Handddle, a developer of additive manufacturing smart production cells, announced a collaboration with Markforged (NYSE: MKFG), the company strengthening manufacturing resiliency by enabling industrial production at the point of need, to integrate The Markforged Digital Forge with Handddle’s micro-factories platform and other production process management tools via an application program interface (API).
Micro-factories are key to producing quality products at scale with additive manufacturing, where the manufacturing process can be affected by environmental conditions, such as temperature and humidity. Process monitoring records the entire manufacturing process and conditions of how a part is built, which is especially useful in standardizing production and improving process certification for highly regulated industries. Developing digital continuity between smart environments and the printers inside them is the next step toward a Factory Floor Revolution led by data-driven manufacturing strategies.
To address this gap, Markforged’s Eiger™ software platform and Handddle’s SMART FARM now connect to deliver a standardized micro factory-ready solution that is intended to enable users to produce complex parts in the same way, every time and in any type of environment on Markforged printers.
“Markforged is known for its 3D printing reliability and repeatability, enabling production of industrial parts at scale,” says Julie van der Hoop, Product Manager at Markforged. “However, some industries or critical parts require clear reporting on constant production parameters, event history and production data for certification before they can be put to end use. This integration is intended to make it seamless to import, slice, print, and monitor, with all of your production data in one place.”
The integration is designed to provide ex-situ process monitoring and inspection to automatically adjust environmental parameters in real time to achieve manufacturing efficiency and quality without production-disrupting events. The Handddle platform guarantees that printers are operated within Markforged standards and that parts are produced under optimal and consistent conditions.
This level of connectivity leverages production data from Markforged’s Eiger software, where the Handddle App intelligently automates process monitoring and management helping to solve the standardization, traceability and certification requirements of modern factories.
“Handddle is thrilled to collaborate with Markforged to extend API integrations for Handddle and Markforged users looking to achieve industrial efficiencies to address quality challenges in strategic markets.” says Dylan TALEB, Co-founder and COO of Handddle. “Thanks to this collaboration, manufacturers will be able to rely on an integrated solution to develop their knowledge and control of production processes with data to further empower their production capabilities and reach the highest results while using their Markforged printers.”
(PEM) Production Environment Management in Handddle APP platform with Markforged printers connected
“An integration that we were able to test at Gryp3D with ease of use and concrete results in production but also in business. Beyond saving time in managing daily external disruptions and improving our traceability, we have been able to show our strategic customers how we could control our production processes with an integrated solution,” explains Gauthier Laviron, CEO of Gryp3D.
Eiger is a cloud-based software application that enables manufacturers to produce 3D printed parts on demand, at the point of need. It drives a connected fleet of 10,000+ industrial 3D printers worldwide, providing automated workflows, real-time analytics and over-the-air device updates. Access to Eiger’s API is included for all customers of Eiger Fleet, Markforged’s enterprise software solution. For example, Eiger Fleet customers leverage the Eiger API to automatically print parts as they reach the end of their service life, or as part of a digital kanban inventory system.
The integration with Handddle provides Markforged customers the possibility to increase distributed manufacturing capabilities by duplicating identical production environments anywhere in the world.
Markforged and Handddle are each exhibiting at Formnext 15-18 November, and available to talk about their partnership. Handddle will be at booth C39 Hall 12.0 and Markforged will be at booth D61 Hall 12.0.