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Manufacturing · head to head

ABB 800xA vs Markforged Eiger

ABB 800xA logo

ABB 800xA

Manufacturing

Distributed control system and process automation platform for continuous and hybrid process plants

From
On request
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
Markforged Eiger logo

Markforged Eiger

Manufacturing

Free cloud print preparation for Markforged printers, because the money is in the hardware

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Only Markforged Eiger has a free tier, so it costs nothing to try first.
  • Each has a real cost: ABB 800xA licensing is by I/O count, controller count and workplace clients, and none of it is published, so two plants of similar size can be quoted very differently with no external benchmark to argue against.; Markforged Eiger eiger only drives Markforged printers, so the free software is a lock-in mechanism; the moment you want a different machine none of your prepared parts or fibre routing transfers.
  • They diverge on capability: ABB 800xA covers Extended Automation, Markforged Eiger covers Continuous fibre routing.
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 1 September 2026.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which ABB 800xA and Markforged Eiger actually diverge.

Attributes where ABB 800xA and Markforged Eiger differ
AttributeABB 800xAMarkforged Eiger
Starting priceOn requestFree
Free tierNoYes
PlatformsWindowsWeb, Windows, macOS, Cloud

Identical on both: pricing model (quote), user rating (Not yet rated), category (Manufacturing).

What each one covers

Drawn from each product's published feature list. An absence here means we hold no record of it - not that the product lacks it.

Only in ABB 800xA

  • Extended Automation
  • AC 800M controllers
  • Connectivity servers
  • Safety integration
  • IEC 61850 electrical
  • Batch management
  • Information management
  • Asset optimisation

Only in Markforged Eiger

  • Continuous fibre routing
  • Cloud slicing
  • Fleet management
  • Part library
  • Material tracking
  • Simulation add-on
  • Eiger Offline
  • Access control

What people use each for

The jobs each tool is most often brought in to do.

ABB 800xA

  • A refinery replacing operator consoles and control room infrastructure while keeping working field controllers in placenot Markforged Eiger
  • A pulp and paper mill consolidating process, electrical and safety monitoring into a single operator workplacenot Markforged Eiger
  • A mining operation that needs SIL 3 safety functions on the same network as process control rather than a separate safety systemnot Markforged Eiger
  • A marine or offshore platform where ABB already supplies the electrical distribution and IEC 61850 integration removes a second systemnot Markforged Eiger

Markforged Eiger

  • A tooling department printing carbon fibre reinforced jigs and fixtures strong enough to replace machined aluminiumnot ABB 800xA
  • A defence contractor needing air-gapped print preparation because part geometry cannot leave the site, which requires Eiger Offlinenot ABB 800xA
  • A manufacturing engineering group running several Markforged machines across sites from one queue and part librarynot ABB 800xA
  • A maintenance team producing reinforced replacement brackets on demand rather than holding sparesnot ABB 800xA

Where each one falls short

Documented limitations, not opinions. Every one is a constraint you would hit in normal use.

ABB 800xA

  • Licensing is by I/O count, controller count and workplace clients, and none of it is published, so two plants of similar size can be quoted very differently with no external benchmark to argue against.
  • Engineering and commissioning typically cost more than the software and controller hardware together, and that share is not visible in the initial ABB quotation, which prices the system rather than the project.
  • It is Windows only for servers and workplaces, so the operating system lifecycle drives forced upgrade cycles that have nothing to do with your process.
  • Once configured, the aspect object model and the specific integrator conventions used make handing the system to a different service provider expensive; ABB service contracts are effectively sticky.
  • Software maintenance is an annual contract on top of the licence and lapsing it means you cannot take version upgrades, so the system quietly ages out of security support if the plant skips renewals to save money.

Markforged Eiger

  • Eiger only drives Markforged printers, so the free software is a lock-in mechanism; the moment you want a different machine none of your prepared parts or fibre routing transfers.
  • The standard product is cloud only, meaning part geometry is uploaded to a vendor service, which is unacceptable for many defence and aerospace sites and forces them onto the paid Eiger Offline subscription per machine.
  • Eiger Offline pricing is not published and is charged per machine, so a shop with several printers pays repeatedly for software the cloud users receive free.
  • Slicing control is deliberately simplified compared with open slicers, and experienced operators regularly find they cannot reach a parameter they want without contacting support.
  • Markforged has been through financial pressure and consolidation in the additive sector, and because the software is inseparable from the hardware, a change of ownership or product line pruning would strand the fleet rather than just the tool.

