We’re excited to announce two new additions to the Formlabs SLA printer hardware family. Formlabs is completing the Form 2 SLA workflow with the Form Wash and the Form Cure. These affordable additions to your print finishing area will simplify the isopropyl wash process and ensure consistent part curing. So, what are the Form Wash and Form Cure? I’m glad you asked. Below you’ll see an overview. They are expected to ship fall of ’17.
Formlabs Form Wash and Form Cure
The Form Wash and Form Cure are built to complete the stereolithography (SLA) engine and streamline your 3D printing process to product better results with less time and effort.
Here’s the skinny…
Form Wash Automated Cleaning
- Consistently Clean: Form Wash’s rotating impeller agitates isopropyl alcohol (IPA) around every nook and cranny of your parts, getting them perfectly clean–every time.
- Built to Fit the Build Platform: Parts travel straight from the Form 2 to Form Wash; they can stay right on the build platform or be placed in the basket.
- Automated Wash Cycle: Manual washing requires careful attention, as parts left too long in IPA can become warped/deformed. Form Wash automatically raises parts out of IPA when wash time is up. Parts air dry and are ready when you are.
- IPA Calibration: Form Wash can hold up to 8.6 L liters of IPA, enough to wash approximately 70 prints. The hydrometer lets you know when it’s time to change out IPA. A siphon makes it easy to transfer IPA in and out of the wash bucket.
Maximum Mechanical Properties with Form Cure
- Advanced Heating: Precise heat control is the key to successful post-curing. Form Cure’s chamber is able to achieve temperatures of up to 80 C.
- Balanced UV Light: 13 LEDs use 405 nm Light to trigger the post-curing reaction, working with the heater to post-cure parts.
- Uniform Exposure: A rotating turntable, heat flow, and dispersed lights provide uniform exposure during post-curing.
- An Intuitive Interface: It’s easy to set Form Cure’s temperature and post-cure time. For Standard Resins, simply use the default. For all other materials, use recommended settings for optimum performance.
We are now accepting preorders for both the Form Wash and Form Cure. They are projected to begin shipping this fall. Complete our pre-order form and we’ll get in touch with you to make sure you are in the delivery queue when they start to roll off the dock.
Learn more about the Form 2 SLA 3D desktop printer or request a free sample to see the quality of prints.
Our friends at Formlabs recently announced their newest dental resins to add a range of new capabilities to Formlabs printers, including crown and bridge models, splints, retainers, and soon dentures.
If you walk into a dental lab or clinic today, and you’ll find a completely different set of tools than you would have just few years ago. Dentistry is well on its way to fully embracing digital workflows, replacing messy alginate impressions with digital scans and complicated manual techniques with computer-aided manufacturing.
This should come as no surprise. Every set of teeth is unique, meaning that every dental appliance has to be custom-made. The need for mass customization, and the small size of the final products, makes this a perfect application for 3D printing. While material properties were a barrier to broader application of this technology, new biocompatible materials are enabling dentists to 3D print a growing range of products.
To date, Formlabs dental users have completed over 150,000 prints. Today, with the launch of two new Dental Resins, Formlabs is greatly expanding the range of dental products that the Form 2 can produce. With prints every bit as accurate as larger machines that cost $75,000 or more, the Form 2 is increasingly the go-to 3D printer for the dental professionals.
Use Case
Matt Roberts, CDT, talks about his experience running 4 Form 2 3D printers for various applications in his dental lab here: The Future of Dental 3D Printing, with Matt Roberts from CMR Dental Lab.
Meet the New Resins
Dental Model Resin
Dental Model Resin is designed for crown and bridge models with removable dies, it is a high precision, high accuracy resin. It prints crisp margins and contacts within ± 35 microns and removable dies with a consistently tight fit. It has a smooth, matte surface finish and color similar to gypsum make it easy to switch from analog to digital model production.
Dental LT Clear Resin
A Class IIa biocompatible resin, Dental LT Clear’s high resistance to fracture and wear make it ideal for splints, retainers, and other direct-printed orthodontic devices. This clear material polishes to high optical transparency for beautiful final products.
3D Printed Dentures
We’re pushing the boundaries of digital dentistry and developing the first integrated, end-to-end workflow for manufacturing high-quality 3D printed dentures. Clinical studies and workflow tests are currently in development at Formlabs and partner dental labs, with the new biocompatible Denture Base and Teeth Resins coming in fall 2017.
