Formlabs has begun shipping its latest Form 3 printers

Time required to build various parts with the new Form 3+ printer compared to the previous-generation model.

The latest additions to Formlabs’ Form 3 line of professional SLA 3D printers are now shipping to customers. The Form 3+ and Form 3B+ are recommended for additively manufacturing prototypes, end-use parts, and a range of other products, including medical devices and dental parts.

The new printers are based on Formlabs’ proprietary Low Force Stereolithography (LFS) technology, introduced in 2019. According to the Somerville, Mass., company, the new models operate at 20% to 40% higher printing speeds than their predecessors while improving part quality and streamlining workflows.

Raising the print speed doesn’t just make parts faster, it also makes products better, the company claims. “When a design team is able to go from ideation to finished part multiple times each day, the end result is a more thoughtful and well-tested product. With the updates available on the Form 3+ and Form 3B+, a design change doesn’t need to set a timeline back—alterations can be designed and printed in the same day.”

The printers, which feature a build volume of 14.5 by 14.5 by 18.5 cm and an automated resin-filling system, lay down 25- to 300-micron-thick layers.

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