Formlabs Fuse 1
The Fuse 1 is Formlabs' first SLS 3D printer
Formlabs, the Massachusetts-based 3D printing company, has announced the launch of Fuse 1, its first selective laser sintering (SLS) platform, and Form Cell, an automated production solution that houses Form 2 machines.
Breaking the news from a conference at Digital Factory today (5th June 2017), Formlabs says its aim is to promote next-generation digital manufacturing and 3D printing’s capabilities as a mass customisation tool. Fuse 1, the SLS 3D printer, and Form Cell, the automated production platform, are already being tested by a number of companies, including Google.
As per Formlabs, the Fuse 1 delivers the renowned benefits of SLS, while also boasting the reliability of its Form 2 3D printer. Prices starting at $9,999, the Fuse 1 is around 20x less expensive than the next cheapest industrial SLS machine. Printing parts at an affordable rate, Formlabs believes the SLS platform enables production of large and geometrically complex prints without the need for supports. Supporting Nylon PA 12 and PA 11 materials, the industry-standard for strong, durable and reliable prototyping and end-use parts, Formlabs believes the Fuse 1’s output is as good, if not better, than that of its counterparts with regards to material properties.
Formlabs Fuse 1
The Fuse 1 delivers the renowned benefits of SLS, while also boasting the reliability of its Form 2 3D printer.
The Form Cell station has also been developed with cost-effectiveness in mind. It parallelises a host of Formlabs 3D printing technology, including a row of Form 2 3D printers, a Form Wash curing unit, and an industrial robotic gantry system, to automate the typically manual parts of the 3D printing process. Formlabs suggest the cost-per-part is sufficiently optimised to enable users to measure their return on investment (ROI) within months, rather than years.
Due to Form 2’s performance during testing, Formlabs is confident of a well-received automated system. Labour is reduced through the use of a new smart software, which allows prints to be scheduled, errors detected, monitoring to be done remotely, and part and serial numbers to be printed. It is also factory-ready, according to Formlabs, with application programming interface (API) secured for integration with industry-standard and home-grown business systems alike.
“When we launched the world’s first desktop stereolithography 3D printer in 2012, Formlabs created new possibilities for designers and engineers to create physical products by giving them access to professional 3D printing technology that had historically been unavailable,” said Max Lobovsky, CEO of Formlabs. “With Fuse 1, we are taking the same approach to making powerful SLS technology available to a huge range of customers. And with Form Cell, we are making an efficient, scalable production solution by leveraging the Form 2, an SLA print engine that’s already stood the test of printing more than 10 million parts.”
David Lakatos, chief product officer of Formlabs added: “By enabling teams to easily iterate and also to directly manufacture final products. Fuse 1 and Form Cell open up a wealth of innovation flexibility within the product development cycle, from early prototyping to manufacturing.”
Formlabs Form Cell
Form Cell parallelises a host of Formlabs 3D printing technology, including a row of Form 2 3D printers, a Form Wash curing unit, and an industrial robotic gantry system.
Formlabs followed up the launch of Fuse 1 & Form Cell with news of a partnership with New Balance. Click here for more.
