Formlabs introduces new Form 3B printer and dental business
Formlabs has today announced the launch of a new 3D printer and business unit focused on the dental industry.
The company, which already has one of the largest 3D printer install bases for small to large dental labs and is being leveraged by the likes of Voodoo Manufacturing for mass manufacture of aligners, has introduced Formlabs Dental and new Form 3B printer to provide next generation materials, service and software.
Formlabs already has a wide range of dental-specific resins amongst its portfolio. The Form 3B will be compatible with more than 10 materials including an in-house developed Surgical Guide Resin and four new shades of Denture materials. These can be easily swapped out using the cartridge system to cater to a number of dental applications such as crown and bridge models, clear aligner and retainer models, surgical guides, and patterns for casting and pressing. To further expand on this, the desktop stereolithography leader has also announced the Formlabs Materials Partner Platform which will allow third party manufacturers to develop new materials for the Form 3B.
“When patients visit the dentist, they want a fast, customized solution for their teeth,” said Max Lobovsky, CEO and co-founder of Formlabs. “Our new Form 3B printer is uniquely tailored to seamlessly digitise, streamline and expedite workflow so dentists and technicians can focus on providing patients with the outcomes they expect and deserve. We have already touched the lives of over hundreds of thousands of patients, having printed 13 million dental parts on the Form 2 and, with the launch of Form 3B, aim to expand that reach even further to ensure all dental care providers can bring an exceptional level of attention to their patients.”
Formlabs Form 3B printer
The Form 3B takes a similar form to the Form 3 systems announced earlier this. The desktop Form 3, larger Form 3L, and now the Form 3B are based on Low Force Stereolithography (LFS) technology, an advanced form of SLA which is said to deliver consistently flawless parts and received the Highly Commended award in this year's TCT Awards polymer hardware category.
In addition to hardware and materials, Formlabs is also offering a Dental Service Plan backed by dental experts to provide self-learning and training. This includes personalised in-person or video tutorials, email and phone support with dental specialists and hot swapping printers for continuous production.
Commenting on the increased adoption of 3D printing in the dental industry since the launch of the Form 2, Dr. Jay Burton, DMD, MBA, Board Certified Orthodontist at SmileMaker Orthodontics, said: "By bringing down the cost for entry, Formlabs revolutionised the dental market. Today’s announcement of the Form 3B will continue to grow the technology’s adoption and help to provide dental products you’d be proud to deliver. The incredibly accurate Form 3B produces crisp and consistent dental parts and Dental Service Plan provides the confidence to go digital.”
Further to dental enhancements, Formlabs has today also announced the acquisition of photochemistry and photopolymer expert Spectra Group Photopolymers LLC. The company has been the primary supplier for Formlabs proprietary resins for the last eight years. Formlabs has invested over a million dollars into building out an FDA registered, ISO Class 8 certified clean room in an ISO 13485 certified facility for dental and medical materials development within Spectra.
Speaking about the acquisition, Lobovsky said “materials are a critical component in opening up new applications, workflows and disrupting industries.”
Spectra’s current customers are to be retained and served without interruptions.
