FormLabs

This post will explore 3D printing for mold making using Formlabs 3D printers. Mold making with desktop 3D printing allows engineers to expand their prototyping toolkit. It opens up a world of production materials, offering the ability to make short-run batches and to test designs before larger-scale production. Three types of molding strategies can be applied with Formlabs. These include injection molding, thermoforming, and casting elastomers. The Form 3 can print inexpensive injection molds to [...]

One of the most powerful advantages of stereolithography (SLA) 3D printing is the wide range of printing materials and Formlabs recently announced six new materials across the Form 3, Form 3B, and Form 2 SLA 3D printers. These new resins continue to challenge what's possible with 3D printing by further expanding use cases and design possibilities with our existing printers. Our latest resins support a wide range of industries and use cases within these industries, [...]

Tough 2000 Resin is a reformulation of Formlab’s popular Tough Resin, offering more advanced mechanical properties and a new dark grey finish. Compared to Tough Resin, this material reformulation brings: Reduced brittle failures: Increased elongation by more than 100%. Improved strength and stiffness: Increased flexural strength and flexural modulus by roughly 15%. Better performance at elevated temperatures: Increased heat deflection temperature by roughly 25%. Professional-looking parts: New grey color. Tough 2000 Resin is the strongest [...]

Metal Casting Basics For applications where parts require fine features or complex geometries, casting remains a cost-effective and highly capable manufacturing process, producing critical components for aerospace, automotive, and medical applications. Metal casting dates back to at least 3200 B.C., progressing through many cycles of innovation to become the reliable, modernized process it is now. Today, industrial metal casting processes are used to make everything from knee implants to tractor parts. The basic process to [...]

This article will provide an overview of next generation of Formlabs 3D Printers – the new Form 3 and Form3L from Formlabs. The Form 2 took the 3D printing industry by storm, giving engineers access to industrial quality SLA in a desktop machine. Building on the success of this platform, the Form 3 brings even greater detail and speed for engineering teams. The Form 3 is powered by a new technology called Low Force Stereolithography. [...]