Markforged’s New FX20 3D Printer and Proprietary Materials Increase Markforged’s Addressable Market for Bigger, Faster, Stronger, and Heat Resistant Parts.

Markforged, creator of the integrated metal and carbon fiber additive manufacturing platform, The Digital Forge, is advancing its position as a leader in point-of-need production of industrial-strength end use parts with the FX20 printer. This new production-ready hardware prints the flame-retardant, high-performance thermoplastic material with ULTEM™ 9085 filament in combination with Markforged’s proprietary Continuous Fiber Reinforcement printing technology for high-strength, heat resistant, and higher performance parts that can meet the needs of the most demanding industries such as aerospace, defense, automotive, and oil & gas.

Built to scale distributed global production, the FX20 is precision-designed and sensor-driven to deliver breakthrough accuracy, quality, and reliability to fabricate parts directly at the point-of-need with the simple click of a button. As the biggest, fastest, and smartest 3D printer Markforged has ever produced, the FX20 pairs size and throughput to make larger parts at incredible speeds. This new technology, alongside high-temperature printing capabilities, elevates the Digital Forge platform from accessible industrial-strength composite manufacturing to robust production applications. The FX20 has a heated build chamber capable of maintaining up to a 200°C temperature and the capacity to print parts up to 525 mm x 400 mm x 400 mm in size. The FX20 is up to eight times faster than the default print settings on Markforged’s existing line of composite printers and prints nearly five times larger builds than its next largest printer, the X7.

Bringing together ULTEM™ 9085 filament with Markforged’s proprietary Continuous Fiber Reinforcement technology will help manufacturers move from augmenting manufacturing operations with composite 3D printing to replacing entire segments of the supply chain by bringing strong, accurate parts that solve demanding, end-use applications right where needed.

Vestas Wind Systems A/S , a global leader in sustainable energy solutions, plans to use the FX20 with existing Markforged composite materials and the new ULTEM™ 9085 filament with continuous fiber reinforcement to print stronger, higher volume parts.

“The Digital Forge has given Vestas a powerful platform to circumvent expensive, multi-step, and time-consuming conventional manufacturing methodology,” said Jeremy Haight, Principal Engineer at Vestas. “When you factor in design iterations, these conventional parts are obsolete in a year or two. With the FX20 and ULTEM™ 9085, we will be able to design and manufacture larger, stronger parts, press a button and take that part right off the print bed to use it immediately with the confidence that it is very durable and robust.”

Printing the ULTEM™ 9085 filament with Continuous Fiber Reinforcement expands the advantages manufacturers can realize through additive technology. Adding the FX20 to the Digital Forge platform addresses a broader set of needs and applications.

Markforged continues to build on our innovative legacy and lead the way in composite 3D printing—the future of manufacturing. With the releases of the FX20 and Continuous Fiber Reinforced ULTEM™ 9085 filament, we’re now fulfilling that promise to manufacturers who previously, in the most demanding environments, were unable to experience the benefits of the Digital Forge and our unique materials,” said Shai Terem, President and CEO of Markforged. “By helping move composites toward robust production, we’ll unlock more functional parts, made of stronger materials of even more impressive size, with applications from the factory floor to flight.”

The FX20 and ULTEM™ 9085 filament are expected to ship worldwide in the first half of 2022. FormNext attendees can see the printer at Markforged’s booth, 12.0 D01, from November 16-19. To learn more, please join us for “Introducing the FX20” webinar on Nov. 9 at 10 a.m. ET (USA time).

The ULTEM™ and 9085 trademarks are used under license from SABIC, its affiliates or subsidiaries.

For more information, specifications and an introductory video, visit: Markforged FX20 Specifications

In March of 2021, new legislation in Victoria demands that all residential tenancies be inspected and verified every two years by a licensed electrician to determine whether the installation and all of its accompanying equipment is in a safe condition for continued use.

Emona Instruments’ Metrel InstalTest XD is an ideal tool for sparkies needing an intelligent solution to this new requirement. It tests the electrical installation up to standard but with a unique feature called ‘auto sequences’, the life of the electrician is made much easier.

Check out the Spring 2021 Electrical Connection article at: Rental Laws Spark Demand in Services

The PicoScope 6426E USB Oscilloscope is a high-performance software-driven oscilloscope. As most of Silicon Chip’s experience is with standalone/benchtop type oscilloscopes, the publishers were very interested in trying it out when we offered them an evaluation unit.

Check out the review at: Silicon Chip August 2021 “PicoScope 6426E USB Oscilloscope Review”

Digital multimeters are one of the most widely used and trusty electronic test instruments. With a wide variety of market retailers and an extensive range of advanced products to choose from, buying a digital multimeter can be a daunting shopping experience. So, to help your buying process consider the following eleven factors which can help you select the best multimeter for your application.

1.Digital Multimeters Vs. Analogue Multimeters

Although a multimeter can be digital or analogue, the digital multimeter is the most modern and extensively used model.

Digital multimeters are more accurate than analogues, but in the past, they were not ideal for measurements that change rapidly. This is because digital multimeters must first take in analogue data and then convert to digital data, resulting in a tiny delay in readings.

Despite this drawback, and especially with improved update rates, overall digital multimeters are a much superior product in the modern world. They offer better accuracy, much easier interpretation of readings and added functionalities over an Analogue. Modern DMM update rates now vastly improved and functions such as analogue bar graph mode to emulate an analogue meter on even fast-changing signals.

Due to the high demand for testing equipment and digital multimeters, there are dozens of digital multimeters brands in the market, making selecting the finest digital multimeter for your needs difficult. Even if you don’t need all the latest advanced features, it’s a good idea to invest in a high-powered digital multimeter from a reputable manufacture to ensure your digital multimeter will last for many years to come.

