Formlabs Formlabs Form 4B Complete Package

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What's Included with the Formlabs Form 4B Medical Packages?

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What are the Differences Between the Formlabs Form 3+, Form 3L, and Form 4?

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What are the Technical Specifications of the Form 4B 3D Printer?

GENERAL
Machine	Resin 3D Printer
Technology	Low Force Display (LFD)™ / mSLA
Light Source	LED's
Assembly	Fully-Assembled
Machine Dimensions (W × D × H)	398mm×367mm×554mm (15.7"×14.5"×21.9")
Weight	18.3kg (40.4lb)
PRINTER PARAMETERS
Build Volume (W × D × H)	200m×125mm×210mm (7.9" x 4.9" x 8.3")
XY Resolution	50 microns
Layer Thickness	25 - 300 microns (.001" – .012")
Light Source Specifications	1 Light Processing Unit (LPU); LPU 4 uses a high-resolution LCD to mask powerful, uniform projection of light coming from the Backlight Unit (60 LED's on a PCB emitting light through collimating lenses)
PRINTER FEATURES
Resin Cartridges	1
Automatic Resin Dispenser	Yes
Built-In Camera	Yes; can be turned off, covered, or removed
Print Monitoring	✔
Resin Level Sensor	✔
Resin Temperature Sensor	✔
Printer Leveling Sensor	✔
Mixer Debris Sensor	✔
[Print] Force Sensor	✔
MATERIAL COMPATIBILITY
Formlabs Materials	General Purpose Resin(s) Black V5, Clear V5, Grey V5, White V5, Fast Model V1, PRecision Model, Color Base Tough & Durable Resin(s) Durable, Tough 1500, Tough 2000 Rigid Resin(s) Rigid 4000, Rigid 10K Engineering Resin(s) ESD, Flame Retardant, High Temp, Silicone 40A V1, Alumina 4N V1 Flexible & Elastic Resin(s) Elastic 50A Resin V2, Flexible 80A Jewelry Resin(s) Castable Wax, Castable Wax 40
Biocompatible	Yes; BioMed Durable, BioMed Flex 80A, BioMed Elastic 50A, BioMed Clear, BioMed Amber, BioMed Black, BioMed White
Open Platform	Access to PreForm Print Settings Editor coming soon Open Material License required, ETA TBD
SOFTWARE
Compatible Program(s)	PreForm
OS Compatibility	Windows 7 (64-bit) and up Mac OS X 10.12 and up
Additional System Requirements	OpenGL 2.1 C++ runtime library from Microsoft (Windows only) 4GB RAM (8GB recommended)
Supported Input File Type(s)	STL, OBJ, and 3MF
Supported Output File Type(s)	FORM
Print Setup Features	One-Click Print, Remote Print Rotate, scale, duplicate, and mirror Auto-mesh repair, Auto-generation of supports Auto-orient for optimal print position Adaptive layer thickness for faster printing with fine details Layer slicer for path inspection Available in multiple languages
Dashboard Printer Management Features	Manage prints and printers via the cloud Track resin and tank usage over time SMS and email alerts Create enterprise group accounts with admins to more easily share    printers and control access
WARRANTY
Warranty Period	1 Year if purchasing the 2 Year Pro Service Plan, 2 Years if purchasing the 3 Year Pro Service Plan, 3 Years

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What's Different Between SLA and SLS on Formlabs Machines?

