By Tom's Guide / Jill Scharr | Tech Media Network (Tom's Guide)
Carbon fiber's strength and lightness have made it the material of choice for everything from spaceships to computers to violins. But so far, there hasn't been a 3D printer that can print in carbon fiber — until now.
The Mark One, announced yesterday (Jan. 28), is a compact but high-end 3D printer designed to print objects as large as 12 by 6.25 by 6.25 inches, all in carbon fiber. Developed by startup company MarkForged, the Mark One is not yet available for preorder, but will retail for about $5,000.
Aside from carbon fiber, MarkForged says the Mark One can print in fiberglass and nylon, both extremely tough materials frequently used in architectural and engineering projects.
However, the Mark One can also print in PLA plastic, one of the cheapest and most common 3D printing materials on the market. It's likely that many engineers will like the Mark One's ability to do prototyping in PLA, and then move on to finished pieces in more durable, expensive materials.
According to MarkForged, the printer will be able to achieve a layer resolution of up to 100 microns for materials such as plastic and nylon. For composite materials such as carbon fiber, which is actually a polymer material reinforced with very fine carbon fibers, the resolution is 200 microns.
Instead of using auto-leveling, the Mark One's print bed positions itself with specially designed kinematic couplings that let it click into the correct position within 10 microns. That's particularly useful for when you need to print the same design multiple times.
The average user might not have much use for the Mark One yet, but at a size of about 2 feet by 1 foot by 1 foot, this 3d printer was designed to easily fit on a desk or in a work space.
The Mark One will appeal most to prosumers and professionals who want 3D printers for more than just prototyping.
Carbon fiber's strength and lightness have made it the material of choice for everything from spaceships to computers to violins. But so far, there hasn't been a 3D printer that can print in carbon fiber — until now.
The Mark One, announced yesterday (Jan. 28), is a compact but high-end 3D printer designed to print objects as large as 12 by 6.25 by 6.25 inches, all in carbon fiber. Developed by startup company MarkForged, the Mark One is not yet available for preorder, but will retail for about $5,000.
Aside from carbon fiber, MarkForged says the Mark One can print in fiberglass and nylon, both extremely tough materials frequently used in architectural and engineering projects.
However, the Mark One can also print in PLA plastic, one of the cheapest and most common 3D printing materials on the market. It's likely that many engineers will like the Mark One's ability to do prototyping in PLA, and then move on to finished pieces in more durable, expensive materials.
According to MarkForged, the printer will be able to achieve a layer resolution of up to 100 microns for materials such as plastic and nylon. For composite materials such as carbon fiber, which is actually a polymer material reinforced with very fine carbon fibers, the resolution is 200 microns.
Instead of using auto-leveling, the Mark One's print bed positions itself with specially designed kinematic couplings that let it click into the correct position within 10 microns. That's particularly useful for when you need to print the same design multiple times.
The average user might not have much use for the Mark One yet, but at a size of about 2 feet by 1 foot by 1 foot, this 3d printer was designed to easily fit on a desk or in a work space.
The Mark One will appeal most to prosumers and professionals who want 3D printers for more than just prototyping.
