BigRep Just Scaled Up Continuous Carbon Fiber for 20x Stronger Parts
Berlin-based BigRep and Endless Industries are bringing continuous carbon fiber reinforcement to the BigRep IPSO 105, targeting stronger large-format parts at lower cost than traditional composite manufacturing.
BigRep has teamed up with Berlin-based start-up Endless Industries to present a large-scale alternative to the industry-leader in continuous carbon fiber 3D printing, Markforged, specifically its FX20.
The BigRep dual-extruder IPSO 105, which has a build volume of 400 x 600 x 440 mm, can be equipped with Endless Industries’ continuous fiber reinforcement technology, which includes software, print heads, and materials. The IPSO 105 has a wider Y dimension and slightly taller Z than the FX20, which for some long fixtures or flatter tooling, may be more useful.
Unlike Markforged’s technology, the BigRep/Endless partnership features pre-impregnated continuous fiber filament, often shortened to prepreg CFF. This is a composite filament in which a continuous reinforcement fiber is already combined with a polymer matrix before it reaches the print head. Because the fiber is already combined with the polymer, the printer does not need to separately feed fiber and molten plastic, like Markforged.
CCF Parts, 20x Stronger than Unreinforced Thermoplastics
According to the companies, the combined system can produce large-scale parts reinforced with continuous carbon fiber economically, meaning super strong, load bearing components with up to 20 times higher strength compared with unreinforced thermoplastics.
“After two years of joint development, we’ve reached a level of technological maturity that will redefine the role of continuous fiber in industrial 3D printing. Now is the right time to bring this innovation to market,” says Thomas Janics-Jakomini, CEO of BigRep. In fact, the system is not available yet, but will roll out in Europe this summer with a global expansion in 2027–2028.
CCF is not an upgrade add-on to the current IPSO 105 — it’s a completely separate machine — but the next generation of the machine will feature it as an option.
Potential applications include high-strength jigs and fixtures that can replace metal or CNC-machined parts, lightweight aerospace components made from high-performance materials, and custom medical or orthopedic devices such as orthoses and prosthetic components.
Continuous Fiber Meets Large-Format AM
The companies are positioning the technology for larger-format composite parts. Although the IPSO 105 supports a broad open-material list including PA6, PA12, PC, PEKK, TPU, and filled variants, the continuous carbon fiber is only available with PETG at the moment with Pa6 said to be in development.
Endless Industries’ proprietary “Akio” software platform is used to optimize fiber architecture with in the print, placing fiber only where needed. Akio turns a standard STL file into a higher-performance 3D model by automatically generating carbon fiber structures inside the object instead of requiring users to manually plan and design internal reinforcements.
“By combining automatic fiber generation with detailed visual analysis, Akio makes internal structures easier to understand and evaluate from an early stage,” according to Endless Industries. “Users gain a clearer view of how reinforcement is built into a part, helping them assess results with more confidence.”
This transparency reduces uncertainty throughout development and creates a stronger basis for refinement, testing, and production. Especially for high-performance parts, that added clarity is a meaningful advantage.
BigRep’s announcement comes without a lot of details, including price, but we expect more to be released in the coming months.
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