Formlabs Expands Material Offering with Resins, Open Platform

Formlabs announces two materials, Silicone 40A and Alumina 4N Resin, and its new Open Platform option that enables access to third-party materials, personalizable print settings and open material printing. The company is also increasing accessibility to its SLS ecosystem with Fuse Starter Package, enabled by Fuse Depowdering Kit.

The new materials will be shown for the first time at The Digital Factory Conference at SoWa Power Station in Boston on September 13, 2023. Registration is now open here. 

“So much attention in the additive industry is focused on hardware, but materials are just as essential for delivering on our mission to create user-friendly, cost-effective 3D printing solutions so that anyone can make anything. That's why we continue to innovate relentlessly in the material space, creating high-performance materials that unlock new possibilities in manufacturing, healthcare and other industries," says Formlabs co-founder and CEO Max Lobovsky.

“With Silicone 40A and Alumina 4N, we’re combining the flexibility and efficiency of 3D printing and the performance of silicones and ceramics, at a price point that anyone can afford," adds Lobovsky. "We’re thrilled to both expand our ecosystem and make our Fuse 3D printers more accessible so our customers and new users can truly create anything at an affordable price.”

Formlabs now offers 45 resins, adding Silicone 40A Resin and Alumina 4N Resin, two high-performance materials designed for the needs of automotive, manufacturing, industrial applications.

Silicone 40A Resin

Silicone 40A Resin combines the material properties of cast silicone with the flexibility of 3D printing to eliminate molding and casting processes, while enabling design freedom. With this Pure Silicone Technology, users can print 100% silicone parts with complex geometries that are not possible with traditional methods—in-house, in a matter of hours.

Silicone 40A Resin can be used for soft, pliable and parts that can withstand repeated cycles of stretching, flexing and compression, for functional prototyping and end-use part production. This material creates parts with chemical and thermal resistance, for automotive and industrial applications as well as consumer products such as wearables or medical devices. 

Alumina 4N Resin

With Alumina 4N Resin, Form 3+ printers are affordable, easy-to-use SLA ceramic 3D printers in the world and are less than 1/10th of the price of leading alternatives. This new resin unlocks performance, design freedom and affordability of 3D printing for ceramic engineering. As a technical ceramic with 98.6% relative density and 99.99% purity, Alumina 4N Resin is reliable in extreme conditions for parts that are thermally resistant, abrasion resistant, mechanically strong and chemically inert.

Built to withstand the extreme environments in manufacturing, defense, foundry, chemical, automotive, semiconductor and other industries, Alumina 4N Resin will remove the need for expensive tooling, reduce production costs and shorten development cycles.

Open Platform Expands Material Choice

Open Platform includes three new solutions that expand the capabilities of Formlabs SLA printers. Certified Materials offers users a curated selection of third-party resins, starting with resins from Kulzer GmbH to enable dental biocompatible applications for Formlabs customers in the APAC region.

Print Settings Editor is a new PreForm feature that enables advanced users to modify print settings to tailor their print performance. Open Material License is an optional, paid software license that allows expert users to print with any 405 nm photopolymer resin. 

Fuse Starter Package

With the Fuse 1+ 30W 3D printer at its core, the Starter Package is a solution for professional-grade part production using high-performance materials, for $24,999. With Fuse Depowdering Kit, an all-in-one depowdering solution for low-volume production and multiple materials, the Starter Kit unlocks access to a complete professional SLS ecosystem for low-volume production at a low price point.

It will also enable users to add the Fuse Depowdering Kit to their operation to switch between materials without cleaning post-processing machinery. 

Silicone 40A, Alumina 4N and Fuse Starter Package are now available to purchase. PreForm Print Settings Editor will be released in early October. Open Material License will be available in early Q1 2024. 

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