Formlabs Expands Large-Format 3D Printing Line

Formlabs has debuted the Form 3BL, a dental and medical 3D printer optimized for biocompatible materials. Also, Formlabs will also start shipping its flagship largeformat printer, the Form 3L. Both printers mark the expansion of the company’s line of large-format stereolithography (SLA) 3D printers to enable manufacturers and creators to print high-detail large-scale parts.

Formlabs also announced Wash L + Cure L, a fully automated post-processing system created for large-scale prints, which will ship in 2021. 

“Our large-format printers are poised to have the same disruptive effect on the 3D printing industry as our Form 1 launch did," says Max Lobovsky, CEO and co-founder of Formlabs. "With the Form 3L and Form 3BL, we are opening this powerful technology up to a whole new group of users at an accessible price while maintaining a professional quality.”

The Form 3L, Formlabs’ flagship large-format printer announced in spring 2019, delivers accurate, repeatable prints across the printers’ larger build platform. It featurs an advanced Low Force Stereolithography (LFS) print process and larger build platform. 

The Form 3L and Form 3BL’s features and benefits include:

• 3D print large-scale parts or many smaller parts in a single build, with stunning surface finish and detail that resemble final products.
• A build volume of 33.5×20×30 cm (13.2×7.9×11.8 in), five times larger build volume than the Formlabs Form 3 desktop SLA 3D printer.
• An intuitive workflow, with automatic resin dispensing, simple print preparation software and an interface anyone can use.
• A robust end-to-end system designed for nonstop throughput with minimal intervention.
• Access to nearly all of Formlabs' extensive materials library, ensuring a stable supply chain and access to the resins needed for any project—including biocompatible materials on the Form 3BL.

The Form 3BL, similar to the Form 3B, is optimized for biocompatible materials for use in the dental and healthcare industries. The Form 3BL balances throughput, quality and reliability, and is thoroughly validated by Formlabs’ dental team to meet the accuracy requirements for dental aligner production, with consistent part quality and accuracy across the entire build plane. 

In medical settings, the Form 3BL is capable of printing human-scale anatomical models, in-house, on a single build platform. With the Form 3BL, health care providers can meet the tight deliverable windows needed to produce the customized surgical guides that are used to improve care and reduce the time spent in the operating room. 

The Form 3L is available and shipping today, the Form 3BL is available for pre-order here and will ship in October 2020, and Wash L + Cure L will ship in 2021.  

Sources: Press materials received from the company and additional information gleaned from the company’s website.