2. Auto Range Vs. Manual Range

When comparing the auto and manual range multimeters, the auto range multimeter is far more user-friendly. But if you’re a newbie or on a tight budget, a manual range metre is the way to go.

Auto-range will connect to the device automatically and pick the required parameter to measure, then switch it on to display the reading/value on the screen, choosing the range on its own, without requiring manual adjustment.

For a manual metre, one must turn the knob every time, which is inconvenient when working with several components and quantities for a project. Using this manual metre while working with several components and values for a project is unproductive. As a result, the auto range is the ideal option for a majority of activities.

3. Accuracy and Handheld vs Benchtop

When taking multimeter readings, accuracy is defined as the maximum allowable error. Although most multimeters, particularly digital multimeters, will offer accurate reading values, it is necessary to examine them thoroughly before utilising the device in a project.

For example, a 0.5% DC volt accuracy with 4000–6000 counts are acceptable for many applications, but anything less than this indicates the digital multimeter is unreliable for professional readings.

If high accuracy is required and field or battery use is not essential, then a bench DMM may be considered. As in general, the main benefit of a bench DMM vs handheld is better accuracy, higher resolution, better stability, and features such as connection to a PC and 4 wire resistance measuring capability for measuring low resistances not possible on a handheld 2 wire measuring DMM.This is especially valid now where good quality bench DMM offerings from companies such as Rigol and GW Instek etc., are relatively low cost for the performance they offer.

4.True RMS

A True RMS DMM is an essential feature for accurately measuring AC voltages and currents in the “real world” with non-sinusoidal waveforms. The real world is full of AC powered devices that generate non-sinusoidal waveforms such as variable-speed motor drives, electronic ballasts, computers, HVAC, solid-state environments etc. An average reading DMM won’t work for these now typical applications. A rule of thumb – if the DMM spec doesn’t clearly state TRMS, it won’t be – it will be an average reading DMM.

5. Range Limits

We have no idea what specifications you’ll need for your projects, but before acquiring a digital multimeter, you should be aware of the device’s range limits. For example, if the metre can’t measure current in milliamps, the device can’t detect particular sensor current levels. When shopping, you should make sure you get a digital multimeter with ranges that will meet the needs of both current and future projects.

The following are some suggested digital multimeter ranges:

• Range for Resistance – Low Ohm to 20 MOhm
  
• Current Range – 10 uA to 10 A
• Voltage Range – millivolt to 600

​6. Resolution or Display Counts

The digital multimeter’s resolution, also known as display counts, refers to the total number of digits displayed, from lowest to highest. The best digital multimeter has a larger number of digits.

Reading resolution on a spec sheet can be confusing, so what exactly does 3 or 4 ½ digits, 5 digit, 5 ½ digit mean?Basically, a 3 ½ digit DMM can read 1999 on the display. The ½ digit is 1 maximum, so 4 ½ digit is 19999, 5 ½ digit 199999.

Resolution may also be displayed as “counts”, such as a 4000 count or 40000 count DMM. This just means first digit maximum is a 4, and all others can go to 9, so a 4000 count DMM can measure up to 4999.

In general, a high count is preferred but is more expensive and may not be needed depending on the application.

7. Features of Safety

Anyone working with electronic gear should always prioritise their safety. When searching for a professional digital multimeter to measure greater DC or AC voltages, safety features, particularly CAT safety precautions, should be required.

The rule of thumb here is the higher the CAT rating, the better the insulation of the unit and leads, and safer the unit is measuring higher voltages or currents where there is more power – e.g. overhead mains line work typically requires CAT IV. Working on electronic circuits may only need CAT I or CAT II. Also, with a specified CAT rating, there will be a Voltage quoted next to it, e.g. CATIII 600V or CAT III 300V. Selecting a meter based on a CAT rating really depends on what is being measured and where the measurements are taking place.

8. Input Resistance

A digital multimeter’s input resistance is the resistance it provides to a connected device across the probes. When measuring Voltages, a digital multimeter will perform better if it has a greater input resistance as this allows it to measure signals with minimal loading to the circuit under test. In general, 1MOhm or above is specified on all DMM’s for an optimal value for a digital multimeter input resistance.

9. Battery Time

When using the digital multimeter daily, a battery life of around 1000 hours would be preferable for the greatest results.

10.Versatility

When choosing a Multimeter, you will also want to select a unit with additional measuring capabilities for your own measuring application.

Measurement capability of things like battery test, diode test, temperature measurement, transistor test, and continuity test and functions such as analogue bar graph, auto-range, true RMS, PC interface with logging software may make it far more useful than a multimeter without these.

11.Price

Digital multimeters are available in a wide price range, ranging from $10 to $3500, depending on the bands and features offered. In addition, a higher-priced digital multimeter will have more durable and accurate findings than a lower-priced digital multimeter. While also, a workstation multimeter will be more costly than a portable multimeter.

Check how often you’ll be using a digital multimeter to see what features you will require. If you’re just going to use the digital multimeter once in a while, go for a lower-cost option. If you expect to use the digital multimeter more frequently, go for a more costly, more durable design.

