Formlabs, a leading company in the 3D printing industry, has recently launched three new products that make up their automation ecosystem, enabling 3D printers to run 24/7, 365 days a year. These products allow for mass production of sellable goods, which is a major step forward in the industry. In an interview with Marlo Anderson, Derek Vilim from Formlabs discusses these new products and the company’s core technologies.
Derek explains, “We’re launching three new products together at CES this year that form the Formlabs automation ecosystem. These are three products that basically automate your 3D printing pipeline, allowing your printers to run 24/7, enabling mass production.” He goes on to say, “When you’re automating the 3D printing pipeline, you can reduce cost per part, maximize throughput, and open up mass production situations.”
The Formlabs automation ecosystem allows customers to scale their production based on their demand. The automation capabilities enable low-volume customers to produce thousands of units and easily scale up to medium volumes. Formlabs has high-volume customers as well, with different applications that they are using the machines for.
Derek also discusses Formlabs’ core technologies, SLA and SLS. He explains, “Formlabs was founded with our SLA technology, which is our core technology. This is using UV lasers to cure a photo-polymeric resin. On top of SLA, we have SLS, which is using lasers to center nylon powder. These are our two core technologies right now, and they both have strengths and weaknesses.”
In conclusion, Formlabs is leading the way in the 3D printing industry with their automation ecosystem and core technologies. With their machines and automation capabilities, customers of all volumes can scale their production to meet their demand, enabling mass production of sellable goods.