Markforged introduces Simulation software to Digital Forge
November 16, 2022
Markforged, Watertown, Massachusetts, USA, has announced the release of new simulation features for its Additive Manufacturing software. Simulation will be available as a free trial to anyone with a Markforged Eiger until April 2023, and as a paid subscription thereafter.
Incorporating Additive Manufacturing into tooling and end-use applications requires confidence in part strength. By replacing slow and costly testing cycles with virtual testing, Simulation is intended to enable manufacturers to expand their use of AM into the most demanding production applications.
Larsen Motorsports builds jet engine drag racing vehicles that hurtle past 280 mph – but the stock aluminium steering wheels are shaped for much larger hands than those of their award-winning driver, Josette Roach. This puts both safety and performance at risk. Larsen Motorsports used Simulation to design and additively manufacture a Continuous Carbon Fiber reinforced Onyx™ steering wheel strong enough to replace aluminium.
“We can now test it with Simulation, iterate and keep iterating until we get a design we’re happy with,” stated Brian Tocci, Director of Operations, Larsen Motorsports. “We don’t have to print ten different parts. We can do it all in Simulation.”
Unlike traditional software tools, Simulation is designed for AM and works within the Eiger™ slice and additively manufacture workflow. Any user can validate part strength and stiffness through virtual testing by identifying anchor and load surfaces, then entering values for loads, factor of safety and maximum deflection. Users can then optimise parts by automatically determining build settings for floors, walls, infill and fibre reinforcement to achieve cost and speed goals while maintaining adequate strength.
“Simulation enables our customers to adopt The Digital Forge deeper into their manufacturing operations by replacing more mission-critical tooling and end-use metal parts with validated and optimised 3D printed advanced composite parts with Continuous Fiber Reinforcement,” stated Shai Terem, president and CEO of Markforged. “Cloud-based software innovation like Simulation is core to our mission to bring industrial part production to the point of need.”
Markforged is present at Formnext in Hall 12, E38.
