CAMBRIDGE, Mass., Feb. 20, 2014 /PRNewswire/ -- Three weeks after unveiling its revolutionary process to 3D print carbon fiber, MarkForged™ has officially released the Mark One™ 3D printer for pre-sale. The Mark One combines the limitless potential of 3D printing with the high-strength of carbon fiber. Its patent pending Composite Filament Fabrication™ (CFF™) process is the first ever to enable 3D printing of continuous carbon fiber. CFF parts are up to 20 times stiffer than ABS plastic, five times stronger, and have a higher strength-to-weight ratio than 6061-T6 aluminum.

"We removed the strength limitations of 3D printed plastic parts," said Greg Mark, founder and CEO of MarkForged. "We designed the Mark One so that your best ideas come to life with the click of a button at your desk. And not just in form, but in function."

This breakthrough enables designers to 3D print functional parts that would otherwise need to be CNC machined.

"The magic is in the printhead," continued Mark. "The Mark One uses a dual extruder system that combines traditional 3D printing and CFF printing within a single part. Designers can choose between lightweight carbon fiber, low-cost fiberglass, or the newly announced Kevlar® for puncture and abrasion resistance. The printer also supports traditional 3D printing (FFF) with nylon and PLA plastic."  

The Mark One is available for $4,999 through a limited pre-sale, and will start shipping in the second half of 2014. Visit http://markforged.com for more details.

About MarkForged:
MarkForged was founded by an MIT aerospace engineer - the kind of person who loves pushing the envelope. After years of designing and manufacturing high-performance composite race car wings at Aeromotions, Greg Mark realized that he could use 3D printing hardware to automate the composite layup process. He assembled a team of the best and brightest out of MIT, and MarkForged was born.  

MarkForged is backed by North Bridge Venture Partners and Matrix Partners.

Watch the story behind the Mark One: http://youtu.be/Y5wjjDBdgeE

SOURCE MarkForged