17 May 2013

Formlabs Announces Shipment of the Form 1

the first truly high-resolution, low-cost 3D printer for design and engineering professionals. In addition to shipping the first Form 1 units, Formlabs unveils its flagship printing material Clear Resin and PreForm 3D printing software.

Cambridge, MA, 17 May 2013 – Today, Formlabs announced that its high-resolution, low-cost Form 1 3D printer is now shipping. The company launched the Form 1 on the crowdfunding site Kickstarter in September 2012, gaining pledges for more than 1,000 printers within one month. Formlabs used those funds to set up production in the United States. Today, Formlabs shipped its first official full production units to Kickstarter backers and will continue shipping as units are built.

The Form Team expressed thanks for their early supporters. “When we unveiled our prototypes last year, many of you showed your support in our efforts and backed it with pledges and orders. The Form 1 was truly created by a community, which makes you, our Kickstarter backers and our preorder customers, an integral part of the Form Team.”

The Form 1 is available for preorder for $3,299 in the USA, Canada, Australia, and Europe while Kickstarter units are fulfilled. The package includes the Form 1 printer, one liter of resin, PreForm Software, and the Form Finish Kit.

Clear Resin, the Form 1’s flagship print material, will be available for $149 per liter on the Form Store (formlabs.com). Clear shows excellent tensile, impact, and green strength, making it great for highly detailed models, complex geometries, and functional prototypes.

PreForm Software is available as a free download at formlabs.com. PreForm is a blazing fast desktop software package that makes turning digital models into physical form as simple as a few mouse clicks.

About the Form 1 3D Printer

The Form 1 uses stereolithography (SL) technology to achieve resolution unheard of in the low-cost 3D printer market. The printer forms cross-sections with ultra-precise laser movements and creates layers as thin as 25 microns (.001 inches) in a build volume of 125 x 125 x 165mm (4.9 x 4.9 x 6.5 inches).

Such high quality 3D printing used to be too expensive and complex for most individuals. Now Form 1 users can print parts on their desktops with the complex geometries, exquisite details, and beautiful surface finish necessary for professional quality design and digital fabrication. PreForm Software, custom-formulated print materials, and the Form Finish Kit complement the Form 1 for a beautifully simple, end-to-end 3D printing experience.

Form 1 pre-orders are available for $3,299 for shipment to the USA, Canada, Australia, and Europe.