09-22-2015: Formlabs released The Form 2

It was the second generation of its photopolymer 3D printers

On September 22, 2015, Formlabs, a manufacturer of desktop 3D printers based on SLA technology, announced the launch of The Form 2. It was the successor to the debut Form 1 and its optimized follow-up, the Form 1+. The Form 2 allowed for the 3D printing of larger objects, delivering smarter components, connected capabilities, as well as high resolution and speed. But most importantly, it practically eliminated all the flaws of the first generation of 3D printers – flaws that, while making Formlabs popular and gaining a loyal user base, were quite annoying in everyday use.

The 3D printer was first unveiled at the company’s headquarters in Boston, USA, and at the Euromold trade fair in Germany, which was coincidentally the last edition of this fair – in 2015, it was replaced by Formnext.

At first glance, compared to its predecessors, the changes seemed minimal – the same design, the same color scheme, the same resin tank, and the same build platform. However, upon opening the orange protective cover, it became clear that a series of modifications and improvements had been made.

The Form 2 featured a larger build volume – increased from 12 cm on each axis to 14.5 x 14.5 x 17.5 cm. Secondly, resin cartridges were introduced. Thirdly, the resin tank was heated, and the 3D printing mechanics were altered by adding a special wiper arm that would "sweep" the resin after each layer was printed before the build platform was re-submerged. Lastly, the laser power was increased, the printer’s speed improved, and the print resolution enhanced. A new post-processing kit was also introduced.

However, the most significant changes occurred in the 3D printing process and the enclosure of the mirror controlling the laser beam. These two factors dramatically improved the performance of the device, resolving most of the issues users had with the first-generation printers. And the main issue users faced was prints detaching from the build platform during the printing process.

Formlabs addressed all these problems and imperfections in The Form 2. First, the latest version of the PreForm software brought many improvements in slicing models and generating support structures. Second, the issue of dust or debris on the mirror controlling the laser beam was resolved. Third, the printing process itself was refined with the introduction of resin heating, a wiper arm for cleaning the resin in the tank, and improvements to process stabilization.

And finally, the trend that Formlabs consistently follows with each new generation of 3D printers: it is incomparable to its predecessor. The Form 2 offered much greater ease of use than the Form 1, the Form 3 was a significant leap from the Form 2, and now, the Form 4 stands far above the Form 3… Let's see what „The Five” will offer in the future?

Source: www.formlabs.com