Resin printers are very cool, but difficult to recommend for home crafters. When most people think about 3D printers, they think about filament and a printhead that moves around in front of you to create something. Some of this is due to availability and cost, but the biggest reason that kind of printer has become the most popular is safety. Resin printers, which use light to create a 3D shape inside a container of liquid resin, are historically best used in workshops and creative studios over a shelf in your home. Not only is the resin not safe to get on your hands, but most also produce fumes that are not safe to inhale for extended periods of time. As a result, the software driving these machines is generally less user-friendly as it’s not aimed at casual home use.
Today, the team at Formlabs is announcing the Form Studio 1, a $699 resin printer promising a home-friendly user experience and a collection of resins that don’t put off those unhealthy fumes.
Form Studio 1
Formlabs’ most affordable printer to date is a clear attempt to expand beyond the more industrial settings you would previously find these printers, without sacrificing the things that make other printers from this company stand out. Form Studio uses a backlight system with 28 LEDs with their own lenses to more accurately place light where it’s needed, which is a significant departure from the traditional LCD system seen in most affordable resin printers. The resin itself is loaded into the tank through the unique Formlabs cartridge system, allowing the printer to accurately tell you how much resin is left in the tank as well as allow for cartridge swapping to keep a print going when resin runs low. In terms of print speed, Formlabs promises the Form Studio is capable of printing at 130mm per hour when using its proprietary resin.
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The real star of the show here, in my opinion, is the resin that is safer to use in your house, as well as the printer accessory that helps it even further. Formlabs’ Alpha Resins carry the UL Greenguard Gold certification for the low-emission quality, and the resin itself gives off very little odor. While a full review from CNET is still underway, I can say from early testing that odors from this printer are practically nonexistent when using the provided resin. When you combine that with the $180 VOC extractor accessory, it paints a clear picture of where this printer is designed to be safely used.
Speaking of accessories, Form Studio has a ton, and they vary quite a bit in price. The flexible build plate and resin tanks are easy to swap in and out, so you can have multiple at the ready to rapidly switch resins in the printer and not have to pour anything back into a bottle. You can also upgrade to a flexible platform that makes getting the print off the plate way easier, as well as a pro-level resin tank for resins with higher curing temperatures. But my personal favorite launch accessory is the combination wash and cure station for resin prints. This combination unit takes up just about the same amount of space as the printer itself, and allows you to quickly clean and cure a resin print without making a mess or complicated drainage needs. It’s also only $200, which is incredible for what you get.
Starting today, Formlabs has opened up orders for what it’s calling the Founders Edition of the Form Studio with a few options. For a limited time, the printer will be available in four colors, with the option to upgrade to the flexible build plate for $750. If you choose to go with the standard edition, you can still grab that $700 price, but the flexible plate really is worth the extra money. Accessories for Form Studio are also available now, including resins for this printer starting at $29 for a one-liter cartridge. And don’t forget to check back, we will be conducting a thorough review of just how home-friendly this printer is soon.