capabilities by printing with both continuous fiber-reinforced composites and metals, as per the announcement from the company.