Onyx
Two years ago, Markforged, made its debut with the Mark One 3D printer, a desktop machine that could print with high-strength materials like Carbon Fibre and Kevlar. Now after the launch of its second-generation Mark Two, the desktop machine manufacturer is breaking new ground once more with its new Onyx nylon material.
Designed for use in the Mark Two Enterprise system, Onyx nylon promises high-performance, finished parts with matte black aesthetics brought about by embedded carbon micro fibres which enhance performance and resistance and can be used right off the build plate.
“After hundreds of broken beams and countless reformulations, we've created a new material that raises the standard for strength and accuracy,” remarked Markforged's Chief Scientist Tony Gozdz, “Onyx has more than three times the stiffness of ordinary nylons, and with a heat deflection temperature of 145C, Onyx is perfectly suited for vehicles, machinery, and automation equipment.”
One of the first people to get hold of Onyx was Autodesk CEO, Carl Bass, who used it to develop parts for his autonomous go-kart project. Carl commented: "Now, all of a sudden, you can get great engineering materials, with the properties that you would want in finished products, and that's really going to be a game changer.”
Markforged
Onyx
Example of Onyx applied in end-use applications.
Alan Rencher of Media Blackout, a specialist in customised professional video added: “It's a stiffer material, the edges are true...parts look better and they fit together better. I think we're going to never look back with this new material... it's helping us make parts that are direct sale to market.”
As far as cool use cases go, two fighting robot teams, Team SawBlaze and Team Overhaul, are fans of the new material and both teams have chosen to use Onyx to build their custom combat robots soon to appear in a televised competition. “This material is fantastic... my team and I are impressed,” Jamison Go of Team SawBlaze, commented. “The dragon head functions as a protective cover and aesthetic. We expect this part to take a lot of abuse, which attests to the confidence we have in this material.”
Onyx is available on Markforged's Mark Two Enterprise Kit. The Enterprise Kit includes; a wear-resistant print head compatible with advanced new materials such as Onyx and High-Strength, High-Temperature Fiberglass; software features such as single sign-on, two-factor authentication, and an organisational admin portal; and early access to future materials.