Source Your Next Digital Multimeter at Emona Instruments

No matter if you need a digital multimeter for hobbyist requirements or professional applications, Emona Instruments stocks an extensive inventory of high-powered digital multimeters from industry-leading suppliers to suit any customer requirements. The digital multimeters Emona Instruments stocks includes:

• Rigol’s DM3000 Series benchtop digital multimeters – DM3068, DM3058 and DM3058E – are designed for efficient and accurate bench testing with added features great for production line applications.
• GW Instek provides high precision benchtop digital multimeters with industry-leading response times. Models include the GDM-8261A, GDM-8245 and GDM-8255A.
• Metrel offers a wide range of digital multimeter models, all suitable for virtually any general-purpose or hobby work. Including a pocket digital multimeter MD-1150, a range of handheld digital multimeters MD-9020, MD-9030, MD-9040, MD-9050 and MD-9060. Plus, an insulation and continuity digital multimeter MD-9070.
• Time Electronics offers the benchtop digital multimeter 5075, designed for precision, performance, and functionality, making them ideal for automatic testing and fault diagnosis.
• LT Lutron offers a Watt Meter digital multimeter DW-6163 for direct readings of AC WATT (true power) value.

Whether you are looking for high-quality electronic test and measure instruments, test and tag instruments, state of the art 3D printers, 3D printer accessories or engineering teaching & research equipment, Emona supplies only globally trusted manufacturers.

Emona Instruments caters for a range of budgets, functions and technologies, suitable for R&D professionals, production lines or the classroom. Each of our products, from digital multimeters, Markforged metal printers through to Formlabs SLA resin printers, the Emona team is ready to help you choose the best product for your application with expert advice.

Contact the friendly Emona staff for more information about our digital multimeter inventory or for any other technical support on (02) 9519 3933 or email testinst@emona.com.au

3D Printing is a popular and valuable technology in the hobbyist, design, and industrial worlds. As a dramatic departure from the traditional subtractive manufacturing technique, both at-home and industrial 3D Printers employ an additive manufacturing approach to create 3D objects layer by layer.

As a result, 3D Printing allows for quick prototyping, durable small-batch end-use parts and efficient tooling applications whilst lowering material and labour costs for both commercial and consumer applications.

But deciding on 3D Printers can be complicated, as there are various models available on today’s market – with each model offering unique features, positives and negatives depending on the user’s application. Significantly this article will dissect the few major distinctions between consumer desktop printers and lab-level industrial 3D Printers.

Hobbyist & Industrial 3D Printers: Ease of Use & Accuracy

Though home 3D printers are perfect for printing a few things like Baby Yodas. On a larger scale, hobbyist 3D Printers have print limitations (typically with tolerances of ± 0.5 mm), require frequent calibration, and frequent maintenance. For example, it’s common a user will have to reprint once, twice, three, or four times to get the 3D Printing 100% precise.

Thus, most home 3D printers can provide acceptable print quality; however, the results achieved are highly dependent on the abilities and experience of the person running the printer, and end-print models often take additional processing time.

Professional industrial 3D printers, on the other hand, are designed for reliability, speed, performance, and large batch printing. Even today, users of industrial 3D printers don’t require tons of complex training to operate the machine as most machines are so highly automated, they can run independently from the user.

While hobbyist 3D desktop printers are not far behind, industrial 3D Printers facilitates the printing of complex structures and allows for a smoother surface unmatchable to the hobbyist models. Industrial 3D printers deliver high accuracy mass printing with a minor error tolerance of up to ± 0.15 mm.

Hobbyist & Industrial 3D Printers: Applications

Although the ease of use of desktop and industrial 3D Printers differ, it is important to understand when the hobbyist desktop printer may be utilised more successfully than the industrial versions.

Most home 3D Printers are insufficiently robust for fast prototyping in industrial applications. Hobbyists and home users who want to produce replacement parts, personalised goods, toys, and ornamental objects are the target market for desktop 3D Printer. Thus, if you want to make a prototype, you may utilise a desktop 3D printer with a print accuracy of approximately 1 to 0.5 mm.

In contrast, industrial 3D Printers offer almost an endless supply of industry applications currently utilised in the aerospace, defence, medical, consumer goods, automotive, and architectural industries. If you want to create an object with the best dimensional accuracy, repeatability, particular material characteristics (such as high strength, temperature and chemical resistance etc.), and large dimensions (more than 200 x 200 x 200 mm), you will need to utilise an industrial 3D Printer.

Hobbyist & Industrial 3D Printers: Cost

The cost of desktop 3D printers and industrial 3D printer prices are a significant distinction when choosing between the two devices. With the growth in popularity of desktop 3D printers, the cost of owning and operating a hobbyist printer has dropped substantially. But as a buyer, you must not only consider the cost of the machine, but by the materials and maintenance, it requires. For example, well-made, better materials are less expensive because they tend to be replaced less often.

Furthermore, the best 3D Printer for you should be determined by which printer will save you money in the long term. For example, there is a way to save money in the long term by spending more initially, with the Markforged Mark Two.

Designers and engineers will use the Mark Two to substitute machined aluminium tooling with stronger parts for a fraction of the cost. Incorporating commercial 3D Printing with unique continuous carbon fibre reinforcement and distinctive software with flexible parts that are ready to use right away and have up to 26 times the strength of normal 3D printing products like ABS.

Thus, the best 3D Printer price depends entirely on what you wish to achieve. For factory and production manufacturing, High Accuracy, large format printers would best suit. For engineering designs, you’ll need to decide if a higher performance printer is worth the extra few thousand dollars. For smaller-scale shops like jewellery designers or sculptures, resin SLA printers can produce fine and intricate details.

Why Choose a Consumer/Personal/Hobbyist 3D Printer?

Consumer 3D printing seeks to mimic the professional 3D printing experience on a smaller scale and for a lower price. For basic applications, where a user has the luxury of time and tinkering, these are a great way to get your feet wet with 3D printing.

When used in a professional environment, however, these printers may provide somewhat underwhelming results. Due to the limitations of personal/hobbyist 3D Printers, these businesses will eventually need to switch to a professional FDM 3D Printer.

