Onyx FR: Markforged launches flame-retardant 3D printing composite
Markforged has launched a new 3D printing material for industrial applications: Onyx FR, a flame-retardant plastic reinforced with continuous carbon fiber. The new material boasts strength and other mechanical features that make it suitable for use in the aerospace, automotive and defense industries, among others.
Following a recent funding round in which it raised $82 million, Massachusetts-based 3D printer manufacturer Markforged has already made good on some of it stated goals. Last month, for instance, the company opened its first international headquarters in Dublin, Ireland, marking a significant step ahead in its plans for global expansion. Now, the company has released a new industrial-grade material, following up on its plans to accelerate its product roadmap.
The material in question, Onyx FR, expands Markforged’s carbon fiber composite filament range for its industrial composite 3D printers. Unlike the existing Onyx filament, which combines nylon with chopped carbon fiber, the new Onyx FR is the first flame-retardant plastic with continuous carbon fiber.
The V-0 flame retardant 3D printing material boasts superior strength, print quality and surface finish as well as resistance to fire. This combination of qualities make Onyx FR suitable for a number of applications in the aerospace, automotive and defense industries—which often require that materials be flame resistant. The material was also designed to enable users to easily switch between different materials on the same 3D printer.
“Manufacturers choose Markforged because our industrial 3D printers deliver strong, lightweight end-use parts at significant cost and time savings,” said Jon Reilly, VP of Product at Markforged. “With Onyx FR, customers with automotive, aerospace, and defense applications can now make parts that meet fire safety standards. When these parts are reinforced with strands of continuous carbon fiber, they are as strong as aircraft grade aluminum at half the weight.”
The new material is available to Markforged customers as of today and can be used with its industrial series 3D printers. Onyx FR is available to order online for $229 per spool via Markforged or through one of its resellers.
