Markforged has announced three key additions to its Digital Forge additive manufacturing platform: the Metal X Gen 2, Next Day Metal, and the X7 Field Edition.
These new hardware and software releases are built to help manufacturers reinvent the way they overcome global supply chain challenges by producing parts efficiently and safely at the point of need. Whether on a factory floor or in the most remote areas of the world, these advances are designed to enable manufacturers to recover faster when parts break, operate with less on-hand inventory, and minimise equipment downtime.
The Metal X Gen 2 builds on the legacy of its predecessor, the original Metal X System released in 2017, by pushing the boundaries of what’s possible in printing complex, industrial-grade metal parts with key hardware developments that improve user experience and increase operator safety to make metal printing even easier. New features such as an external seven-inch touchscreen, door position sensors and additional chamber insulation make the Gen 2 even more energy- and time-efficient than before.
Markforged has also released Next Day Metal across its entire global fleet of metal printers. This over-the-air software update unlocks print speeds up-to twice as fast as before to produce high-quality, strong metal parts. Wash and dry times – an essential step in metal 3D printing – are now more accurate for smaller parts, shortening the required debind cycle time. These factors, combined with an approximately 17-hour small parts express run on the Sinter-2 post-processing oven, can give manufacturers the parts they need more quickly, and thanks to increased capacity on each printer, it allows them to scale their additive manufacturing operation.
Supply chain and manufacturing challenges relying on The Digital Forge are not limited to the factory floor. The X7 Field Edition (X7 FE) allows Markforged technology to be deployed in the most demanding environments in every corner of the world, helping engineers, operators, and service members reinvent the way they tackle global supply chain challenges.
The X7 FE is a ruggedised, field-deployable industrial 3D printer for tactical response to inventory challenges in remote locations, as utilised by the US Marine Corps XFAB program. The X7 FE is equipped with a rotomolded high-impact polyethylene Pelican case to protect it during transportation through harsh environments. The case contains all the tools, spare parts, and materials required for maintenance and repair operations in the field. Customers can drop the unit directly into harsh environments like combat zones and exploration sites and be printing in less than two minutes.
“Manufacturers are up against many challenges in today’s market – from supply chain challenges like rising supply costs and shipping delay,s to increased pressure from the market to innovate faster and stay ahead of the competition,” said Shai Terem, President and CEO of Markforged. “Since Markforged shipped our first printer, we’ve been committed to quality and continuous improvement, always looking for simpler, smarter, and more robust ways to empower our customers to build anything they can imagine. The addition of the Metal X (Gen 2), Next Day Metal, and the X7 FE to our Digital Forge are important steps towards reinventing manufacturing today so that we are all more resilient tomorrow anywhere in the world.”