Why Choose a Professional/Industrial 3D Printer?

When you upgrade to an Industrial 3D Printer, one of the biggest improvements you’ll notice is the simplicity of usage. These printers are intended to be trade tools, and as such, they are meant to function perfectly right out of the box, set up to operate with the proper material immediately, so the user doesn’t have to worry about print failures, part performance, melt temperature, build tray preparation, etc.

Sourcing Commercial 3D Printers and 3D Printing Materials at Emona

Over the last few years, 3D Printing has advanced tremendously. As a result, the consumer 3D printing sector has expanded, offering various low-cost choices for enthusiasts and home users.

Professional 3D printers, on the other hand, continue to improve in terms of speed, dependability, and quality. As a result of these developments, the 3D printing market is anticipated to expand at a rate of 20% per year.

Hence, the potential of 3D Printing is still in its infancy; in the coming years, almost all industries and companies will use the technology to enhance their manufacturing and supply chains. Emona Instruments caters for a range of budgets, functions and technologies, suitable for R&D professionals, production lines or the classroom.

Whether you are looking for high-quality electronic test and measure instruments, test and tag instruments, state of the art 3D printers, 3D printer accessories or engineering teaching & research equipment, Emona supplies only globally trusted manufacturers. Emona caters for a range of budgets, functions and technologies, suitable for R & D professionals, production lines or the classroom. 

From Markforged Carbon Fibre Composite and Metal 3D Printers printing in stainless steel, tool steel, copper and Inconel, through to Formlabs SLA 3D Printers printing resin, the Emona team are ready to help with expert advice and benchmark sample part printing. Contact the Emona team for more information or technical support on (02) 9519 3933, email testinst@emona.com.au or visit www.emona.com.au/markforged.

Metal 3D printing has risen to fame as a game-changer of manufacturing, showing great promise and created public hype. Recently, metal 3D printing has become more available, scalable, and durable, providing enough tangible utility that most companies are beginning to incorporate the technology into their workflow.

But the technology is still relatively new, and there is much unknown about their complex systems, so let’s explore the four leading types of metal 3D printing processes and two world-leading metal 3D printing manufacturers offered at Emona Instruments.

Overall, in this article, you will learn about the technical and logistical advantages of using metal 3D printing – including how they work, their benefits, key considerations and where these technologies are used today.

Metal FFF 3D Printing

Metal FFF, also known as Bound Powder Extrusion, is the most affordable and safe metal 3D printing process currently available.

This method uses metal injection moulding media – metal powder bound together in waxy polymers – as a bound powder feedstock. Bound Powder Extrusion systems use a debinding system and a sintering furnace to completely convert printed parts into metal. Bound Powder Extrusion machines are suitable for a wide range of industrial applications due to their usability and a well-known design for the FFF process.

Metal FFF printers are relatively safe, requiring less PPE and training. With a high-first part yield, metal FFF offers a broader availability of material options than other metal printers. On the downside, Metal FFF carries some design and operation considerations. For example, the FFF process is not well suited to complex lattice structures

Powder Bed Fusion 3D Printing

Powder bed fusion is the most mature and widely used method of metal 3D printing. These systems work via a Laser or Electron Beam-mounted on the gantry, which precisely fuses the metal powder together, building the object powdered layer by powdered layer. After printing, end pieces are depowdered and post-processed as needed.

Powder bed fusion remains the market-leading metal printer since its manufacture over 20+ years ago, and the system can create components that none of the other Emona 3D Printers listed here can. From ultra-complex geometries, large parts, and large fully dense parts, to name a few. Although, powder bed fusion is expensive to acquire, install and operate, and requires a skilled operator to run with expensive PPE.

Powder bed fusion has been adopted by industries known for ultra-specialised, high-performance applications, such as aerospace, automobile, and medical. Slowly as more industries operate these types of machines, the increased competition will help drive more financially accessible machines.

Binder Jetting 3D Printing

Binder jetting is a new type of metal 3D Printer technology with many potentials. This system forms parts in a two-step procedure by adhering loose metal powder together using advanced liquid polymer binders, producing lightly bound parts that can be sintered in batches.

More specifically, an inkjet-style print head deposits a specialised binder on a bed of metal powder during the printing process. After each layer is printed, the system deposits more powder on top, equivalent to powder bed fusion, and repeats the print and spread process until the pieces are completed. Then the delicate parts are carefully depowdered before being sintered, where the binder is burned away, and the components are fused together to form entirely metallic sections.

While binder jetting machines are priced between Metal FFF and Powder Bed Fusion Printers, much is still unknown about the end parts’ durability, repeatability, and complexity constraints. Despite the unknown considerations, the binder jetting printing process is extremely fast and can fabricate many parts simultaneously, making these machines a great candidate for metal printing mass production.

Direct Energy Deposition (DED) 3D Printing

Powder or Wire fed DED machines use an Arc, Plasma, electron beam or Lasers to create a meltpool on the surface of a substrate. Powder or Wire feedstock is then fed into the meltpool to build up the part/feature at high deposition rates.DED machines are typically used for Prototyping, cladding, Repair, re-surfacing or feature additions.

The end results are often “Near Net Shape” lower resolution surface finishes that can be machined to a precision finish. As such, DED print engines are increasingly being offered with Machine Tool integration for Hybrid Manufacturing (Additive and subtractive).

Markforged Metal Printers

Emona Instruments is proud to be the leading Australian reseller of Markforged Industrial 3D Printers and 3D Materials. Markforged is one of the few 3D manufacturing companies leading the industry with the innovative technologies of metal 3D printers.

