Siemens + Markforged: A Partnership That Adds Up

The latest advances in additive manufacturing — like fiber-reinforced composites and safe, printed metal — are accelerating the use of 3D printing technology in industrial settings. Siemens AG, a pioneer in additive adoption, has found opportunities to integrate Markforged and its technology in a diverse set of applications — on factory floors, in product collaborations and even as an investment strategy.

With a common goal to drive productivity and innovation in industrial operations, Siemens and Markforged are dedicated to finding creative ways to further the industrialization of additive technology.

Below is a summary of the partnership and five ongoing engagements between Siemens Gas and Power, Siemens PLM, Siemens investment arm Next47 and Markforged.

Markforged joins Siemens foundation partnership program, integrating Siemens’ NX™ software and Markforged’s additive software, Eiger

Industrial manufacturers creating cutting-edge products are frequently using generative design and performance analysis tools to optimize designs and accelerate the product development process. The primary result of these simulations are parts that can only be produced through additive manufacturing. With the integration of Siemens’ NX™ software and Markforged’s cloud-based software, Eiger, companies will be able to design highly innovative parts made of metals, advanced composites, and carbon fiber-filled plastics with the most advanced design tools and then seamlessly print those parts with Markforged’s additive manufacturing systems.

Read the full announcement here.

A new kind of “power” tool: how Siemens Gas & Power supports production with additively manufactured tooling

Siemens opened their first 3D printing workshop in Finspång, Sweden, as an integral part of the gas turbine manufacturing business. Recently, engineers in Finspång additively manufactured a specially designed fuel injector nozzle, but found that conventional tooling could not hold the bespoke nozzle while it was being machined post production. The team utilized their Markforged industrial X7 printer to fabricate fixtures out of Onyx to hold the nozzle in place without damaging it. “With Markforged technology, the design and the production of the holding devices was significantly faster and still strong,” says Andreas Graichen, Group Manager at the Additive Manufacturing Centre of Competence at Siemens Finspång.

Read the case study

The Future of Siemens’ Additive Manufacturing Network

Industrial customers are ingenious, solving some of the world’s toughest challenges with their complex products and solutions. The supply chain required to support those products tends to be even more intricate. These complexities make additive manufacturing an appealing solution for speed and agility, but it layers on another technology to implement. Siemens’ recently introduced Additive Manufacturing Network seeks to intelligently connect ecosystems and simplify supply chains with a system that promotes training, use and access to additive manufacturing — like Markforged’s additive systems.

Siemens’ Gas & Power Engineers: Applying Markforged Technology to Cut Lead Times and Drastically Reduce Tooling Spend‍

Engineers at Siemens Gas and Power in Florida often need to cut into gas turbine housings with a circular saw. The housings are contoured, so a flat-plated circular saw would not suffice. The team initially purchased standard circular saws and waited up to three weeks for a custom tool. This was not an optimal solution, so the team turned to their Markforged X7 printer to print the circular saw components. The team not only reduced the time it took to make the tool, but also saved an estimated $8,000 on one custom circular saw alone. “We can now make parts that we haven't been able to make in traditional ways of manufacturing,” says Sam Dicpetris, an engineer at Siemens Gas and Power in Orlando.‍

Read the case study

Markforged and Next47, defining the future of manufacturing‍

First announced in 2017 and then again in March of 2019, Siemens’ global venture firm, Next47, has invested millions in Markforged. Together, we are defining the future of manufacturing.

From Siemens’ manufacturing facility use cases to product collaborations, we are just at the beginning of a promising partnership. We look forward to exploring new collaboration opportunities with Siemens’ businesses.

Request a free sample part