EXBuild Blog

When it comes to large-format 3D printing, the possibilities are vast. Whether you need rapid prototyping or custom manufacturing of end-use parts, large-format printing is revolutionizing industries like aerospace, automotive, construction and more. But with so many printers, materials and technologies to choose from, it can be overwhelming to select the right platform for your business. At EXBuild, we’ve done our research, carefully selecting top-tier technologies that deliver exceptional results for a wide range of applications.

In Fall 2023, we launched FX10 as a next generation composite printer. We promised modularity, but didn’t specify what modularity meant. Now, we can clarify. The modularity we were promising was Metal FFF capability – making FX10 the first industrial printer capable of printing composite and metal parts. FX10 was designed from the ground up to bring this dual capability to customers. In this blog post, we’ll talk about what it took to create the first industrial metal and composite 3D printer, and what it means for you as a potential user.

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:

An interesting project came to EXBuild when a good customer picked up an old wheeler. They wanted to utilize the accessory racks on the wheeler. They just could not find any mating accessories they liked. We looked it over, listened to what they wanted, took a few measurements and  quoted this project.

Mark Two and Onyx Pro Turbo Print is a new 250 µm layer height print mode for Gen 2 Mark Two and Onyx Pro printers that results in print speed increases of up to 2x compared to 200 µm print settings. Print speeds up to two times faster means parts are delivered quicker, printer throughput is increased, and design iterations are completed sooner, resulting in more value and increased ROI.

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.

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?

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.

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.