Markforged Wins ACMA ACE Award for Material and Process Innovation

Markforged Wins ACMA ACE Award for Material and Process Innovation

Markforged is proud to announce that the American Composites Manufacturers Association (ACMA) has awarded its Mark One Composite 3D Printer the prestigious ACE Award for Material and Process Innovation at the 2014 Composites and Advanced Materials Expo (CAMX) in Orlando, Fla. This recognition highlights the Mark One’s pioneering role in advancing composite manufacturing through continuous fiber printing.

Acclaimed Innovation at CAMX 2014

Mark One Composite 3D Printer honored for its groundbreaking technology and impact on the composites industry.

October 22, 2014, Somerville, MA – ACMA awarded Markforged the Award for Composites Excellence (ACE) in the Manufacturing category at CAMX 2014. The honor specifically acknowledges the Material and Process Innovation of the Mark One, the world’s first 3D printer capable of printing continuous carbon fiber, Kevlar®, and fiberglass.

“Every year, I’m so impressed by the talent and creativity that our ACE Awards winners possess,” said Tom Dobbins, president of ACMA. “I love to see how the members of our industry continue to push the boundaries and grow the industry through these amazing projects.”

The Mark One was engineered to produce parts with metal‑grade strength, leveraging a patent‑pending Composite Filament Fabrication (CFF™) print head alongside a standard Fused Filament Fabrication (FFF) head. This dual‑head system combines proprietary nylon with continuous fiber filaments to create functional composite components.

The ACE’s Material and Process Innovation Award recognizes a material or process that significantly improves manufacturing efficiency and product sustainability for a specific end‑use composites product. Entries must demonstrate better quality, lower production costs, higher production rates, or reduced lifecycle costs.

Markforged’s technology enables designers and engineers to 3D print composite parts that are up to five times stronger and twenty times stiffer than traditional ABS‑based prints. The ability to selectively place continuous fiber reinforcement within nylon matrices allows for precise control over material cost while eliminating the trimming, mold‑making, and curing steps typical of conventional composite lay‑up. “Many of our customers had never made composites before, and they are now using the Mark One to produce brackets, tooling, and fixtures that previously required aluminum,” said Greg Mark, CEO and Founder of Markforged. “It’s amazing to see the innovative parts people are creating with this new process.”

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About Markforged: Markforged was founded by MIT aerospace engineer Greg Mark, who leveraged his experience designing high‑performance composite race‑car wings to automate the composite lay‑up process. The company’s mission is to bring the speed, precision, and cost‑effectiveness of 3D printing to the world of composites. Learn more at markforged.com.

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

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

For more information or PR inquiries, contact: pr@markforged.com

About ACMA The American Composites Manufacturers Association (ACMA) is the world’s largest composites industry trade group, representing manufacturers, suppliers, distributors, academia, and end users. ACMA promotes the competitive advantages of composite materials, provides educational resources through CAMX and conferences, offers the Certified Composites Technician (CCT®) program, and advocates for standards, regulations, and policies that advance the composites market. Learn more at www.acmanet.org.