At Emona, we offer the Marforged Metal X, a Metal FFF printer that delivers a user-friendly end-to-end metal 3D printing solution that produces usable metal parts. The Metal X is the most innovative metal 3D printer on the market today. Even with limited training, users will be able to easily print a wide variety of materials, from stainless steels to copper.

The Metal X is made to be accessible and safe for all fabricators. It is 5-10 times less expensive than powder-based metal 3D printing systems, and it does not require a dedicated technician, powder management system, or specialised PPE. Markforged integrates best-in-class tech, materials science, and an integrated motion system to produce industrial-grade components consistently.

Optomec Metal Printers

Emona Instruments is also a proud supplier of Optomec Inc. who offers a full range of Laser Engineered Net Shaping (LENS) metal additive manufacturing solutions. Which use directed energy deposition (DED) high-powered lasers to build parts layer by layer directly from powdered metals, producing fully dense parts with excellent mechanical and durable properties.

LENS systems result in a high-speed, high-quality and affordable metal 3D printing process making complex metal parts easier, more precise, efficient and affordable to produce and repair. Direct Energy Deposition (DED) can be 10x faster and 5x less expensive than Powder Bed Fusion (PBF) for certain metal parts.

Optomec LENS systems are laser safe, atmosphere-controlled, robust multi-axis systems with additive or hybrid capabilities. Using “art to part”, Optomec metal printers offer a user-friendly interface, advanced tool path generation from CAD files, the ability to process non-reactive and reactive metals, familiar machinist G&M codes, advanced closed-loop software for process control.

Source 3D Printers and 3D Printing Materials at Emona

Hence metal 3D Printing is one to keep an eye on; their technology can decrease costs and improve efficiency at all stage of the production process. Be an early adopter of commercial 3D Printing with a state-of-the-art Industrial 3D Printer and high-quality 3D printing materials from Emona Instruments.

The potential of 3D Printing is still in its infancy; in the coming years, almost all industries and companies will use the technology to enhance their manufacturing and supply chains. Emona Instruments caters for a range of budgets, functions and technologies, suitable for R&D professionals, production lines or the classroom.

From Markforged Carbon Fibre Composite and Metal 3D Printers printing in stainless steel, tool steel, copper and Inconel, through to Formlabs SLA 3D Printers printing resin, the Emona team are ready to help with expert advice and benchmark sample part printing for your production 3D printing purposes. Contact the Emona team for more information or technical support on (02) 9519 3933, email testinst@emona.com.au or visit www.emona.com.au/markforged.

Manufacturers today face more pressures than ever before to produce innovative products at quick turnovers and low costs, in order to raise margins. While these problems have no easy solution, one device may help eliminate some of the stresses attached with such manufacturing concerns.

Especially for smaller businesses, it is likely they are wasting capital on outdated production methods. Typically, any stage of a manufacturing workflow can be improved by adopting in-house Industrial 3D Printers.

In particular, there are five major areas that can be made more cost-efficient with Industrial 3D Printers. Just look at the market leaders in your industry to see how 3D Printing can help you get ahead of the competition.

Depending on your product, industry, and scale of your business will decipher the best Industrial 3D Printer for your application. The most common type of 3D printer is a Fused Filament Fabrication (FFF) printer; this typical printer will fabricate your products at a fraction of the cost than a third-party service would charge.

1. Faster Product Turnarounds

In any product development cycle, there are always several iterations required before the final version of a product is delivered.

By outsourcing production or by using traditional manufacturing methods, the time required to produce that final version changes dramatically, with delivery, shipping, material availability, and lead times all significant costly factors.

Instead, in-house Industrial 3D Printers shortens prototyping times into a matter of hours, not weeks! Allowing inventions to get to market quickly and keep up with any necessary product changes. 3D printed designs are accurate and inexpensive to share with clients so they can validate the final product faster.

Rapid prototyping allows businesses to be more confident in their concept before investing in expensive mass-scale production with more costly materials.

2. Tooling is Printed In-House

Durable tooling – including jigs, fixtures, and gauges – is a critical aspect of any manufacturing process. Although, these manufacturing aids for traditional machinery are highly customised and expensive to produce, resulting in additional costs and longer lead times.

While Industrial 3D Printers also requires manufacturing tools, recent technology advances have drastically reduced durable tooling cost while accelerating processing times. Manufacturers now have a viable technology to cut the cost of their expensive tooling problems!

Clients can now affordably create customised tools for specific applications within a few hours. For example, instead of one part costing $1,000 to produce with traditional manufacturing, Industrial 3D Printed components can cost as low as $10 to fabricate.

3. Lower Material Quantities

Unlike traditional manufacturing processes, which typically produces a lot of wasted materials, Industrial 3D Printers only use the exact number of materials which is required for a product, as layer-by-layer Printing is more resource-efficient. Reducing the amount of materials required in a production process and obviously converts into pretty sizeable savings.

In addition, some industries like aerospace pay extra to produce lighter weight final products, because with traditional manufacturing, removing material weight is more expensive as additional work is involved like cutting and drilling etc.

Instead, with Industrial 3D Printing, there are no extra costs to produce a lighter product. In fact, the lighter the materials, the cheaper and faster the manufacturing process.

4. More Design Possibilities, Expanding the Audience

Industrial 3D Printing allows businesses to expand the shapes and geometries they can produce, which would be impossible to achieve with any traditional manufacturing process. Overall, expanding a business’s product creativity and forward-thinking whilst saving money.

A common example demonstrating the flexibility of 3D Printing designs is part consolidation, unlike conventional manufacturing, which requires several parts to be manufactured and then assembled together to produce the final product. Additive manufacturing allows for whole part printing, where even parts made of several complex components may be printed already enact.

