How Markforged Helps Canon Build Precision Tools Faster and Smarter

The Challenge

For Canon Inc., building ultra-precision products is both an art and a science. Many of their components used in advanced optical and imaging systems require machining accuracy at the nano level. But such precision is hard to automate and depends heavily on the skill and intuition of experienced workers.

This created a major bottleneck in their production process. The large, high-cost components (some as big as 2mx5mx3m) were difficult to handle, adding psychological and physical strain on the manufacturing floor. At the same time, the need for custom jigs, fixtures, and tools meant relying on external suppliers driving up costs and stretching lead times to over a month.

Canon wanted a faster, more flexible, and cost-effective way to create ultra-precise tools and parts without compromising on quality or safety.

The Solution

Canon first experimented with an entry-level FDM 3D printer for small items like tool cases and protective covers. The results were promising, but the parts lacked the precision and strength required for real industrial use.

That's when Canon decided to bring in the Markforged X7. This industrial-grade printer, capable of printing with Onyx and continuous carbon fiber reinforcement, offered the ideal balance of strength, accuracy, and reliability. It could produce resin parts with stiffness comparable to aluminum—perfect for Canon's ultra-precision environment.

By integrating the X7 into their workflow, Canon began producing custom tools, jigs, gears, and replacement parts in-house within one or two days, instead of waiting weeks for outsourced machining. The difference was immediate.

What changed for Canon:

• Faster turnaround: Procurement time dropped from over a month to just a few days.
• Massive cost savings: Custom part costs reduced to one-fifth of previous levels.
• Improved precision: High-strength Onyx parts delivered reliable dimensional accuracy.
• Employee innovation: Workers could now design and test their own improvement tools.

“The Markforged printer's strength and precision are exactly what we needed,” said a Canon production manager. “It lets us create tools we once thought were impossible—and we can do it safely, quickly, and accurately.”

The Impact

With Markforged's technology, Canon completely transformed how it designs, tests, and manufactures precision tools. What started as a simple attempt to reduce lead times evolved into a powerful innovation engine inside the company.

• Faster improvements: Ideas from the production floor can now be turned into functional tools almost instantly.
• Higher quality and safety: Replacing metal jigs with strong resin parts reduces the risk of damaging expensive components.
• Smarter manufacturing: 3D-printed parts enable new designs previously impossible with conventional machining.
• Empowered teams: Frontline workers now play an active role in innovation and tool development.

Canon's efforts were recognized internally, earning them the “Chie-tech Award” for outstanding innovation in low-cost automation.

A Better Way to Build

By adopting Markforged's 3D printing technology, Canon made its manufacturing process faster, safer, and more flexible. The company now designs and produces everything from measuring jigs to gears and protective tools—all with the same printers used for R&D.

This move has not only reduced costs and downtime but also encouraged a culture of creativity and continuous improvement. With Markforged, Canon's production teams can think freely, build quickly, and push the limits of precision manufacturing faster and smarter than ever before.