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Manufacturing · head to head

Markforged Eiger vs PROGNOST Systems

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
PROGNOST Systems logo

PROGNOST Systems

Manufacturing

SIL 3 rated online monitoring and diagnostics for reciprocating compressors

From
On request
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: 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.; PROGNOST Systems nothing about price is published, and because the system is instrumented per machine train, there is no per-point comparison that lets a buyer benchmark it against general-purpose condition monitoring.
  • They diverge on capability: Markforged Eiger covers Continuous fibre routing, PROGNOST Systems covers Segmented vibration analysis.
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 1 September 2026.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Markforged Eiger and PROGNOST Systems actually diverge.

Attributes where Markforged Eiger and PROGNOST Systems differ
AttributeMarkforged EigerPROGNOST Systems
Starting priceFreeOn request
Free tierYesNo
PlatformsWeb, Windows, macOS, CloudWindows, On-premise

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 Markforged Eiger

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

Only in PROGNOST Systems

  • Segmented vibration analysis
  • Dynamic rod position
  • Online pV diagram
  • Dynamic rod load
  • SIL 3 machine protection
  • Damage pattern library
  • PROGNOST-Predictor
  • Remote expert service

What people use each for

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

Markforged Eiger

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

PROGNOST Systems

  • A refinery hydrogen recycle compressor where an unplanned trip costs more per day than the monitoring systemnot Markforged Eiger
  • Replacing a separate protection system and a separate condition monitoring system with one SIL 3 rated installationnot Markforged Eiger
  • Gas transmission stations needing valve and rider ring wear diagnosis without opening the machinenot Markforged Eiger
  • A plant moving reciprocating compressors from time-based overhaul to condition-based intervals with evidence a regulator will acceptnot Markforged Eiger

Where each one falls short

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

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.

PROGNOST Systems

  • Nothing about price is published, and because the system is instrumented per machine train, there is no per-point comparison that lets a buyer benchmark it against general-purpose condition monitoring.
  • Installation requires proximity probes, rod position sensors and pressure instrumentation on the machine, which usually means a planned outage and mechanical work before any data exists.
  • The value is concentrated in reciprocating compressors; for general rotating equipment across a whole plant it is a far more expensive route than a broad vibration programme.
  • SIL 3 certification brings the configuration into functional safety scope, so changes to thresholds and logic go through management of change rather than being adjusted by a reliability engineer.
  • The company is small and German-based, so response times and spares logistics for remote sites depend on a partner network rather than a global direct service organisation.

Pricing, plan by plan

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

PROGNOST Systems

On request
  • PROGNOST-NT$undefined/year
    • Priced per machine train as an instrumented system
    • Sensors, proximity probes, rod position and pressure instrumentation included in scope
    • Installation typically requires a machine outage for probe fitting

Which should you pick?

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

Choose PROGNOST Systems if

  • You need segmented vibration analysis.
  • You work on Windows, On-premise.
  • You also want dynamic rod position.
PROGNOST Systems review

Questions people ask

Is Markforged Eiger or PROGNOST Systems better?
Neither clearly leads. Markforged Eiger starts at Free and PROGNOST Systems at On request, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Markforged Eiger or PROGNOST Systems?
Markforged Eiger has a free tier; the other does not. Paid plans start at Free for Markforged Eiger and On request for PROGNOST Systems.
Does Markforged Eiger or PROGNOST Systems run on more platforms?
Markforged Eiger runs on Web, Windows, macOS, Cloud. PROGNOST Systems runs on Windows, On-premise.
Can I use Markforged Eiger for free?
Yes. Markforged Eiger has a free tier, so you can try it without paying. PROGNOST Systems starts at On request.
What is Markforged Eiger best used for?
Markforged Eiger is most often used for a tooling department printing carbon fibre reinforced jigs and fixtures strong enough to replace machined aluminium, a defence contractor needing air-gapped print preparation because part geometry cannot leave the site, which requires eiger offline, a manufacturing engineering group running several markforged machines across sites from one queue and part library, a maintenance team producing reinforced replacement brackets on demand rather than holding spares. Of those, a tooling department printing carbon fibre reinforced jigs and fixtures strong enough to replace machined aluminium and a defence contractor needing air-gapped print preparation because part geometry cannot leave the site, which requires eiger offline are not what PROGNOST Systems is typically brought in for.
What can Markforged Eiger do that PROGNOST Systems cannot?
Markforged Eiger covers Continuous fibre routing, Cloud slicing, Fleet management, Part library. PROGNOST Systems covers Segmented vibration analysis, Dynamic rod position, Online pV diagram, Dynamic rod load.

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

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.

PROGNOST Systems: Does it replace the compressor protection system?

It can. PROGNOST-NT is SIL 3 rated for machine protection, which is the main reason sites choose it over advisory-only monitoring.

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

No. It only prepares and drives Markforged machines.

PROGNOST Systems: Can it be retrofitted to an existing compressor?

Yes, but fitting rod position and internal instrumentation generally needs a machine outage.

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

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

PROGNOST Systems: Does it work on centrifugal machines?

PROGNOST offers products for general rotating equipment, but the differentiated diagnostics are for reciprocating compressors.

Markforged Eiger: Where is the actual cost then?

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

PROGNOST Systems: Is it available on new Burckhardt machines?

Yes, Burckhardt Compression offers PROGNOST-NT as a factory-fitted condition monitoring option.

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