Part consolidation methods used in this manner enable producers to gain considerable cost savings, including labour costs involved with assembly work, decreased manufacturing costs – as less or no extra parts must be procured and stored – and low inventory costs.

5. Less Manpower

Operating Industrial 3D Printer machines requires less labour than conventional production facilities. In reality, the majority of advanced 3D technologies are 100% computer-controlled. The number of staff required to operate or maintain a Industrial 3D Printer is often much lower; most printers are self-sufficient and can be run remotely.

While owners can take this advantage to reduce their employees and reduce salary costs, instead, staff can be put to better use elsewhere in a business, like expanding the brands reach or coming up with more products to bring to market.

Sourcing Commercial 3D Printers and 3D Printing Materials at Emona

Hence the cost-effective benefits of Industrial 3D Print can decrease costs at all stage of the production process. Be an early adopter of commercial 3D Printing with a state-of-the-art Industrial 3D Printer and high-quality 3D printing materials from Emona Instruments.

The potential of 3D Printing is still in its infancy; in the coming years, almost all industries and companies will use the technology to enhance their manufacturing and supply chains. Emona Instruments caters for a range of budgets, functions and technologies, suitable for R&D professionals, production lines or the classroom.

From Markforged Carbon Fibre Composite and Metal 3D Printers printing in stainless steel, tool steel, copper and Inconel, through to Formlabs SLA 3D Printers printing resin, the Emona team are ready to help with expert advice and benchmark sample part printing. Contact the Emona team for more information or technical support on (02) 9519 3933, email testinst@emona.com.au or visit www.emona.com.au/markforged.

The cutting-end technology of commercial 3D printers can be a truly great asset to your business, but alike all technology, it may not suit every business…

If correctly utilised by small businesses, there are an abundant number of benefits that can ensure business success. From reducing costs, optimised business efficiency and enhanced product construction, providing a competitive advantage ahead of industry competitors.

3D printing can allow a business to climb its industry, but the common misconceptions surrounding 3D technology often discourages small businesses and entrepreneurs. While some believe the technology is too futuristic, expensive and hard to use – but in reality, 3D technology is becoming more accessible, better quality and cheaper. With commercial 3D printers, your business uses fewer employees, less equipment, and fewer resources – keeping most of your manufacturing line in-house.

At Emona Instruments, we sincerely believe that most small companies should invest in 3D printing immediately, but don’t just take our word for it! We have put together this helpful guide to bust some of the myths surrounding the technology so you can discover if your business is suitable for 3D printing.

Since 2015, Emona Instruments has offered industry-leading Additive Manufacturing Products and 3D Printing Materials to industries Australia-wide, we know exactly how small companies could benefit from this form of technology.

For more expert knowledge, check out Emona’s recent article to discover how five early adopters of Industrial 3D Printers improved their business models and optimised their scope of production.

Optimised Production Lines

Without a doubt, 3D manufacturing makes production lines more efficient, 3D printing does not require a mould to create a product, so if a product requires any modifications, it can be completed easier with Production 3D Printers.

3D manufacturing makes mass-producing products possible with near-zero manual labour, thus creating the overall scope-of-product a much more affordable process. With no need to go through multiple middlemen and consultants to achieve a finalised product with commercial 3D printing. Soon the initial costs of a 3D printer will pay its self-off.

In addition, if in the rare situation where something goes wrong with your machine, replacing or fixing the broken parts of a 3D printer is a much quicker process than with traditional machinery, overall saving money and time.

More Advanced & Specialised Product Manufacturing

If your business is primarily based on creating customised products, 3D printing is the most beneficial type of technology for your business. With a build-on-demand business model, you can allow your customers to customise their product at any batch size, without many extra costs.

Product specialisation is one of the most significant advantages of additive manufacturing. Unlike traditional methods, the customisations of products are less expensive and take much less time with 3D printing. Achieving such mass-customisation into your production line expands the opportunities of your business.

Final products can be made more specialised with the accuracy of additive manufacturing which can create anything you can think of, and not just default designs. Even more complex geometries with impressive unique designs and special joints are easily accessible to 3D manufactures. For example, commercial 3D printers can create complex jigsaw-like structures which not just look good but allows your product to gain extraordinary strength and resistance.

In addition, Production 3D Printing can easily make your object weigh less, and innately your product will be lighter as the technology uses more lightweight raw materials to form the product. But other design tricks can be included in production to make the product even more lightweight – such as hallowing out your objects to make them less dense.

Better and More Affordable Prototypes

Often prototypes are essential marketing materials for businesses as they are used to attract investors and potential customers. Usually, this phase is costly and time-consuming, but Additive Manufacturing can fully optimise this process quicker and more efficient.

Prototypes are specifically beneficial to bring at trade shows and for in-store displays. Having a product sample allows your prospective clients to get a physical feel for your brand, helping you stand out from the competition. Showcase the functionality of your product without spending too much money with 3D printed prototypes.

Furthermore, with commercial 3D printers, you can create small-batch specialised products to bring with you to trade shows; for example, you can sell merch or create 3D business cards to give to potential buyers. Such little additions can make a big impression on clients and investors, ultimately representing your business as out-of-the-box creative, impressive, and a step ahead of your competitors.

Additive manufacturing will considerably improve your R&D process. The prototyping process is made more accessible and can significantly accelerate your whole product development. As a small company, you will be able to develop your project without wasting time and money.

Storage and Resource Reduction

In contrast to traditional manufacturing where the process begins with a large amount of resources requiring an ample space for storage, and then created into a product. Additive manufacturing only requires the exact amount of resources needed to create a product, optimising overhead costs and less physical storage space required.

