3D printers can create items in a range of materials, however plastic remains the most common. While metal 3D printers have been around for years, it’s still fairly uncommon to see them used outside of a professional capacity. The first 3D printer from MarkForged grants hobbyists and professionals alike a material with the toughness of metal.
MarkForged announced that their very first 3D printer – the Mark One – is the first 3D printer to use carbon fiber as a material. If that wasn’t enough, the printer also handles fiberglass, nylon and PLA. It was developed to make the production of carbon fiber objects more convenient and more affordable.
So, where did the idea of the Mark One originate from? Gregory Mark, president of MarkForged, is also a co-owner of carbon fiber component supplier Aeromotions. He discovered that producing carbon fiber components for automobiles and airplanes was too expensive for its own good and sought a more affordable solution. That’s where 3D printing and its automated processes come in as its eliminates the need for crafting carbon fiber components by hand.