Formlabs Form 2
Exceptional-quality 3D printing right from your desktop.
Formlabs is established as the leading stereolithography (SLA) 3D printer manufacturer. This kind of printer uses a resin instead of a filament, which hardens when it’s exposed to ultraviolet light.
The main build platform of an SLA printer is suspended over a resin tank, so as the print is mapped out by the laser, the thing you’re printing is built upside down and looks like it’s being pulled (albeit very slowly) right out of the resin.
The resin comes in a specially shaped bottle that drops into the printer’s base, and it automatically pours into the tank as the printer is primed before use. Commissioning takes about 20 minutes, and once started, it’s best to wait with the printer just to check everything’s in order. If you try to print on an uneven surface, the printer alerts you to level it using the small adjustable feet on the base.
When it comes to printing from your Mac, you have the choice of connecting the printer to your computer using USB, Ethernet or Wi-Fi. Setting up the latter from the small interface on the printer is quick and easy enough, and once done, you can send prints without the need to reconnect physically.
As with the vast majority of new printers, the Form 2 comes with its own software: PreForm. This handles the majority of the printer’s settings and enables you to quickly select quality as well as the material type.
Upon importing a 3D model, the software will instantly detect if there are any issues with its integrity and then repair them automatically. We found it did an incredible job of eliminating intersecting faces and repairing any that are missing without issue.
Once the print finishes, it can be removed from the build plate. Compared to a filament printer, the process of print removal is a little more involved and time consuming; the whole process from start to finish can take about 24 hours for the print to fully harden, but the end result is worth it. Print times are slower than with a filament printer, but only by about 10–20%, depending on the model.
The Form 2 is designed for people in need of a high-end 3D print solution, and it’s ideal if you need to make prototypes, small product runs or detailed quality models or jewellery designs. The process of of producing a print is more time-consuming, messy and expensive than with a filament printer, yet the results are exceptional.
The Form 2 really does give you the best possible finish and quality you can get from a desktop 3D printer.
“The Form 2 is designed for people in need of a high-end 3D print solution, and it’s ideal if you need to make prototypes, small product runs or detailed quality models or jewellery designs.”