Markforged Releases Inconel 625, The First Safe and Affordable Superalloy for 3D Printing

WATERTOWN, Mass., Sept. 24, 2019 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Markforged, the leading provider of metal and carbon fiber 3D printers, has announced that Inconel 625 is now available with the Markforged Metal X system. The new, easy-to-print material is highly resistant to corrosion and high temperatures, and is used for applications that are exposed to harsh environments seen in the chemical processing, offshore, and aerospace industries. 3D printing Inconel 625 safely and at an affordable price with Markforged reduces lead times and part costs, thereby dramatically expanding the applications for Inconel parts by eliminating many challenges engineers face when using it.

Markforged 3D printed crucible clip on the left, DMLS 3D printed crucible clip on the right

“Inconel is traditionally a difficult and expensive material to work with. Before Markforged, many would have to wait for a contract supplier, invest significantly in mold creation, or purchase a powder-based process that requires intensive facility build-outs and highly trained technicians,” said Jon Reilly, VP of Product at Markforged. “Now manufacturing Inconel is fast, safe, and affordable.”

 Inconel in Production

Nieka Systems — a manufacturer of sample preparation equipment for the mining and cement production industries — is using Inconel 625 in its automated equipment that converts ore or cement samples to glass discs. The company has 3D printed Inconel crucible clips to hold samples in place while rapidly and repeatedly cycling between high and low temperatures. The team can now print the same batch of parts in-house 10x cheaper and in just a few days instead of waiting four weeks for the 3D printed parts to be delivered from a third-party supplier.

“Investing in the Markforged Metal X system to print with Inconel in-house was a no brainer,” said Louis Croisetiere, PhD, Founder of Nieka Systems. “For production needs alone, the time, effort, and cost savings were unbelievable. The metal finish is stunning, and it’s easy to upload the part, get the print running, and if we print five or 10 parts on Monday, we’ll be able to use them a few days later.”

 Material Benefits

The addition of Inconel 625 rounds out an unmatched lineup of Markforged materials for safe metal 3D printing, including 17-4 PH Stainless Steel, H13 Tool Steel, A2 Tool Steel, and D2 Tool Steel. Available for immediate purchase, Inconel 625’s corrosion-resistant properties make it an ideal choice for applications exposed to extreme environments, and printing it with the Metal X system provides the following benefits:

Rapid, Affordable Production – Compared to outsourcing, 3D printing Inconel reduces the lead time of producing a part to just a few days and at an affordable price point.

3D Print In-House – Markforged customers can safely print Inconel 625 in-house, while other metal 3D printing processes require hazardous powders, specialized rooms, and highly trained staff to operate.

Create Geometrically Complex Parts – Inconel is difficult to machine, but Markforged removes that barrier with metal 3D printing and expands applications that were otherwise impossible to manufacture.

Source: GlobeNewswire