Markforged Simulation is a new 3D print simulation software that offers a fast and automated way to validate your parts before you print them. It does this directly in your Eiger workflow and works with all Markforged composite 3D printers. Say goodbye to irritating iterations and hello to pristine parts.
If you work with 3D printing of critical components – like tooling, robot grippers or end-use parts, we’ve put together a nifty guide to Markforged Simulation. Read it to learn:
- What problems Simulation solves
- The benefits of Simulation
- How Simulation works
- How manufacturing companies are using Simulation
- How you can try Markforged Simulation
WANT TO TRY MARKFORGED SIMULATION RIGHT AWAY?
The new 3D print simulation software is available immediately as a free trial to anyone with a Markforged Eiger account. If you don’t yet have an Eiger account, sign up to access Simulation for free.
Simulation is currently available as a free trial until April 2023, and will then shift to a paid subscription service.
What problems does Simulation solve?
When you 3D print parts for tooling and demanding end-use applications in your Markforged composite printer, you want to be absolutely sure that you get the intended strength and performance of your part.
Before Markforged Simulation, the only way to know the performance of your printed parts was usually through one of these three challenging processes:
- Resource heavy design-print-break test cycles that affected lead times, required a lot of material, and required extra manual work to follow detailed testing protocols
- Lengthy and expensive analysis that required specialized expertise and costly software
- The need to overbuild your parts with a lot of infill density and reinforcing fiber
What are the benefits of using Markforged Simulation?
When you use the new 3D print simulation software, you can quickly and automatically validate your printed parts and their performance. It allows you to print parts that are optimized for whatever demanding application you want to print. The in-slicer Simulation feature in the software means you can say goodbye to irritating test cycles, costly analyses, or having to overbuild parts with too much material just to be on the safe side.
In essence, the benefits can be summed up as follows:
- Simulation gives you the confidence that your 3D printed parts will have the strength required for your industrial applications. Powerful simulation technology that’s optimized for additive manufacturing lets you virtually test parts. It means you don’t have to guess when you’re setting your print parameters to meet your performance requirements.
- With Simulation you can deliver trusted parts faster by reducing design-print-test iteration cycles and rework delays. Unlike traditional simulation tools that need specialized expertise and time-consuming analysis, Simulation is integrated into Eiger and streamlined for additive manufacturing so you can test parts within your familiar slice and print workflow.
- Simulation helps you save money on each part, by automatically optimizing the amounts of material and continuous fiber reinforcement needed. This means no more material wasted by effortlessly applying settings that optimize to meet your needs for strength, cost, and print speed. When you can replace the typical 5 to 25 iterations of trial and error printing with virtual testing, you can save hundreds or even thousands of euros per part.
- Lastly, a positive consequence of using Simulation is that you can replace more metal printing with fiber-reinforced plastic parts. When you have that detailed knowledge of what performance you can achieve before you 3D print, you start seeing opportunities in more places.
How does 3D print simulation software work?
When you use the new 3D print simulation software, you can easily validate part strength and stiffness. The software gives you suggestions for optimized print configurations to reduce print time or material costs.
With performance, cost, and time-frame requirements in mind, you can quickly:
- Press Validate after identifying anchor and load surfaces, entering values for loads, Factor of Safety, and Max Deflection (stiffness) to run a simulation that determines whether your part passes or fails
- Press Optimize to run multiple simulations that generate alternative print configurations that prioritize faster print time or less material while ensuring performance requirements are satisfied
- Press Print to fabricate the current configuration, or after applying one of the alternative part configurations
WANT TO TRY MARKFORGED SIMULATION?
Simulation is available immediately as a free trial to anyone with a Markforged Eiger account. If you don’t yet have an Eiger account, sign up to access Simulation for free.
Simulation is currently available as a free trial until April 2023, and will then shift to a paid subscription service.
How are manufacturing companies using Simulation?
Larsen Motorsports, a research and development center for high-performance vehicles, is using Simulation from Markforged to improve the designs of steering wheels in its jet engine drag racing vehicles.
The stock aluminum steering wheels which they’ve historically purchased and then modified (in a lengthy process) are shaped for much larger hands than those of rookie House of Kolor-sponsored dragster driver, Josette Roach — putting both safety and performance at risk. Larsen Motorsports began exploring the benefits of using 3D printing to print new steering wheels that could 1.) provide a better grip, and 2.) quickly implement important design elements missing in the stock aluminum part that would otherwise take weeks or months to arrive.
Timing is everything. Before races, Larsen needs to be ready with the best possible equipment to maximize safety for drivers and put them in a position to succeed. Supply chain delays — here, long lead times for necessary modifications — jeopardize Larsen’s ability to stay ready. Looking for a reliable and repeatable solution to ongoing supply chain delays, Larsen Motorsports explored Markforged’s Simulation feature through beta availability.
Simulation enabled Larsen to improve the design and optimize the print configuration of an Onyx steering wheel with Continuous Fiber Reinforcement (CFR). Physical testing of the 3D printed steering wheel confirmed that it had the strength and stiffness needed to replace the aluminum stock parts. Ultimately, this allowed them to deliver the high-performance parts they need faster — in this case, steering wheels they trust to keep their drivers safe and allow them to perform.
Watch the Markforged Simulation webinar
Want to learn even more about Markforged Simulation? Watch this webinar whenever you want to.
