Formlabs Releases Fastest 3D Printer Yet

A historical drawback of 3D printing has been its speed — or lack thereof. Compared to technologies like injection molding, 3D printing has traditionally been slower, but in recent years that has been changing, quite dramatically. Many companies have released 3D printers that boast unprecedented speeds, making the technology all the more appealing, particularly for batch production.

Biocompatible version available.

The latest entry in the high-speed 3D-printer category comes from resin printer manufacturer Formlabs. The Form 4 and its biocompatible variation, Form 4B, which use masked stereolithography technology, are capable of printing parts in two hours or less, offering speeds two to five times faster than the company’s Form 3+. The printer can achieve maximum vertical print speeds of 100 mm per hour. According to Formlabs, these speeds have been shown to outpace injection molding. Skeptical? Watch the video below.

The Form 4 is based on Formlabs’ new Low Force Display (LFD) print engine, which has at its core a high-powered, 60-LED light source the company calls a Backlight Unit. This enables, in addition to speed, high print quality. Speed and print quality do not always go hand in hand, but the Form 4 offers 50-micron pixels, advanced pixel smoothing, and light touch supports. 

“Form 4 is a huge leap not only for Formlabs and our customers, but also for the entire 3D-printing world,” said Formlabs CEO and co-founder Max Lobovsky. “More than a decade ago, Formlabs created the desktop SLA 3D printer category and set a new standard for accuracy, reliability, ease of use, and affordability in 3D printing. We’ve built on the strength and insights gathered from more than 130,000 printers on the market and over 300 million parts printed to deliver the Form 4, our best SLA printer ever. Its reliability and new level of speed will transform how our customers develop new products.”

Automated post-processing and quick-release build platform technology are among the user-friendly features of the Form 4. Image courtesy of Formlabs.

Formlabs states that the Form 4 is highly intuitive and user-friendly, with automatic resin handling, instant material changes, automated post-processing, and quick-release build platform technology. It also features an integrated camera to monitor prints, take photos, and manage printers from anywhere.

Formlabs introduces six new resins.

Along with the printer release, Formlabs is also adding six new resins to its already extensive material library. These include four newly reformulated General Purpose resins that offer improved speed, toughness, and color. In addition, Fast Model resin has been developed for high-speed prototypes and orthodontic models, and Precision Model resin is now being offered for highly accurate dental models.

The Form 4 is also validated to use more than 17 Formlabs materials, with new materials to be added regularly. The Form 4B, which is intended for dental and healthcare professionals, is validated to use 15 additional biocompatible materials. 

The Form 4 is now available starting at $4,499 and the Form 4B starts at $6,299.