MarkForged Leads Innovation at South‑Tec 2023: Carbon‑Fiber Composite 3D Printing Takes Center Stage

From October 26th to 28th, Senior Applications Engineer Dan Topjian and the 3HTI team showcased MarkForged’s cutting‑edge composite 3D printers at the South‑Tec manufacturing show in Charlotte, North Carolina.

South‑Tec, a premier regional event that spotlights CNC machining, laser metrology, robotics, and advanced manufacturing technologies, drew thousands of industry professionals. While several additive‑manufacturing vendors were present, MarkForged was the sole exhibitor offering a composite 3‑D printer capable of embedding continuous strands of carbon fiber, Kevlar®, and fiberglass.

Three Key Attendee Segments

• Visitors with no prior 3‑D printing experience, curious about its potential applications.
• Novice users who have printed once or twice but don’t own a machine.
• Seasoned practitioners eager to explore the unparalleled strength of a printer that composites continuous fiber strands.

Dan noted, "The elegance of the printer itself, the part quality, and the mechanical strength left many visitors astonished. Those accustomed to PLA or ABS simply couldn’t believe the results they saw.”

Showcase of Composite Jigs, Fixtures, and Tools

The display table featured a range of reinforced components: fiberglass‑reinforced jigs, Kevlar®‑reinforced fixtures, and a variety of tools. A toy‑prototype manufacturer was particularly impressed by the robustness of the composite parts, which outperformed ABS in their kid‑powered prototype tests.

Racing support teams also took notice, remarking on the absence of traditional post‑processing steps—no ovens, no epoxies, no safety equipment—yet achieving exceptional strength. For these users, the MarkForged system presented an effortless path to high‑performance composite parts.

Another highlight was the ability to print parts with internal cavities, enabling seamless integration of hard‑mounted hardware and electronics. This over‑printing capability allows designers to create finished products that already contain embedded components.

Attention‑Grabbing 3‑D Printed Drone

Bruce from 3HTI proudly displayed an in‑house engineered drone, a striking example of the printer’s versatility. Dan commented, “We were the envy of our aisle.” For more details, read the full story on our blog post.

We extend our gratitude to Bruce Bodnyk, Joe DeCarlo of 3HTI, and Dan Topjian of MarkForged. All images are courtesy of Dan Topjian.