Robotics & Automation News

Market trends and business perspectives

Climbing Mount Everest with 3D printed parts

Björn Lindwall, CEO and founder of SolidEngineer, climbed Mount Everest using custom 3D printed parts made of Markforged Onyx material.

Ahead of the climb, Björn sat down with some of his team members to look at the equipment he would need.

Satellite communication was key for the expedition, so Björn set to work with one of his engineers to design a housing for the satellite communication equipment, along with updated crampons for lighter weight.

As a Markforged partner, SolidEngineer had access to several Markforged printers, making the task of designing, prototyping, and fabricating the end-use parts far more simple.

For the satellite communication boxes, the team had to create a housing that could withstand the freezing -40 degrees C temperatures and high altitudes of Mount Everest, as well as the multiple hits it would take while being pulled up the mountain.

The box was fabricated out of Onyx, a carbon fibre-filled nylon material that can retain a decent amount of strength at low temperatures.”

Summit-backed Markforged’s industrial-strength 3D printing technology is designed to withstand the elements of the production floor – and Mount Everest.

Print Friendly, PDF & Email