3D printing is not only transforming the way organizations manufacture products, it’s transforming the manufacturing process. Before introducing 3D printing to your organization, it’s important to understand these how your organization plans to address these questions:
- How will 3D printing improve your organizations product offering?
- How will 3D printing improve your organizations processes?
- How can you implement 3D printing?
How will 3D printing improve your organizations product offering?
Your organization needs to understand how 3D printing will provide a competitive advantage to their products. 3D printing allows for limitless customization and efficient production. You 
3D printing has been considered a tool to quickly design and create prototypes. It is redefining the way we design products and here’s why:
Faster Design
3D printing allows designers to go directly from design to manufacturing. When you 3D print in-house instead of outsourcing your projects to a third party you can reduce print cycles up to 75%.
Reference: Save Time and Money with the Form 2
Innovation on the Fly
Companies are able to test their prototypes before committing to a specific design. 3D printing welcomes the age of rapid prototyping. Through rapid prototyping, designers are able to evaluate print failures more efficiently and improve their design.
Use Resources Efficiently
3D printing can produce the same technology as other types of heavy machinery at a fraction of the cost.3D printing in-house rather than outsourcing to a third party allows significant cost savings. According to a case study evaluated by one of our customers, they saved 93% by printing in-house. 3D printing in house allows your design to make design improvements quickly and cost efficiently.
Reference: Save Time and Money with the Form 2
To learn more about 3D printing in house and when to outsource, you may be interested in the white paper, ‘When to 3D Print In House and When to Outsource.’ The white paper reviews three 3D printing methods and presents a pros and cons list comparing the methods.
The increased use of 3D printing, from hobbyists to professionals, has revolutionized the way ideas and products are brought to life. Multiple websites (GrabCAD, Thingiverse, etc.) provide over a million free downloadable files that can be printed on a variety of 3D printers. Everything from miniature drone blades to sci-fi figures to replacement parts for your vacuum cleaner are readily available. The possibilities for whatever application you have are almost unlimited. Almost.
The key to giving your 3D designs unlimited potential for customization is CAD modeling software. While there are many accessible 3D printing files created by others, the most satisfying way to bring your ideas to reality are files created by you! Files for 3D printing can be created from scratch or existing files can by modified to suit your application. Without the ability to create unique parts, a 3D printer can quickly become a novelty. As soon as the excitement of first initial prints wear off, the use and return on investment reduces as well.
Read more to see how one company unlocks the true potential of CAD with 3D Printing.
Engineering Services Customer Case Study
A company that customizes enclosure trailers recently proved to be an excellent example of this limitation and how to solve it. The company wanted to use an off-the-shelf LED lighting product to illuminate the interior of a racing trailer. They needed to mount the LED lights in a clean manner and in specific locations to satisfy the customer’s needs. The company also wanted to locate the lighting switches discreetly. Since these parts would not be mass-produced the cost of a plastic injection mold could not be justified. They decided a series of 3D printed components would be the best method to meet their needs within the given delivery timeline.
While the company had access to a 3D printer, they did not have access to CAD modeling software. Despite extensively searching online trying to fulfill the requirements for these lighting components, nothing could be found to suit their needs.
The company came across EAC and decided to utilize the Engineering Services Group to save the day. A member of the Engineering Services Team created several CAD models using PTC Creo to design the customized lighting components. Within two hours, the stylized CAD models were complete and ready for printing. Three days later the 3D prints were finished and installed in the trailer.
Figures 1 illustrates the CAD with 3D printing files and Figure 2 illustrates the finished parts installed in the 
trailer. The parts were 3D printed using the Form 2 by FormLabs. The Form 2 is a high-quality stereolithography (SLA) 3D printer. In this case, the parts were printed using a clear resin (GPCL02) and then painted black. The parts were quickly produced to provide the custom enclosed trailer with a lighting solution that exceeded the customers expectations.
This project demonstrates a practical application of 3D printing when paired with CAD modeling software. With PTC Creo and the Form 2, the Engineering Services team was able to quickly create finished and functional parts that can provide unique and differentiating products without the capital investment sometimes required by plastic injection molding and other manufacturing processes.
