Created a 3D printer that can print carbon fiber parts

At the SolidWorks 2014 exhibition, which took place at the end of January in San Diego, MarkForged presented a 3D printer capable of printing not only plastic, but also carbon fiber. Printed carbon fiber parts are five times stronger and twenty times harder than ABS parts. Bending strength along fibers is higher than that of 6061-T6 aluminum alloy parts of the same weight. This grade of aluminum is widely used in aviation and shipbuilding, a similar domestic brand of aluminum - AD33 . In addition to carbon fiber and ABS, the Mark One printer can print with fiberglass and nylon. For printing with fibrous materials, a separate print head of a special design is used.







MarkForged emphasizes that a continuous filament of carbon fiber is used for printing, and not just a polymer filled with short carbon fibers. This gives products the strength comparable to carbon fiber made in an industrial way - printed parts on average are three times inferior to the best commercial grades of carbon fiber, but full control over the arrangement of fibers during printing allows them to be laid exactly as the operating conditions require, so that 100% of the fibers went in the right direction. This is not possible in the manufacture of carbon fiber carbon fiber parts, where the fibers are interwoven at a 90 degree angle.





This is the printed part.

')

Printer resolution is 100 microns when printed with nylon and ABS and 200 when printed with carbon and fiberglass. The maximum size of the printed product is 305x160x160 mm. Since a separate head is used for printing with fibrous materials, it is possible to print simultaneously with two materials - regular and fibrous plastic, combining these materials in one piece. Price Mark One is quite high, but not beyond the limit - five thousand dollars.