Markforged Launches Short-Cut Glass Fiber-Filled Nylon for Multi-Color Industrial Tooling

Manufacturing engineers and tooling designers engaged in color-coded tooling and fixtures, mistake-proofing systems, and safety sign design can now use Markforged’s short-carbon-fiber-filled nylon material—Onyx GF™. This material is available in six colors: red, yellow, blue, green, gray, and white. As an upgraded version of the Onyx™ series, it incorporates functional color masterbatch directly into the base material during production, eliminating the need for post-processing steps such as spray painting, labeling, or other secondary finishing operations.

No secondary surface treatment required

In high-paced production environments, color is the most intuitive and reliable visual marker for conveying critical production information. It can be used for hazard warnings, parts classification, and production line differentiation, without relying on operators’ memory or the assistance of traditional signage for identification.

Because the color is integrated directly into the base material, Onyx GF™ requires no secondary surface treatment. Color-coded jigs and fixtures made with this material can support 5S workplace management and visual management systems, allowing operators to identify at a glance the corresponding process, part version, or production line for each fixture.

Markforged's Fused Filament Fabrication (FFF) Business Manager Jon Bond stated, "Introducing colored materials in the workshop is not just for aesthetics; it helps customers significantly improve production efficiency, operational safety, and error-proofing. Previously, manufacturing companies often had to choose between materials with industrial-grade performance like Onyx or standard plastics like ABS and PLA, which are brittle and have lower strength. Onyx GF™ completely eliminates this trade-off. It retains the reliable mechanical properties users trust while providing the rapid identification advantages of functional color, helping companies implement standardized visual management smoothly across the entire facility."

Industry-specific application areas

Aerospace and Automotive Manufacturing

In production workshops implementing a Foreign Object Debris (FOD) prevention and control management system, the use of high-contrast color-separated components enables faster, easier, and more reliable detection of foreign matter.

Food, Beverage, and Pharmaceutical Industries

This type of workshop implements zoned isolation and control standards. Color-coded tooling fixtures can restrict tools to designated areas of use, reducing the risk of cross-contamination and mixed use of materials across different zones.

Workshop safety production

High-visibility red and yellow workwear can alert operators to pay attention to hazardous equipment, robotic workstations, or confined workspaces, reducing reliance on traditional warning signs.

Continuous fiber reinforcement achieves strength performance comparable to aluminum.