It’s important to remember that the quality of your print depends on the quality of your design. If the CAD model is poorly designed, your 3D printed product may have flaws. The cleaner your design, the cleaner your print. Luckily for you, we can help! Find out why you should design your products using PTC Creo here. If you think you already have a great CAD modeling software and want to explore the Form 2 instead, go here.
Today, Formlabs announced they would be adding three new resins to their comprehensive library of Engineering Resins. They’ve been specifically designed for Formlabs’ printers by their in-house materials team. They’ve added new Durable, Tough, and High Temp Resins, and their Flexible Resin is as versatile as ever.
Introducing the Resins
Formlabs Engineering Resins simulate a range of injection-molded plastics, covering the full spectrum of properties required to conceptualize, prototype, test, and manufacture successful final products. With this lineup of resins, you can 3D print everything from functional prototypes to molds for final packaging right from your desktop.
Durable Resin
The Low Stiffness and Finish of Polypropylene. Another thermoplastic polymer, polypropylene (PP) is widely used for its low modulus and high-impact strength. PP is used for car bumpers, living hinges, plastic chairs, and food containers. Like PP, Formlabs’ new Durable Resin bends without breaking and is as smooth and glossy as everyday plastics.
This material is ideal for prototyping consumer products, packaging, and low-friction and low-wear moving parts. Use this wear-resistant, ductile material for parts where breaking would be the worst possible outcome, or for parts that need to deform multiple times.
**Durable Resin is under further development and will be available in January 2017.
Durable Resin is perfect for prototyping products that will eventually be made of polypropylene, such as this container, which features a functional hinge and a snap-fit locking mechanism.
Tough Resin
ABS-Like Resistance to Stress and Strain. ABS is a thermoplastic polymer whose sturdy, shatter-resistant properties and resistance to stress and strain have made it a popular choice for functional prototyping and items like enclosures for consumer products, automotive trim elements, and household goods. Like ABS, our reformulated Tough Resin balances strength with elongation, so Tough parts absorb energy and begin to deform before they snap or shatter.
Tough Resin is more impact resistant than standard 3D printed parts, so it’s perfect for snap-fit joints, assemblies, and rugged prototypes. Use it for parts that need to resist breaking or deforming under a load and for its high geometric accuracy.
Tough Resin produces printed parts that are strong under tension, like when a strap is pulled tight.
High Temp Resin
High Temp ResinThe Highest HDT @ 0.45 MPa on the Market. Our new High Temp Resin has an HDT @ 0.45 MPa of 289 ºC–the highest on the 3D printing materials market. This material is great for static applications that will undergo higher temperatures.
High Temp Resin is ideal for testing hot air or fluid flow, static (no-load) applications, and production processes such as casting and thermoforming.
Moldmaking with desktop 3D printing allows engineers and designers to get much more functionality from their 3D printer, beyond prototyping alone. Download our white paper to learn more: Moldmaking with 3D Prints: Techniques for Prototyping and Production.
High Temp Resin can be used to print molds for molding and casting a wide range of thermoplastic materials.
Flexible Resin
Tactile and Compressible. Parts made with Flexible Resin can bend and compress, and are great for simulating soft-touch materials. Flexible is handy for parts that need to flex and bend, especially over time, and can be used to simulate an 80A durometer rubber. It’s great for prototyping grips and overmolds, cushioning and dampening, and wearables.
Flexible Resin is bendable, compressible, and impact-resistant.
The Development Process
This resin lineup emerged from a lot of research and consideration. “Basically every material that we launched for the first couple years was the first material of its kind available on the desktop. Now, we’ve had a couple years to see what use cases the materials are actually falling into,” said Formlabs Materials Scientist Alex McCarthy.
“We wanted to have a clear portfolio of resins. It should help people find the right resin for their applications,” added Materials Team Lead Max Zieringer.
What do You Look Forward to?
“What’s exciting about working with 3D printer resins is that it’s such a quickly evolving application. You never really know what people are going to use it for. I’m really excited to see where people take our resins.” – Gayla Lyon, materials scientist at Formlabs
We’ve experienced lots of internal “aha” moments experimenting with these new resins, and one of the most exciting things about the development process is when we’re able to print something on the Form 2 that we couldn’t have created before. We’re even more excited to see what others do with our printers and this new lineup of materials.
Want to learn more about the new engineering resins? Contact our Additive Manufacturing Specialist for more information and to request a free sample part.
