Editor’s Pick: Increasing 3D printing productivity

Formlabs introduces the Automation Ecosystem, a set of three add-on products for Formlabs printers that the company says will reduce the amount of operator labor and printer downtime when using multiple Formlabs printers. 

The Automation Ecosystem is designed to allow expansion from one Formlabs Form 3+ or Form 3B+ printer to a fleet of the same printers. Details are below with the explanation of each new piece of the Automation Ecosystem.  

Formlabs says the three parts of the Automation Ecosystem will allow users to run multi-user and multi-material print runs on an entire fleet of printers. The system is designed to enable continuous operation, allowing for overnight and weekend operation. 

There are three parts to the Automation Ecosystem: a new device, new software, and new higher volume resin cartridges. The details: 

Form Auto: A new device to enable 24/7 printing with automatic part removal. When parts are complete, Form Auto removes finished parts from the Build Platform 2 using patented Quick Release Technology. Form Auto then starts the next print in the queue. Form Auto works with Form 3(B) or Form 3(B)+ 3D printers. 

Fleet Control: New software to simplify and optimize fleet management. Formlabs says Fleet Control is a suite of new features for their existing Dashboard and PreForm software products. New features include centralized queue management and automatic printer assignment. Fleet Control works with Form 3+, Form 3B, Form 3L, and Form 3BL printer fleets. 

High-Volume Resin System: New resin cartridge system to increase printer capacity to five liters, up from one liter. The company says the new resin system will allow users to create more parts with fewer interruptions for cartridge replacement. The system offers consistent resin dispensing with a separate Resin Pump. This new system is compatible with Form 3+, Form 3B+, Form 3L, and Form 3BL 3D printers. 

“Formlabs users have recently achieved a major milestone, with more than 100 million parts printed on our 3D printers,” notes Formlabs Chief Product Office Dávid Lakatos. “By adding this ecosystem, Formlabs is increasing the capacity so users can deliver further 3D printing innovation.” 

The Formlabs Automated Ecosystem was introduced at CES 2023. A webinar is scheduled for January 23, 2023 to provide more information about Automated Ecosystem and its forthcoming availability. 

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

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