Case Study: Lean Machine CNC achieves precise milling and 75% cost savings with Markforged

Lean Machine CNC - Customer Case Study

Lean Machine CNC, a metal fabrication shop in Saskatoon serving the commercial transportation and mining sectors, needed to mill cantilevered steel workpieces but found standard Kurt vises forced the stock to be clamped 12–14 inches from the cutting area, increasing machining time and reducing accuracy. Building a custom metal vise wasn’t justifiable at an estimated $6,000, so the team turned to Markforged and its Mark Two 3D printer to develop an alternative.

Using the Markforged Mark Two, Lean Machine CNC printed more than two dozen continuous carbon fiber–reinforced components combined with off-the-shelf hardware to create a low-profile custom vise and soft jaws that clamp 1.5 inches from the end of the extrusion. The Markforged solution shortened lead time from 3 weeks to 1 week (66% time savings), cut cost from $6,000 to $1,500 (75% cost savings), provided non-marring, fluid-resistant, and accurate parts, and enabled the shop to take on more complex jobs.

Lean Machine CNC

Josh Grasby

Engineer