FormLabs

The Form 2 3D printer offers professional-level 3D printing at a lower barrier to entry relative to industrial SLA machines. It is capable of producing detailed models with smooth surface finish, making it a sound solution for iterative prototyping, fixtures and manufacturing tooling. The Form 2 currently has 6 engineering grade materials in its portfolio, each with their own unique characteristics and benefits and they include . . . • Grey Pro Resin is a versatile material great for concept modeling and functional prototyping. It offers high precision with moderate elongation and low creep. • Rigin Resin is a glass filled resin that offers very high stiffness. Great for printing thin walls and features, it is highly resistant to deformation over time and provides a polished finish. • Durable Resin specializes in low friction and wear, making it ideal for bearings, ball & joints, and snap-fits. It offers smooth glossy finish and high resistance to deformation. • High Temp Resin has the highest heat deflection temperature of 289 C and can be used for models with environmental testing, or molds for casting and thermoforming. • Flexible Resin is best used for parts with ergonomic features that bend and compress. It [...]

Formlabs formally recently announced a new ceramic resin for the Form 2 3D printer. This is a notable departure from their traditional materials, which have up to now been various types of photopolymers. While they’ve marketed strong, flexible and colorful materials, they’ve never released a ceramic resin, until now. Ceramic 3D prints are highly desirable in a number of situations, and are produced in quite a different manner. The Form 2’s normal photopolymer process simply involves solidifying the liquid resin with a laser and curing the completed print in a UV bath, ceramic processing requires different steps. Formlabs explains that the ceramic resin is first 3D printed in the same manner, although they do provide a number of tips to ensure a more reliable result, such as adjusting designs to fit within ceramic tolerances and roughening the build platform for extra special adhesiveness. The differences are after the print completes. The “green” part is removed from the Form 2, and supports are trimmed off. There is no need for further UV curing, as the print then is placed in a ventilated kiln. I should point out that Formlabs does not supply a kiln, and you should be able to find [...]

Founded in 1933, leading German wedding ring manufacturer egf Manufaktur is shortening the feedback loop between designer and customer tenfold, blending a custom software solution with desktop digital fabrication to create a modern, highly personalized customer experience. “Every wedding ring is individualized and made-to-order. They’re more important than any other jewelry product in showing the customer’s individual ideas,” said Nick-Maximilian Binder, assistant to the managing director at egf, and leader of the on-site 3D printing project. “That's why it only makes sense to configure a ring in CAD software, print in 3D, and give it to the customer before the ring is hand-crafted by the goldsmith. We find that customers want to modify the original ring to make it either thicker or narrower, or with varying stone settings.” Egf was awarded the quality certificate of the Jewelry Technology Institute of the University of Applied Sciences Pforzheim. To get up and running with little experience in 3D printing, egf turned to Formlabs Form 2 desktop 3D printer. “The Form 2 excited us the most with its speed—less than one hour for printing our rings, the high quality its resins, and ease of use,” Binder said. The company customized their CAD software so [...]

repost from www.formlabs.com Judging by most mass-produced products on the market today, you’d think humans come in just three sizes. We don’t. So why don’t the products we buy reflect that? Custom products perform better and consumers embrace them, but custom manufacturing is often not economical. Collecting personalized data from consumers is tricky, custom tooling is expensive, and tracking customized parts from initial order through production and shipping is complex. 3D printing is changing everything. Falling costs and innovation in materials have made 3D printing practical for manufacturing—and promise to bring the dream of mass customization into reality. Economically Manufacturing Custom Products Tailor-made items perform better, plain and simple. A truly custom-fit earbud can provide unparalleled long-term wear, comfort, stability, and noise reduction. Advancements in scanning technology paired with accessible, high-quality 3D printers make it viable to manufacture custom earbuds and other audiology products at scale. Manufacturing with 3D printing makes producing on-demand custom earbuds a reality. Though it’s not a silver bullet, 3D printing removes many of the challenges traditionally associated with mass-producing custom products: 3D printing is a zero tooling production process–there’s no need to produce thousands of the same item to recoup the initial cost [...]

Cimquest is testing the Formlabs materials and, for a limited time, we will provide you with a complimentary sample printed on the Form 2 Desktop SLA 3D printer and ship to you for immediate assessment. You’ll not only be able to visualize what’s realistically achievable with the Form 2 technology, but determine quickly if your chosen resin will meet or exceed your specific application requirements. Just click the button below to be taken to an online form where you can submit your request. Request Sample

For a limited time, you can purchase a Form 2 3D Printer bundle from Formlabs at the discounted price of $4,999. The bundle includes everything you need - Form 2 Printer, Resin Tank, Build Platform, Finish Kit, 1 general purpose resin, 1-year Professional Service Plan, Form Wash, and Form Cure (valued at $5,196). The Form 2 enables you to print precise models with stunning surface finish – significantly smoother and more detailed than other plastic 3D printing technologies. To take advantage of this special sales promotion, please call us at 866-277-8778 or email us by clicking the link below. Contact Us  

Let’s take a fresh look at the Form2 3D printer from our friends over at Formlabs. Stereolithography, more commonly known as SLA, is a 3D printing technology that originated in the early 1980's. With SLA, a liquid photopolymer is converted into solid material layer by layer when exposed to a highly concentrated light source, such as a laser or projector, in a process known as photopolymerization. The result is a three-dimensional solid part that is water-tight with a smooth surface finish and fine details. Due to the high resolution, layer lines are less noticeable than parts fabricated with extrusion-based printers. While SLA fits well into a variety of applications, large-scale industrial systems are expensive to own and operate making them barriers to wide-use adoption. In 2011, Formlabs introduced industrial quality SLA to the desktop. With high-resolution, capabilities and materials previously limited to larger systems, Formlabs made SLA more affordable and accessible. Starting at $3,499 the Form2 is the third-generation 3D printer from Formlabs. It has a considerable build volume for its size with a layer resolution as low as 25 microns. One of the most exciting things about the Form2 is the impressive materials library. With a dozen materials and [...]

Formlabs’ library of versatile, reliable Engineering Resins is formulated to help product designers and manufacturers reduce costs, iterate faster, and bring better experiences to market. They recently announced the addition of two new materials for the Form 2: Grey Pro Resin for Versatile Prototyping and Rigid Resin. Grey Pro Resin offers high precision, moderate elongation, and low creep. This material is great for concept modeling and functional prototyping, especially for parts that will be handled repeatedly. This material is best for form and fit testing; prototyping injection molded products; mold masters for plastics, silicones, and more; jigs and fixtures for manufacturing. Rigid Resin is filled with glass to offer very high stiffness and a polished finish. This material is highly resistant to deformation over time and is great for printing thin walls and features. Rigid Resin has the highest modulus of all Formlabs materials. It has great impact strength, heat resistance, and stability, but is more brittle than Tough and Durable. This material is best for turbines and fan blades; jigs, fixtures, and tooling; manifolds; electrical casings and automotive housings. Please click below for more information on all of the Formlabs materials. More Info