As a business invests in 3D printing, owning multiple types of printers provides a significant edge. The combination of a Photocentric resin printer and a Markforged carbon fiber printer creates a dynamic production environment, enabling you to take on various challenges. Here’s why you should consider having both in your shop:

1. Diverse Material Capabilities

Each printer serves distinct material needs. Photocentric resin printers excel at producing highly detailed and smooth parts due to their pixel ratios. On the other hand, the Markforged carbon fiber printer can create extremely strong, lightweight parts using continuous fiber reinforcement. By having both, you cover a wide range of part requirements, from finely detailed prototypes to durable, load-bearing components.

Tip: Use the resin printer for aesthetic prototypes or mid quantity production, while using the Markforged CFR technology to reduce weight and maintain strength.

Resin prototype printed on Photocentric Magna (20x11x5")

2. Increased Production Versatility

The Photocentric printers offer a great alternative to parts that would typically be injection molded or thermoformed. Surface finish is crucial in these applications and most prototype parts look as good as the production tooling would produce. Mid to low level life quantities are also another thing offered by the Photocentric. The cost of hard tooling in most cases can be eliminated. 

The Markforged printers, on the other hand, allow you to produce durable, end-use parts. The CFR process prints parts that can withstand an impressive amount of mechanical force. An often overlooked high value application is form tooling for tube bending die blocks and press brake tooling.  Tools can be printed in days for a fraction of the cost of traditional tool steel components. Fixtures for secondary operations, inspection and end of arm tooling for robotic applications are also something a Markforged printer can provide. 

Tip: The balance and versatility of having both a Photocentric and Markforged printer gives you the capabilities to adapt to more projects across a wide array of industries. 

Mid-low level part quantities mass produce on a Photocentric Magna

3. Faster Iteration Cycles

In product development, speed is critical. Resin printers like Photocentric's and Markforged's FFF with CFR enable you to quickly prototype and test designs for form, fit and function. Printing parts at less than half the weight of their aluminum counterparts but just as strong provides a significant advantage. So depending on if finish or part strength is your focus, having both a resin and FFF printer in your shop will give you the versatility to choose the process that best fits your needs at the time. 

Tip: Print quick, accurate prototypes with resin for testing and validation, then switch to carbon fiber for parts that need strength, longevity and performance. Having both gives you the ability to adapt to every situation. 

Hybrid metal insert added to a Markforged CFR striped tool

4. On-Demand Tooling and Jigs

The Markforged printer's strength makes it ideal for producing jigs, fixtures and other custom tooling. These components are essential for many manufacturing processes. Being able to print them on demand reduces downtime and dependency on external suppliers. Quite often Markforged printed tooling can turn weeks of waiting for custom tooling for tube benders, press brakes, fixtures and end-of-arm-tooling from weeks into days. The final version of the tool might still be tool steel, but by being able to print a functional version will speed up design time and help fill in gaps when the steel production part is being made.

With Photocentric's advancements in high temp resins, there are far more options now available for casting operations by utilizing hybrid casting designs. The external tooling can use standardized  steel components that accept printable inserts that can be changed quickly to test a new part design or just a couple quick shots of a new product. Conformal cooling is much easier to produce with additive manufacturing, with resin printing offering accurate, watertight parts with higher detail.  

Tip: Surface finish treatments can be applied either in your CAD software or by the printing software, giving you more control over the quality of your final part.

Custom storage solution created using a Markforged FX10

5. Problem Solving Beyond Part Creation

Your 3D printers can solve much more than just part production. Think about the other ways your facility could benefit. Do you need custom holders or organizers for tools? Resin printers can create aesthetic and perfectly fitting storage solutions.

A large automotive manufacturer customer of ours has a fleet of Markforged printers dedicated to exclusively to simplifying all aspects of their automotive assembly line. Employees can submit a production request they feel would improve speed or quality of the process they perform, and then ideas are sorted, researched and applied in a matter of days. Not only is the manufacturing process improved, but employee satisfaction gets a boost as well. 

Tip: Try reaching out to some of your employee's about wish list items they wish they had to streamline their work day but aren't readily available. A quick design markup and you might be able to create a custom version and print it yourself. 

Conclusion

By implementing more than one additive manufacturing technology to your print lab you can expand your production versatility and improve your bottom line. Photocentric's resin printers and Markforged's CFR printers offer unique capabilities and expand your options to implement and additive solution with great ROI. Whether you are looking to create functional parts, improve your workflow or solve everyday challenges in the shop, these printers complement each other very well and offer immense value. 

Not sure you need both printer's but still want to take advantage of their unique capabilities? Click the link down below to find out how EXBuild can help supplement your printing needs.