Formlabs new draft mode
Formlabs’ booth at CES is right next-door to the TCT Booth; it’s a thing of beauty, watching the crew set up and finish before anyone else on the showfloor (before some had even started) was like watching a finely choreographed ballet, there was little chaos, little confusion it was done, it was ready and the team headed home.
This level of organisation reflects Formlabs as a whole, they don’t really do chaos nor hype they do what they do very well and they perfect that. They make incremental improvements to their machines as opposed to launching release after release, the latest at the 2015 International CES is just that, an improvement, one many of their users have been crying out for.
The Form 1+ has had a software update, a significant one in terms of speed and functionality, the Form 1+ now prints in 200 microns, a draft mode if you will. This, coupled with the new support structure system that uses 60% less material means the Formlabs printer can now churn out the classic rook piece at 200 microns in 46 minutes shaving some 55 minutes off the time it takes to print the same piece at the same resolution on a leading FDM printer.
Formlabs 200 micron comparison
While other companies dotted around the showfloor strive to demonstrate how high-resolution their new desktop SLA printer is Formlabs adopt somewhat of a “got the t-shirt” stance as they leave the rest trailing in their wake.
The team are also demonstrating a working speaker that was fully printed on a Form 1+ save for the magnets, wire and a single screw. As you can see from the Formlabs’ diagram below the speaker was printed combing their new flexible resin with the black resin launched last year.
Formlabs Speaker
Formlabs continue to grow and they get better and better as a commercial entity, this exceptional example of 3D printing coupled with that new software update and the 3D Systems lawsuit behind them make them one of the most exciting companies in the industry today.