Notably, for small businesses, storage is a common issue with expensive costs and the problem of sourcing enough physical space. Commercial 3D Printers allow for a mostly digital inventory and on-demand manufacturing, permitting a lot more feasibility within supply-chain management.

Sourcing Commercial 3D Printers and 3D Printing Materials at Emona

Particularly from a small business perspective, your customer base will be more satisfied with the benefits of 3D printing mentioned in this article, including the excellent quality of your product and the hyper-customisation when you work with additive manufacturing.

The potential of 3D printing is still in its infancy; in the coming years, almost all industries and companies will use the technology to enhance their manufacturing and supply chains. Be an early adopter of commercial 3D printing with a state-of-the-art 3D printer and high-quality 3D printing materials from Emona Instruments.

Emona Instruments caters for a range of budgets, functions and technologies, suitable for R&D professionals, production lines or the classroom. From Markforged Carbon Fibre Composite and Metal 3D Printers printing in stainless steel, tool steel, copper and Inconel, through to Formlabs SLA 3D Printers printing resin, the Emona team are ready to help with expert advice and benchmark sample part printing. Contact the Emona team for more information or technical support on (02) 9519 3933, email testinst@emona.com.au or visit www.emona.com.au/markforged.

If you are in the market for an industrial 3D printer, Emona has an extensive range of industry-leading brands. It is best to do extensive research before purchasing to get the best printer for your specific needs. We care about our customers, which is why we have put together everything you need to know about Emona’s leading 3D printing brands.

Formlabs 3D Printers

Formlabs develops high-performance 3D printing products and materials that continue to push the boundaries for 3D printing. The company is best known for The Form 3, which is the industry-leading desktop 3D printer powered by low force stereolithography and the first affordable large-format resin 3D printer.

Formlabs also develops best-in-class 3D printing software and 3D printing materials, including products such as the Form 2 SLA 3D printer, Form Wash and Form Cure post-processing solutions, Fuse 1 SLS 3D printer, and other factory manufacturing solutions.

Formlabs 3D Printers are designed to help you excel in your industry, bringing the power of advanced stereolithography to your desktop at a fraction of the cost-of-service bureaus or industrial SLA printers. Formlabs is the best professional 3D printer for:

• -Engineering and product design, to integrate reliable 3D printing products for a faster workflow with rapid custom prototypes.
• -Manufacturing, to optimise production processes. Create custom small-batch manufacturing items in a fraction of the time and cost of traditional methods.
• -Research and education, with on-demand experimentation for quick and easy hypotheses testing.
• -Model making and entertainment to capture incredible details with a beautiful surface finish.
• -Jewellery, to provide crisp details and clean burnouts, allowing flexibility of prototypes catering to indecisive customers.

Formlabs is particularly a market leader in the dental industry. For next-generation dental 3D printing ecosystem and certified workflows, from draft resin for rapid production of orthodontic models, permanent crown resin and soft tissue resin for restorative dentistry. Form 2 and Form 3 make high precision 3D printing affordable for dental businesses of all sizes, scalable production, and a fast return on investment.

Markforged 3D Printers

Markforged is changing the pace of invention with the digital forge, an intuitive additive manufacturing platform powering engineers, designers, and manufacturing professionals worldwide. Their products seamlessly combine best-in-class machines, software, and metal and composite materials to empower engineers and designers to go from a design to a functional part more efficiently.

Markforged 3D Printers include the Mark Two, the world’s first 3D printer capable of embedding continuous strand carbon fibre. The Onyx-One and Onyx-Pro, the most accessible desktop 3D printers designed uniquely to print beautiful carbon black parts. The Markforged X7 is the industry’s most powerful fibre composite 3D printer for industrial-scale projects. Finally, the Metal X is the world’s first Atomic Diffusion Additive Manufacturing (ADAM) machine.

Markforged has the most extensive online fleet of industrial 3D printers globally, with integration within many industries. Markforged 3D printers have:

• Improved Automotive manufacturing agility at every stage of a vehicle’s life cycle with an agile platform for digital parts fabrication.
• Unlocked innovative industrial equipment and customer experiences with smarter manufacturing.
• Designed robust product developments at the speed of software with cloud manufacturing.
• Optimise Aerospace part production and airframe performance with digital manufacturing.
• Enabled the federal and defence government entities to fabricate robust, accurate parts when and where they are needed.
• Maximised unique abilities within energy to manufacture functional parts in various chemically resistant, durable materials.
• Driven valuable learning and cutting-edge research through 3D printing safety and accessibility.

Optomec 3D Printers

With Optomec, the promise of high-volume additive manufacturing is a reality today, transforming how companies design, build and maintain critical parts and products and enabling new manufacturing possibilities.

Optomec’s production-ready Additive Manufacturing systems deliver cost savings and new possibilities. Most popularly their products include the Metal Lens 450, for entry-level & low-cost 3D printer. The Metal LENS MR-7 specially configured for rapid alloy development, functional prototyping and medium-size part repair applications. The Metal LENS 850-R is a large work envelope and 5-axis motion control system. The Aerosol Jet 200 Series Systems is the best benchtop solution for small scale 3D printing. Aerosol Jet 300 Series develops next-generation processes and devices. The Aerosol Jet 5X system is ideal for 3D Printed Electronics applications such as fully printed antennas, sensors, and Molded Interconnect Devices (MIDs).