Model(s)	Form 3+ / Form 3L / Form 4	Fuse 1 / Fuse 1+
Starting Price	$2,499 / $5,999 / $4,499	$23,499 / $33,489
Technology	Stereolithography Laser-based - Form 3+ / 3L LCD-based - Form 4	Selective Laser Sintering (SLS)
Pros	Great value High accuracy Smooth surface finish Range of applications	Strong functional parts Design freedom (no supports) Simpler post-processing
Application(s)	Functional prototyping Patterns, molds, and tooling Dental applications Jewelry prototyping and casting Modelmaking	Functional prototyping Short-run, bridge, or custom manufacturing
Maximum Part Size (W × D × H)	335mm × 200mm × 320mm (13.2" × 7.9" × 12.6") (Form 3L)	159mm × 159mm × 295mm (6.3" x 6.3" x 11.6") (Nylon 12 Powder)
Max Printer Dimensions (W × D × H)	405mm × 375mm × 530mm (15.9" × 14.8" × 20.9") (Form 3L)	770mm × 520mm × 740mm (30.3" × 20.5" × 29.1")
Machine Form Factor	Desktop	Benchtop / Free-standing
Compatible Facility	Office Workshop	Workshop
Printing Environment	Ambient conditions. Only PU Resins require a dry cabinet for humidity control.	Air environment, with the option to print in a nitrogen atmosphere for enhanced material properties and lower refresh rates.
Material Type	Resin	Powder
Materials	20+ functional resins for prototyping and producing end use parts	6 high-performance industrial- grade materials, including nylon 11, nylon 12, TPU, polypropylene, and glass & carbon-filled nylon composites
Biocompatible Materials	Available on the "B" version	Yes
Layer Thickness	25 - 300 microns (.001" – .012")*	110 microns (0.004")
Resolution	★★★★★	★★★★☆
Accuracy	★★★★★	★★★★★
Surface Finish	★★★★★	★★★★☆
Supports	Auto-generated Light-touch removal	None required
Throughput	★★★★☆	★★★★★
Output	Excellent (3+ / 3L) Superior (4)	Excellent
Ease of Use	★★★★★	★★★★☆
Training	Minor training on build setup, maintenance, machine operation, and finishing. Plug and play.	Moderate training on build setup, maintenance, machine operation, and finishing.
Training Included	Optional	Yes; more options available
Ancillary Equipment	Washing station Post-curing station Finishing tools	Post-processing station (part cleaning & material recovery)

* Layer Thickness varies based on materials when resin 3D printing.

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What Resources are Available for the Form 4 3D Printer?

• Get Quote for In-person Hardware Installation

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FAQ

Why should someone buy a Form 4B?

To print with any of Formlabs' 14 biocompatible materials. Form 4B is mainly targeted towards dental and medical users.

Can I upgrade from a Form 4 to a Form 4B in the field if I find that I need a biocompatible material in the future?

No. Customers need to purchase a Form 4B to use biocompatible materials.

How do I purchase, setup, and use a Form 4B?

Purchase one of the Medical printer packages. During printer onboarding, you will be prompted to temporarily connect to your printer to the internet. Once connected, the printer will silently download a software license and transform itself into a Form 4B. If they don’t connect, the printer will remain a Form 4. Once the printer transforms to a Form 4B, the top bar on the Touch UI will become blue and say “Form 4B”. Now you can print with Formlabs' 14 biocompatible materials.

What happens if I order a Form 4B but do not connect to the internet?

You will not be able to print with Formlabs' biocompatible materials. PreForm and the printer will explain the error and ask you to connect to the internet. Keep in mind that you are able to hotspot from a cell phone.

Is the Medical Service Plan (MSP) required with the Form 4B?

Yes, similar to the Form 3B, the Medical Service Plan is mandatory. The MSP provides you with unlimited access to a dedicated Medical Service Team, and also includes replacement parts and a hot swap free of charge, which means that if there is an issue with your printer that can’t be resolved remotely or with replacement parts, a replacement printer will be sent to you in order to minimize your downtime.

Does the Light Processing Unit (LPU) need to be replaced frequently?

No. The LPU is a long-lasting consumable tested to deliver consistent print performance throughout its lifetime. The LPU 4 has an expected lifetime of 600k - 2.7M layers, depending on the material and layer height printed.

Why does Form 4 use 4K resolution, not 8K or 12K?

Form 4 uses a 50um pixel size, highly collimated light, and advanced pixel smoothing to produce razor-sharp detail and smooth surfaces. The number of pixels is only one small factor for producing great parts. Based on internal testing and beta feedback, the Form 4 is expected to deliver the same print quality as printers with a higher resolution LCD.

How does the peel force on the Form 4 compare to the Form 3?

Formlabs developed a specialized print engine and resin tanks to minimize peel forces. This allows the Form 4 tanks to last longer, the prints run faster, and the parts look better.

