Obsidian-GF is a glass-filled PA6 formulated to print using standard Onyx settings. It is an excellent replacement for Markforged Onyx that offers many long-awaited colors in an engineering-grade material.
PA6 reinforced with obsidian glass fiber
Obsidian-GF Glass Fiber Reinforced PA6 Filament is formulated to provide rich color options in an engineering-grade material for your Markforged printer. Obsidian-GF is a low-cost drop-in Markforged Onyx alternative suitable for all Markforged printers. We developed this material after extensive analysis and testing on our in-house Markforged printer and many external beta testers. The result is a seamless printing experience that produces parts with great looks and excellent mechanical properties. Made using high-quality chopped glass fiber and PA6 copolymer, Obsidian-GF is an excellent alternative to Onyx that allows our customers to choose bright colors, excellent mechanical properties, and save money when using their Markforged printer.
Don't have a Markforged printer? No problem: Obsidian™-GF is also compatible with all non-Markforged printers capable of printing on PA6+GF. Take advantage of the excellent strength, stiffness and appearance of this specialty material without spending too much on Markforged Onyx™.
Benefits of Obsidian™-GF PA6+GF
- Drop-in for Onyx™ with no changes required to print settings
- >9 bright colors
- >9 More ductile (less brittle) than CF-reinforced PA6/li>
- >30% savings vs. Markforged Onyx™
- Excellent strength and rigidity
- Resistant to aliphatic hydrocarbons (oil/gas/lubricants)
- Superior dimensional stability (low warpage/shrinkage/CTE)
Obsidian™ was formulated to be a drop-in for Onyx™ without any changes to print settings.
Recommended print settings for unmarked printers:
- Extruder: 265-285°C
- Bed temperature: 90-110°C
- Nozzle: We currently recommend a hardened steel nozzle
- Bed Prep: Magigoo Bed Prep and 3DXTECH Polyimide Tape
- Heated room: recommended
- Supports: AquaTek™ USM X1 Universal Water-Soluble Support Material is designed to work with complex models
- Drying instructions: 90°C for 4 hours if the filament shows signs of moisture
Glass fiber reinforced filament
What is it? - Glass fibers reinforced into the polymer during production and aligned along the axis of the filament. This, combined with their physical composition, gives this material enormous strength and mechanical properties.
What does it do? - The glass fiber reinforcement gives the material many desirable properties: high strength, high stiffness, high chemical resistance, and low thermal expansion
How does it work? - Reinforcing plastic with glass fibers produces a 3D printing filament that features the best properties of both the glass fiber and the chosen plastic.
What is it good for? Ideal for all applications that require strength and rigidity. For these reasons, glass fiber reinforced filament is very popular in the automotive, mechanical, civil engineering and research sectors.
Abrasive material
This material is particularly abrasive among 3D printing filaments. Users may find that standard brass nozzles chew up very quickly over standard wear. Once worn, the nozzle diameter will expand inconsistently and the printer will have extrusion issues.
For this reason, it is highly recommended that you print this material through a hardened steel nozzle rather than a softer metal. Hardened steel nozzles can often be inexpensive and easy to install, depending on your printer manufacturer's instructions.