Markforged recently launched new versions of existing materials, Onyx FR-A and Carbon Fiber FR-A, designed specifically for aerospace and other highly regulated industries.
Aerospace, automotive, defense, and other similar highly regulated industries are about to have more options when it comes to 3D printing with carbon fiber materials. Markforged recently launched its Onyx FR-A and Carbon Fiber FR-A, both of which were specifically designed to be aerospace-ready.
“Markforged believes in a future that is more than metal,” said Shai Terem, Markforged president and CEO. “We have long supported the aerospace industry and have parts in-flight today. There is a multi-decade trend underway to transition parts from metals to advanced composites, which are lighter and offer greater efficiencies. Our deliberate move to support innovation in aerospace mitigates risk for these manufacturers and helps get additive parts in the air faster by simplifying the part certification process.”
Since 2013, the company has continuously pushed additive manufacturing capabilities, providing manufacturers with opportunities to minimize costs associated with using metals—shorter lead times, reduced labor, supply chain issues, etc.—while still achieving end-use parts that have the required finish and durability.
The use of carbon fiber in aerospace and other industries is nothing new. It started being used for aircraft construction in the 1970s and has continued to work its way into other manufacturing. Known for being lightweight yet incredibly durable, the material has enabled more aerodynamic and fuel-efficient aircraft and vehicles. It is also corrosion resistant, chemical resistant, and temperature resistant.
With all those bonuses, it took decades for additive manufacturing technologies to catch up. Markforged made it a mission, which the company achieved by enabling the use of carbon fiber materials in an array of parts. For manufacturers, it means fewer parts are needed, since carbon fiber composite molds can be designed with combined parts while weighing much less and allowing for more flexibility in design.
“In aerospace, it’s important to have quality parts we can adapt on the fly to make any changes the customer requests,” said Jeff Pike, Cabin Management Solutions (CMS) vice president of engineering. “Using Markforged printers and materials offers us ways to create low-volume, high-value luxury cabin parts faster and at the point of need. This results in lower costs and accelerated lead times, and with material traceability in place, it will enable us to move even faster in our development process and free up resources to focus elsewhere.”
Faced with OEM legacy vendors going out of business and other challenges associated with traditional manufacturing methods—especially since its products are housed in multiple enclosures of different sizes—Texas-based CMS has been using Markforged’s printers and materials to create luxury cabin parts for business and private aircraft. By using Onyx FR, a certified UL 94 V-0 rated flame-retardant nylon filled with micro carbon fiber in accordance with CFR 25.853, the company has been able to develop more than 100 end-use parts that are ready for installation.
The new materials will further advance end-use parts manufacturers, especially when it comes to the strict regulations. While Onyx FR-A and Carbon Fiber FR-A are currently available, Markforged has gone a step further and is working with the National Center for Advanced Materials Performance (NCAMP), part of the National Institute for Aviation Research (NIAR) at Wichita State University, to qualify them for use in flight. The Federal Aviation Administration and the European Union Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) accept composite specification and design values developed using the NCAMP process. The two new materials have already passed the factory audit phase, which began in early 2020. To pass that phase, they had to be approved by NIAR and a steering committee with experts from academia to aerospace to defense.
Although in-flight parts may still take time to achieve their own certification while the qualification program is being completed, the new materials have already proven their ability to take carbon fiber to new heights. The materials are based on the original Onyx FR and Carbon Fiber FR. The latter is a variation of Markforged’s Continuous Carbon Fiber and has the capability to yield parts as strong as 6061-T6 Aluminum when reinforcing Onyx FR.
Flame-resistant Onyx FR-A is a micro carbon fiber-filled nylon ideal for parts that must be non-flammable. The original Onyx earned a UL Blue Card and has been deemed self-extinguishing at thicknesses of 3 mm or above. Carbon Fiber FR-A is used to reinforce parts. During printing, a second nozzle lays the material inside the part.
The A versions have been designed to be in accordance with Flame, Smoke and Toxicity (FST) testing. According to the company, when combined, “they have passed Flame tests that surpasses CFR 25.853 specifications at 3.7 mm thickness with the exception of heat release. The Smoke test passed CFR 25.853 specifications at 3.7 mm thickness but not at 2 mm thickness. Combustion toxicity test performance passed Boeing BSS 7239 Flaming specifications at 2mm thickness.”
Both materials can be used on the Markforged X7. This innovative printer has an industrial print mode that offers versatility. It features advanced sensors, micron-level laser scanning for closed-loop calibration, and the latest software to enhance accuracy and reliability. It has the capability to print carbon fiber reinforced parts in hours, as well as produce highly repeatable parts that are strong and have a prime surface finish. Onyx FR-A can also be used on the X5 and X3 printers. All three machines provide options to “programmatically trace curved features, reinforce holes and mimic unidirectional fiber layups.”
The materials were made for material traceability, which is a vital component in many industries. Whether an in-flight entertainment system or vital parts, it means that all the materials that are used to create the part have traceable records from material makeup to final destination. For industries like aerospace, it means parts being more streamlined through the FAA approval process.
Once the materials achieve NCAMP certification, it will save time, minimize risk and provide peace of mind that certified materials are being used. NCAMP maintains a database of materials that manufacturers and other agencies can access. This means that instead of a manufacturer having to qualify an entire material system, they can get the information for each material much more easily. For materials makers like Markforged, it means more easily getting innovations to the market that are already certified for use.
Along with diligently making new materials, Markforged has also been hard at work upping its printer game. In June, the company released three additions to its Digital Forge line: the Metal X (Gen 2), Next Day Metal, and the X7 FE. The company also has plans to continue working with NCAMP as it pushes new boundaries of next-gen materials, further enhancing process for manufacturers.
