Built to be the ultimate machine on the production floor, the ALTRA 280 is the answer for the most demanding applications for industries ranging from aerospace, military, and defense to automotive. It features top-of-the-line specs such as a fully enclosed high-temperature printing environment, up to four state-of-the-art DSX extruders, an open material system compatible with BigRep and third-party filaments, and a massive build volume making it a mighty production beast.
Awhile back we had a customer reach out asking us to help create a failure point in a part for a robotic application. At their facility they manufacture custom robotic lines that are manually loaded with dissimilar parts by operators. Occasionally a part fixture is loaded incorrectly, it would then cause a collision between part and robot arm or EOT. When this happened, it could lead to major downtime dependent on what collided. The operators had to wait while maintenance determined what was broken. Then if we have the necessary parts and a service technician to repair it.
A few years ago I started watching machinists on YouTube and became enamored with the trade. I enjoyed watching the process of slowly carving away material to make a part, it was very satisfying. I also liked the idea of being able to make metal parts, so late last year I decided to turn my fascination into a hobby and I bought myself a used mini lathe. Since the lathe is so small, any stock sticking out of the chuck more than half an inch starts to wobble.
Innovation in manufacturing has always been a dynamic field, continually pushing boundaries and redefining what’s possible. One such breakthrough is the integration of fiber layups with BigRep 3D printed parts. This fusion of traditional composite manufacturing techniques with cutting-edge additive manufacturing opens up a world of possibilities, offering unparalleled design freedom, structural integrity, and efficiency.
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.