Pricing, plan by plan

ABB 800xA

On request
  • ABB Ability System 800xA$undefined/year
    • Licensed by I/O count, controller count and workplace clients
    • Sold as a project through ABB or a certified partner
    • Annual software maintenance contract priced separately

Markforged Eiger

Free
  • Eiger Basic$undefined/year
    • Included at no additional charge with every Markforged printer
    • No per-user or per-printer software fee
    • Cloud print preparation and fleet management
  • Eiger Offline$undefined/year
    • Air-gapped installation for secure and classified environments
    • Sold per machine on subscription
    • Quarterly feature and material updates

Which should you pick?

Choose ABB 800xA if

  • You need extended automation.
  • You work on Windows.
  • You also want ac 800m controllers.
ABB 800xA review

Choose Markforged Eiger if

  • You need continuous fibre routing.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on Web, Windows, macOS, Cloud.
  • You also want cloud slicing.
Markforged Eiger review

Questions people ask

Is ABB 800xA or Markforged Eiger better?
Neither clearly leads. ABB 800xA starts at On request and Markforged Eiger at Free, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, ABB 800xA or Markforged Eiger?
Markforged Eiger has a free tier; the other does not. Paid plans start at On request for ABB 800xA and Free for Markforged Eiger.
Does ABB 800xA or Markforged Eiger run on more platforms?
ABB 800xA runs on Windows. Markforged Eiger runs on Web, Windows, macOS, Cloud.
Can I use Markforged Eiger for free?
Yes. Markforged Eiger has a free tier, so you can try it without paying. ABB 800xA starts at On request.
What is ABB 800xA best used for?
ABB 800xA is most often used for a refinery replacing operator consoles and control room infrastructure while keeping working field controllers in place, a pulp and paper mill consolidating process, electrical and safety monitoring into a single operator workplace, a mining operation that needs sil 3 safety functions on the same network as process control rather than a separate safety system, a marine or offshore platform where abb already supplies the electrical distribution and iec 61850 integration removes a second system. Of those, a refinery replacing operator consoles and control room infrastructure while keeping working field controllers in place and a pulp and paper mill consolidating process, electrical and safety monitoring into a single operator workplace are not what Markforged Eiger is typically brought in for.
What can ABB 800xA do that Markforged Eiger cannot?
ABB 800xA covers Extended Automation, AC 800M controllers, Connectivity servers, Safety integration. Markforged Eiger covers Continuous fibre routing, Cloud slicing, Fleet management, Part library.

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

ABB 800xA: Is 800xA sold as a perpetual licence?

Yes, the system licence is perpetual, but a separate annual software maintenance agreement is required to receive updates and version upgrades.

Markforged Eiger: How much does Eiger cost?

Nothing, if you own a Markforged printer. It is included with every machine with no per-user or per-printer software fee. Eiger Offline is a separate paid per-machine subscription.

ABB 800xA: Can 800xA control non-ABB field hardware?

Yes. Connectivity servers front third-party PLC and DCS systems and legacy ABB families, which is the main reason it wins brownfield projects.

Markforged Eiger: Can I use Eiger with a non-Markforged printer?

No. It only prepares and drives Markforged machines.

ABB 800xA: Does it replace a separate electrical SCADA?

It can. IEC 61850 substation integration is native, so many plants drop a separate electrical monitoring system.

Markforged Eiger: Is my part geometry uploaded to the cloud?

Yes, in the standard product. Sites that cannot allow that need Eiger Offline.

ABB 800xA: What is the realistic implementation timeline?

A full plant migration is measured in years, not months; phased cutovers of one unit at a time are the norm.

Markforged Eiger: Where is the actual cost then?

In the printers and the proprietary filament and continuous fibre spools, which are the recurring spend.

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