EXBuild Blog

Most modern manufacturing companies know they COULD benefit from additively manufacturing some of their PARTS, but they hesitate to invest in the equipment. The reasons why can vary, but over the last few years the EXBuild team has seen a trend. Until now, much of the hardware available on the industrial AM market has been pretty much just hard-to-use, outdated technology stuffed in a sleek new package. This means that a company looking at AM equipment not only has to decide on a printer, but also needs to decide what resources they are going to scrounge up in order to build out an entire AM department. Common questions include: who has time to learn how to run this printer? Who will maintain this printer? Who will fix this printer when it breaks? Who will decide what to print and not print?

In the ever-evolving automotive industry, the race to innovate has never been more critical. Among the tools driving this innovation forward, BigRep 3D printers have emerged as game-changers, offering unmatched capabilities in design, prototyping and production. Let's explore some real-world examples of how BigRep 3D printers are transforming the automotive landscape.

Late last year Photocentric, the inventors of LCD resin printing, upped the ante once again on what is considered to be Large Format resin printing. Their Magna printer already dwarfed the competition with a build volume that only million dollar SLA machines could try to keep up with.  The Titan makes the Magna look small, so many would say “why get a Magna anymore when I can capture the same level of detail on the Titan?”  The short answer is you should always use the right tool for the right job.  Let's dive deeper.

The 3D printing industry is full of everything from delusional hype to realized productivity gains, and everything in between. BUT the recent advancements in both materials and hardware has made 3D printing less hype and more productive for industrial applications.

Reinforcing 3D-printed parts with continuous fibers — such as fiberglass or carbon fiber — is a valuable manufacturing capability. It allows users to easily print parts that are much stiffer and stronger than parts made from only plastic. When adding fiber to a part, users have a few decisions to make: the type of fiber fill (concentric or isotropic), how much fiber to use, and where in the part to put the fiber.

Up until now, 3D printing very large parts has been costly, slow, and problematic. Large format 3D printers, their software, maintenance, and consumables are all extremely expensive and the finish can still be rough requiring a lot of post-processing. One option can be to use more affordable small printers to print in smaller pieces and then carefully join them together, but its more time consuming and the part may not fit together properly. Either way, the process is slow and parts could fail during the print or worse, later in use.

Markforged is bringing industrial production to the point of need. We’ve spent the last decade building an additive manufacturing platform that brings real value to factory floors.

We are excited to introduce you to a game-changing innovation that has the potential to revolutionize your business operations - the Photocentric LC Titan 3D printer. This cutting-edge device is not just a 3D printer; it's a catalyst for enhanced efficiency, cost savings and innovation within your organization.

The aerospace industry has long been at the forefront of technological innovation, continually pushing the boundaries of what's possible in terms of engineering and design. 3D printing is  the most transformative technological advancements in recent years in the aerospace industry.

As an innovative approach to additive manufacturing, wire-based 3D printing offers a range of benefits that set it apart from traditional powdered feedstock methods. Here are some of the advantages: