Product Description Summary & Analysis - Form 3

Product Summary and Analysis: Form 3 Industrial 3D Printer

 

Formlabs has taken the capabilities of 3D printing a step further with the Form 3, the latest release of its stereolithography apparatus (SLA). The Form 3 is able to help businesses and smaller-scale manufacturers  save money by printing real-world products directly from digital files. Today, advances in 3D printing have made the technology even more accessible and affordable while delivering the accuracy and detail needed for commercial production.

The usability and printing precision of the Form 3 is what makes it stand out from its competitors.

The review “Formlabs Form 3 Review: Best Resin 3D Printer 2020” (All3DP, 4 March 2020) introduces the functionality and features of the Form 3 and why it is the “best” in comparison with other SLAs in the market. The SLA is a specially-designed 3D printing machine that converts liquid plastic into solid objects. It enables a superior level of detail compared with fused filament fabrication (FFA) which makes use of a continuous filament of thermoplastic material, but the SLA process is more complex. The All3DP article describes how the Form 3 addresses this issue whilst delivering high quality 3D printing. One of the unique features of the Form 3 SLA is its Light Processing Unit (LPU) which integrates its laser and mirror for better control and precision. Unlike most SLAs that use a stationery laser, the Form 3’s LPU is able to bounce a laser beam through a galvanometer, mirror, and parabolic mirror to ensure correct beam placement, delivering consistent and precise printing quality.  While the printer has a laser with an 85 microns spot size, the Form 3 is able to move it in much smaller increments with its constant line scanning process. This enables it to deliver parts with much finer 25 micron XY resolution, providing greater accuracy and flexibility when translating the CAD model to a finished part .

But where the Form 3 really stands out is its ability to simplify print management and minimise the time the user spends with the machine.

The process is simple and straightforward. The user designs a 3D model of the product using any CAD software. The printer’s PreForm software divides the model into production slices, adds supports, and does a preprint check of the resin tank cartridge and build platform. On pressing the Start button, the Form 3 does the rest, and the machine can be left unattended until the print has been completed. The machine incorporates monitoring sensors that micromanage every aspect of a print. If anything goes wrong, the system will send and alert and email to the user. A touchscreen on the Form 3, paired with a computer, allows the user to view the material cartridge in use, the amount of resin used by a given print, the final print time, resolution, the number of layers and a complete history of each print. Each print job is linked to the owner’s name, enabling companies to keep track of “who, when and what” so that they are able to backtrack to the source when they encounter an issue.

All the above functionalities come in a built volume of 145 mm x 145 mm x 185 mm, which occupies a smaller footprint compared with competitors such as the Original Prusa i3 MK3S which has a build volume of 250mm x 21mm x 21mm. The compactness of the Form 3 makes it easy to shift around and place in smaller areas of the office for space optimisation.

However, this is also the downside to this printer – it limits the size of the printing output that users are able to achieve. To address this, Formlabs has come up with a bigger alternative of the Form 3, called Form 3L. Dubbed “the first affordable large format resin 3D printer”, Form 3L is able to build volumes five times larger than its average competition all while maintaining the accuracy and ease of use of the Form 3.

In conclusion, the accuracy of the Form 3 and its ease of use make it a compelling choice for businesses looking for a detailed and reliable workhorse. It can be set up in minutes, and the hands-off process makes it stand out from other SLAs in the market.

References:

Formlabs Form 3 Review: Best Resin 3D Printer 2020 (All3DP, 4 March 2020)

https://all3dp.com/1/formlabs-form-3-review-3d-printer-specs/

 

Introducing the Form 3 and Form 3L, Powered by Low Force Stereolithography (Formlabs, 2 April 2019)

https://formlabs.com/blog/introducing-form-3-form-3l-low-force-stereolithography/

 

Original Prusa i3 MK3S kit (Prusa Research)

https://shop.prusa3d.com/en/3d-printers/180-original-prusa-i3-mk3s-kit.html?search_query=mk3s&results=129

 

SLA vs FFF / FDM workflow and space requirements (CEL UK)

https://cel-uk.com/sla-vs-fff-fdm-workflow-and-space-requirements/

 

The Best Industrial 3D Printers of 2020 (Business.com, 23 June 2020)

https://www.business.com/categories/best-industrial-3d-printers/

 

 

 

 

 

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