Can I use my Form Wash (1st generation) with Form 4?

Yes, you can remove the parts from the Form 4/B build platform and use your existing Form Wash. However, the Form Wash (2nd Generation) is required to fit the new Form 4 build platform has a larger build area (and therefore larger
build volume). The maximum part size that can fit in the legacy Form Wash is 145mm × 145mm × 175mm.

Form Wash (2nd Generation) also has 3x more agitation and improved longevity allowing you to wash 67% more parts before
replacing your solvent.

Do Form 3 cartridges, resin tanks, and build platforms work on Form 4?

No. The cartridge, resin tank, and build platform have been redesigned to achieve significantly better performance, lifetime, and cost for the Form 4. To make those improvements, it wasn’t possible to make Form 4 printers backwards compatible with Form 3 series consumables.

Do Form 4 cartridges, resin tanks, and build platforms work on Form 3?

No. Improvements to these consumables are possible exclusively to the Form 4.

What makes the new Form 4 Resins specific to the printer?

The new print engine on Form 4 is vastly different from Form 3, so the new formulations were designed to take advantage of the new mSLA hardware.

How does Tank lifetime vary per material – do we have the same aggressive, moderately aggressive and not aggressive categories for different materials?

Tank lifetime is now the same for all materials. The tank design has been updated and is no longer degraded by the components present in some of Formlabs' resins.

Does Form Auto work with Form 4?

No, it is only available for Form 3 series. printers. While 24/7 automation is not available at this time, Form 4/B is still a great option for customers with high throughput applications, offering higher throughput and lower cost per part than Form 3 and other solutions on the market.

Does the Resin Pumping System work with Form 4/B?

No.

My tallest parts (or the number of parts per job) I printed on my Formlabs Form 4 don’t fit on the current Form Cure. What can I do?

At this time, it is recommended to use Form Cure L to cure parts printed on your Form 4 if the part or number of parts don't fit in the Form Cure.

Will the Formlabs Form 4/B be open or closed in terms of third-party materials?

Formlabs will ultimately bringing their SLA Open Platform to Form 4/B, including: Certified materials, Print Settings Editor, and Open Material License. They'lll start by adding Form 4/B to the PreForm Print Settings Editor late May 2024. Open Materials License to come.

Can I turn off or remove the camera on the Formlabs Form 4?

Yes. There are a few options for disabling the camera depending on your requirements.

1. Disable the camera using the Touch UI.
2. Physically cover the camera with a 3D printed part (STL file coming soon) or any other cover.
3. Physically remove the camera from the printer. This is a 5-10 minute service loop. A simple guide is being prepared by Formlabs for any customer who wants to do this.

Can I use the printer offline?

Yes, Form 4 can be used offline. For Form 4B, you will need to connect to the internet at least once to activate the capability of printing with Formlabs' biocompatible resins.

Do I need to buy a Form 4 Mixer for each Resin Tank?

For convenience, it is recommended to have 1 mixer for every different type of material you intend to print with. Otherwise, you will need to wash the Mixer in IPA using Form Wash before every material switch.

• Ex: If you plan to print Grey v5 and Tough 2000 resins on a single Form 4 3D printer, having two resin tanks and two mixers on hand is recommended for the fastest and easiest workflow.

What is the lifetime of the Form 4 Mixer?

You can use a Form 4 Mixer indefinitely.

Is Form 4 TAA compliant?

Contact support@matterhackers.com to ask about the TAA compliant version of the Formlabs Form 4.

How often should I be inspecting my resin tank?

Form 4 resin tanks should be inspected monthly.

How can I tell my resin tank is past its lifetime?

Replace a Form 4/B resin tank as soon as you notice:

• Punctures, cuts, wrinkles, or gouges in the film
• Wear on the film that begins to affect print quality or reliability.
  • Repeatedly printing
    the same model in the same location on a tank can cause the tank film to wear more
    quickly.

Do Form 4/B printers have built in tank usage monitoring?

Yes. You can check how many layers, prints, and liters have been printed on a resin tank at any time.

• When a tank reaches >=75,000 layers and is inserted into a printer, the printer will prompt you to inspect the tank and consider replacing it.

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