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Technology

Printing Process:

• Masked Stereolithography (MSLA)
• Powered by Low Force Display™ (LFD) technology for enhanced speed and consistency

Print Engine Components:

• Backlight Unit
• Light Processing Unit 4 (LPU 4)
• Release Texture
• Flexible Film Resin Tank
• Intelligent Control Systems
• High-Speed Automatic Resin Handling

Illumination & Precision:

• Backlight Unit with 60 uniform-wavelength LEDs, plano-convex lens array, and integrated air cooling
• 405 nm optical wavelength
• 16 mW/cm² optical intensity at the cure plane
• 50 µm pixel size

Performance & Speed

Maximum Print Speed¹:

• Up to 100 mm/hr (3.9 in/hr)

Typical Print Speeds²:

• Average: ~40 mm/hr (1.6 in/hr) across all materials
• Range: 16–50 mm/hr (0.6–2.0 in/hr), depending on material choice

Dimensional Accuracy³:

• 1–30 mm features: ±0.15% (min ±0.02 mm)
• 31–80 mm features: ±0.2% (min ±0.06 mm)
• 81–150 mm features: ±0.3% (min ±0.15 mm)

Surface Accuracy (Restorative Models)⁴ with Precision Model Resin:

• 99.7% of surfaces within 100 µm of the CAD model
• 95% within 50 µm
• 69% within 25 µm

Materials & Compatibility

• 23 premium Formlabs materials supported
• Open Material Mode for third-party resins
• Continuous development of new materials
• Not biocompatible (see Form 4B for biocompatible options)

Build Volume & Resolution

• Build Volume (W x D x H)⁵: 20.0 × 12.5 × 21.0 cm (7.9 × 4.9 × 8.3 in), 5.25 L
• Build Area: 250 cm² (38.8 in²)
• Maximum Part Length⁶: 27.3 cm (10.7 in)
• XY Resolution⁷: 50 µm with pre-tuned anti-aliasing for subpixel detailing
• Layer Thickness⁸: 25–200 µm (0.001–0.008 in)

Resin Handling & Environment

• Resin Cartridge: 1 next-generation cartridge
  • 5–10x faster filling
  • 63% less waste
  • 30% less storage space required
• Resin Heating: High-speed conduction with infrared sensing
• Internal Temperature: Automatically heats resin to 25–45 °C (77–113 °F), depending on the material
• Force Sensing: Z-Axis Force Sensor optimizes print quality and speed based on part geometry and material

Supports & Finishing

• Auto-generated supports designed for light-touch removal
• View Design Guide for best practices

Printer Dimensions & Requirements

• Printer Dimensions (W x D x H): 39.8 × 36.7 × 55.4 cm (15.7 × 14.5 × 21.9 in)
• Minimum Access Dimensions (W x D x H): 40.7 × 47.8 × 84.4 cm (16.0 × 18.8 × 33.2 in)
• Weight: 18.3 kg (40.4 lb)
• Operating Environment: 18–28 °C (64–82 °F)
• Power Requirements: 100–240 VAC, 4.8 A, 50/60 Hz, 480 W

Connectivity & Controls

• Connectivity: Wi-Fi (2.4 & 5 GHz), Ethernet (1000 Mbit), USB-C 2.0
• User Interface:
  • 7" interactive touchscreen (1280 × 800)
  • Languages: English, German, French, Spanish, Italian, Japanese, Simplified Chinese
• Alerts:
  • Touchscreen alerts
  • SMS/email alerts via Dashboard
  • Integrated speaker for audio notifications

Sensors & Monitoring

• 6 advanced sensors ensure optimal printing conditions:
  • Infrared resin temperature monitoring
  • Ultrasonic resin level sensing for precise tank fill
  • Z-Axis Force Sensor minimizes print forces
  • Resin Cartridge Load Cell for exact resin usage
  • Printer Leveling Sensor
  • Integrated camera for remote monitoring, timelapses, and print history (can be disabled, covered, or removed)

Software Ecosystem

• Software: PreForm, Dashboard, Fleet Control
• PreForm Requirements:
  • Windows 7 (64-bit) or newer (ARM not supported)
  • Mac OS X 10.15 or newer
  • OpenGL 2.1, Microsoft C++ runtime (Windows)
  • 4 GB RAM (8 GB recommended)
• File Formats: STL, OBJ, 3MF input; FORM output
• PreForm Features:
  • One-Click Print
  • Adaptive layer thickness for fine details and faster prints
  • Remote Print
  • Auto-orient for optimal part positioning
  • Auto-mesh repair and auto-generation of supports
  • Advanced manual support editing
  • Rotate, scale, duplicate, and mirror functions
  • Layer slicer for path inspection
  • Customizable print settings
  • Multilingual interface

Dashboard Printer Management:

• Cloud-based management of prints and printers
• Track resin and tank usage
• SMS/email alerts
• Enterprise group accounts for shared access and permissions

Component Lifespans

• Resin Tank Estimated Lifetime¹⁰: 75,000+ layers with any Formlabs material
  • ~190 prints at 39 mm height using any resin at 100 µm layer thickness
• Light Processing Unit Estimated Lifetime¹¹: 600,000–1,900,000 layers depending on material and layer thickness
  • ~2,800 prints at 39 mm height using Grey Resin V5 at 100 µm layer thickness

Footnotes:

1. Maximum print speed measured under ideal conditions.
2. Typical speeds vary by material and geometry.
3. Dimensional tolerances may differ based on material and print settings.
4. Based on tests with Precision Model Resin.
5. Actual build volume usage may depend on print orientation, supports, and material.
6. Longest dimension capability may be material and geometry dependent.
7. XY resolution is pixel size and does not guarantee feature accuracy.
8. Layer thickness affects print speed, surface quality, and detail.
9. Interface and alert methods may evolve with firmware updates.
10. Resin tank lifetime depends on use conditions and chosen material.
11. LPU lifespan varies based on usage, materials, and settings.

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