Since 1997, Optomec systems have produced hundreds of innovative designs and products in markets, including;

• Reducing the life cycle cost of long-term asset management within the energy industry, like 3D additive repairs and condition-based monitoring.
• Producing next-generation medical devices, such as rapid home Covid tests and 3D surgical sensors.
• Rapid repairs and products of high-value auto and industrial components, such as 3D wear coating and generative designs.
• Producing low-cost, high-performance production and rapid sustainment within aerospace and defence, such as turbine blade repairs and embedded antennas and sensors.

Most significantly, Optomec is an industry leader in electronics, which enables product miniaturisation and the Internet of Things (IoT). Because Optomec enables the production of smart, connected devices with embedded electronics that meet the stringent size, functionality and cost demands of the market. Optomec provides unique advantages to the manufacturing of products in the emerging IoT space.

Sourcing 3D Printers with Emona

The potential of 3D printing is still in its infancy; in the coming years, almost all industries and companies will use the technology to enhance their manufacturing and supply chains. Discover how the early adopters of 3D printing have improved their business models and supply chain.

Emona Instruments cater for a range of budgets, functions and technologies, suitable for R&D professionals, production lines or the classroom. Each one of our products – from Markforged carbon fibre composite and metal printers printing in stainless steel, tool steel, copper and Inconel, through to Formlabs SLA resin printers, the Emona team are ready to help with expert advice and benchmark sample part printing. Contact the Emona for more information or technical support on (02) 9519 3933, email testinst@emona.com.au or visit www.emona.com.au.

3D printing and additive manufacturing industries have been refined and adapted for a larger market, making the technology more affordable, easier to use, and more capable. After becoming the go-to machine for hobbyists, 3D printers are now highly capable machines for industrial purposes, from aeroplane manufacturing, dentistry, jewellery and much more.

Integrating 3D printing into the business workflow improves product prototyping, development and production. Helping professionals reduce outsourcing costs and optimise manufacturing processes, leading to increases in sales and higher preforming business models.

Turn your conceptual ideas into tangible products with Emona Instrument’s industry-leading additive manufacturing products; the following article breaks down Emona’s top three types of 3D printers.

What is an FDM 3D Printer?

Fused Deposition Modelling (FDM), also known as Fused Filament Fabrication (FFF) is the most common form of 3D printing at the consumer level. It is often the first type of 3D technology people are exposed to.

In FDM printing, objects are built by melting materials through a heated nozzle, in a pre-determined method layer by layer. The primary materials used include thermoplastic filaments, such as ABS (Acrylonitrile Butadiene Styrene) and PLA (Polylactic Acid). The type of materials used will affect the mechanical properties, accuracy parts and total production prices.

FDM 3D printers are the most cost-effective way to produce custom thermoplastic parts and functional phototypes, best suited for prototyping and some non-commercial functional applications. FDM is fundamentally anisotropic, as its system produces vertically layer by layer; therefore, this type of 3D printing is not recommended for mechanically critical components.

What is an SLA 3D Printer?

Stereolithography (SLA) is the second most popular type of 3D printers on the market. SLA is a type of additive manufacturing that uses a light source – a laser or projector – to form liquid resin into hardened plastic. This 3D printing process has become popular quickly for its ability to produce highly accurate and high-resolution smooth surfaces. Fine features and mechanical attributes like isotropy, water tightness, and material versatility, can also be achieved.

However, SLA’s main benefit lies in its versatility, offering a wide range of optical, mechanical and thermal properties. SLA technology has come very far, with today’s small-format desktop printers producing industrial-quality objects, at substantially more affordable price points and unmatched versatility.

The Formlabs Form 2 3D printer is the industry’s leading desktop SLA 3D printer. With two high precision models, the Form series offers a high-quality surface finish that isn’t possible with other desktop printers. Emona is proud to be an authorised Formlabs Australian distributor. As well as the product, we provide factory-trained technical support and service to support your Formlabs investment.

What is the Best Industrial 3D Printer?

As 3D printers are popular among hobbyists for leisurely uses, it can be difficult to sift through the cheaper printers, to find a machine that fits professional and industrial needs. Emona’s range of 3D Printers and Scanners satisfies a range of budgets and requirements; stocking 3D printers capable of plastic, resin and even metal output so that you can create almost anything.

The best industrial 3D printer depends entirely on what you wish to achieve. For factory and production manufacturing, large format printers would best suit you. For engineering designs, you’ll need to decide if a higher performance printer is worth the extra few thousand dollars. For smaller-scale shops like jewellery designers or sculptures, resin SLA printers can produce fine and intricate details.

It is crucial to source a high-quality 3D printer and understand the quality of printing relies on the quality of your printers’ accessories and materials. With Emona’s large inventory of globally trusted 3D printers and market-leading 3D printing materials, it is possible to upgrade your printer to the highest quality.

Bringing 3D Printers In-House

While it has been common practice to outsource 3D printing to service bureaus or labs, this is only a beneficial option when printing is required occasionally or for one-off applications. With the growing demand for 3D production, outsourcing becomes expensive and no longer profitable. More and more companies choose to bring 3D printing in-house, as common printers have a fast turnaround time, allowing for quick design changes and cost savings.

Whether you are looking for high-quality electronic test and measure instruments, test and tag instruments, state of the art 3D printers, 3D printer accessories or engineering teaching & research equipment, Emona supplies only globally trusted manufacturers. Emona caters for a range of budgets, functions and technologies, suitable for R & D professionals, production lines or the classroom.

Each one of our products – from Markforged carbon fibre composite and metal printers printing in stainless steel, tool steel, copper and Inconel, through to Formlabs SLA resin printers, the Emona team are ready to help with expert advice and benchmark sample part printing. Contact the Emona for more information or technical support on (02) 9519 3933, email testinst@emona.com.au or visit www.emona.com.au/markforged.