The Material Revolution
Carbon Fibre 3D Printing has fundamentally changed the manufacturing landscape. For years, additive manufacturing was limited to brittle plastics like PLA and ABS—great for visual models, but useless for load-bearing parts. That era is over.
At Brainchild, we utilize the Markforged ecosystem to print composite parts that rival the strength of aluminium (6061-T6) while weighing half as much. This isn’t just about making “prototypes” anymore; it’s about utilizing Carbon Fibre 3D Printing to create functional end-use parts, jigs, and fixtures that go straight onto the factory floor.
How It Works: Chopped vs. Continuous Fibre
To understand why these parts are so strong, you need to understand the two ways we reinforce them.
1. The Base: Onyx by Markforged (Chopped Carbon Nylon) Most of our high-strength parts start with a material called Onyx. It is a nylon base filled with micro-strands of chopped carbon fibre.
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The Benefit: It provides excellent surface finish, high heat resistance, and is roughly twice as strong as standard ABS. It effectively replaces machined Delrin or Acetal.
2. The Reinforcement: Continuous Fibre (CFR) This is the game-changer. We can selectively iron distinct strands of continuous composite fibres inside the part during the print process—acting like steel rebar inside concrete.
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Carbon Fibre: For highest strength-to-weight ratio (stiffer than aluminium).
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Kevlar: For parts that need to absorb impact or flex without snapping.
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Fibreglass: A cost-effective alternative for general strength.
Real-World Applications
Why are engineers in the Hunter Valley switching from CNC machining to Composite Printing?
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Soft Jaws & Fixtures: We can print custom jaws for CNC vices that are strong enough to hold metal stock but soft enough not to mar the surface.
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End-of-Arm Tooling: For robotics, weight is everything. A lighter gripper means the robot can move faster or lift heavier payloads. Carbon fibre parts cut the weight drastically compared to metal.
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Corrosive Environments: Unlike aluminium, Carbon Fibre Nylon doesn’t rust. It’s ideal for chemical or saline environments often found in mining and processing.
These applications prove that Carbon Fibre 3D Printing is no longer just for prototyping—it is a viable manufacturing solution.
The Cost & Time Equation: Printing vs. Machining
When engineers consider Carbon Fibre 3D Printing over traditional CNC machining, the biggest advantage is often not just the material properties, but the logistics.
1. No Minimum Order Quantity (MOQ) Machining a single custom soft jaw or jig requires setup time, CAM programming, and machine operation. This makes “one-off” parts expensive. With 3D printing, the effort to print one part is the same as printing ten. We can go from CAD file to finished part overnight without the high setup fees.
2. Complex Geometries for Free In CNC machining, complexity costs money. Undercuts, internal channels, and organic shapes require 5-axis machines or multiple setups. In Carbon Fibre 3D Printing, complexity is free. We can print internal honeycomb structures to reduce weight without sacrificing stiffness—geometry that is physically impossible to machine from a solid block.
3. Lead Time Reduction If a line goes down at a mine site in the Hunter Valley, waiting 3 weeks for a machined spare is unacceptable. We can often turn around high-strength composite replacements in 24-48 hours, getting critical machinery back online days faster than traditional supply chains.
The Verdict
The technology has matured. We are no longer asking if we can print strong parts, but which metal parts we can replace to save you weight and lead time.
Need a high-strength part? Upload your CAD file for a free assessment. We can simulate the fibre reinforcement and give you a strength estimate before we even hit print.
