The Form 1 + packs a decent build area of 125 mm x 125 mm x 165 mm that is somewhat constrained by the incremental cost of SLA printing. Now, to jump back to the hinged orange casing mentioned previously, it serves a fundamental purposes as it blocks outside light from infiltrating the closed chamber and spoiling the resin as well as looking pretty cool. Equally, it is arguably safer due to only reaching temperatures ranging from 18 to 28 degrees centigrade compared to the standard 100 + degrees recorded during the operation of conventional 3D printers. The benefits don’t stop there, SLA is all but silent and long are the days of abrasive mechanical ear sores emanating from an FDM printer three rooms away. The results are incomparable to standard FDM tech, and if you were to put two identical models made via each of the technologies alongside one another, you’d be amazed by how much better the SLA printer performed. Consequently, SLA usually carries with it a non-negligible price tag, if only for the equipment itself, but also for the actual liquid resin.īut the jump in price is also synonymous with a massive leap in quality as well. Delving a little deeper the process centers on a process called photopolymerization, whereby molecules are fused and solidified when in contact with light to create polymers.Īs you can see, this is miles away from the, at times, slapdash FDM technique, where plastic is melted then extruded layer by layer to create a printed model.
The galvanometer-directed UV laser effectively draws on the surface of the liquid resin causing it to harden. The total weight of 18 lbs is worth noting as it ensures the printer stands firmly on any surface with a robust set of low-profile feet.Īs mentioned above it uses SLA tech, or inverted stereolithography, which involves a UV laser that cures or hardens a light-sensitive liquid plastic resin layer by layer into a solid object. It oozes precision and professionalism with an almost otherworldly attraction that drew us inexplicably to this machine. It’s easy to forget that the Form 1 + is supposed to sit alongside entry-level pre-assembled 3D printers due to how good it looks.
The Form 1 + is well constructed with an intelligent design from the placement of the different components, the latched removable inverted build plate, and functional resin reservoir. Most striking is the orange acrylic cover that sits above a glossy grey base with soft contours, an efficient closed look, and a definite nod towards Formlab investing considerable time and money into generating a visually enticing device.
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