Formlabs debutes two new machines: The FormWash and The FormCure
Formlabs, the SLA 3D printer manufacturers who have brought us machines, such as the Form 1+ and 2, have made quite an announcement this morning at the RAPID + TCT conference in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania; announcing two new machines that will offer a complete system for automated washing and post-curing.
These two new machines, the Form Wash and Form Cure, aim to help complete “the SLA experience” by bringing the entire process together to make your prints more consistent, taking less time and effort.
The FormWash (left) and the FormCure (right)
With the Form Wash machine, you will receive a “uniform, consistent, and automated cleaning process” that’s as easy to use as setting the time and walking away. The Form Wash system is fairly simple; you either place the Form 2’s build platform or the 3D printed items themselves directly into the Form Wash. The Form Wash’s impeller will then agitate the parts in isopropyl alcohol (IPA) and once done, it will then raise the basket or platform to give you a perfectly cleaned part that is ready for post-curing. The machine also comes with a storage area to keep your finishing tools neat, as well as a hydrometer that lets you know when it’s time to change the IPA.
The Form Cure machine will take your 3D printing to the next level by providing a “powerful method”, enhancing your post-curing prints. This printing method includes the use of a 405 nm light and a heating system that provides the ideal temperature conditions for SLA printed parts. By using this machine along with your Formlab printer(s), the performance overall of all Formlabs materials will increase both the strength and performance.
In addition to this, a representative at Formlabs explained to us that there will be pre-defined settings for each of the resins, ensuring that the resins are post-processed in accordance with their mechanical properties.
“Anyone who’s used a 3D printer knows the dirty secret of the process: a lot happens in between hitting ‘print’ and holding a final product,” Explained Dábid Lakatos, Chief Product officer at Formlabs. “We know our users’ time is better spent designing and creating, so we developed Form Wash and Form Cure to bridge that missing gap; making it easier than ever to go from finished print to ready-to-use part.”
If you’re in the Pittsburg area and are interested in seeing these two machines in action, you can head over to the Formlabs booth (#1637) at RAPID + TCT, which kicked off today and finishes on May 11th. If you don’t need to see these machines live and know you need one (or both), preorders for both machines are available now, with shipping set to begin in September of this year!
Are you excited for these new machines? Let us know what you think in comment below or on our Facebook and Twitter page!
