Note:
The printer's power cord and USB-C cable are included on top of the foam inside the Form 4 generation printer box. If you cannot locate the power cable, be sure to check all boxes in your shipment, as it may have been packed separately.
WHITE PAPER
Receiving and unboxing your Form 4 generation printer
Receiving and unboxing your Form 4 generation printer
Form 4 generation printer packages
The standard Form 4 generation printer bundle ships with multiple boxes: the printer, Finish Kit, resin tank, and build platform. The resin tank, build platform, any resin cartridges you order, and additional accessory boxes ship separately from the Form 4 generation printer packaging.
Packaged shipments have the following dimensions and weights:
| Printer | Finish Kit | Resin Cartridge | Resin Tank | Build Platform | Mixer | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Dimensions | 52.3 × 55 × 71.4 cm (20.6 × 21.7 × 28.1 in) | 48.0 × 32.0 × 28.0 cm (18.9 × 12.6 × 11.0 in) | 8.9 × 10.2 × 28.6 cm (3.5 × 4.0 × 11.3 in) | 41.3 × 40.0 × 8.7 cm (16.3 × 15.7 × 3.4 in) | 24.0 × 15.0 × 10.0 cm (9.4 × 6.2 × 3.9 in) | 28.0 × 12.5 × 3.9 cm (11 × 4.9 × 1.5 in) |
| Weight | 22.6 kg (50 lb) | 3.4 kg (7.5 lb) | 1.5 kg (3.3 lb) | 0.9 kg (1.9 lb) | 1 kg (2.2 lb) | 0.1 kg (0.2 lb) |
| Contents | Form 4 generation printer | see Finish Kits | single cartridge | single resin tank | single build platform | single mixer |
Before receiving your Form 4 generation printer
Prepare a space to install your Form 4 generation printer and to house accessories and consumables.
- Choose a stable, level workspace for your Form 4 generation printer. Reserve the following minimum dimensions for the most convenient access:
- 40.7 cm (16.0 in) width
- 47.8 cm (18.8 in) depth
- 84.4 cm (33.2 in) height
- Reserve additional space nearby for the Finish Kit, Form Wash, or Form Cure.
- Download and install PreForm software.
- Purchase additional supplies:
- Disposable non-reactive gloves (nitrile or neoprene)
- Paper towels
- Suitable wash solvent
- Prepare a clean, dry space out of direct sunlight to store resin cartridges and resin tanks.
Isopropyl alcohol is the recommended solution for rinsing parts and cleaning liquid resin after each completed print. Keep paper towels in stock to ensure a clean work environment for printing and finishing.
Depending on your use case and work environment, tripropylene glycol monomethyl ether (TPM) may be a viable alternative to isopropyl alcohol for washing parts using the Form Wash or the Finish Kit.
Unboxing your Form 4 generation printer
The custom packaging your Form 4 generation printer arrives in is specially designed to protect the printer during shipping. Save the Form 4 generation printer packaging for transporting your printer. Original packaging is required for warranty service.
- Open the top of the box.
- Unpack the power cable and accessories.
- Remove the top foam.
- Using the handles on the printer bag, lift the printer out of the box and place it on a flat, level surface.
- Lift the printer out of the bag and place it on your work surface.
- Remove the microfiber shipping cover from the printer.
- Plug the included power cable into your printer and connect to a power outlet. Turn on the printer using the rear power switch.
- Remove any protective film on the display and follow the prompts on the screen to complete the printer setup.
Proceed to follow the onboarding guide on the printer's touchscreen. Once you're done, set up the Finish Kit and connect to your printer if you have not already done so.
Notice:
Do not cover the printer with any packaging or any other covers or sleeves during printing. Insulating the printer during printing can damage the machine.
Tip:
Place SLA printers facing away from external windows to prevent resin in the resin tank from inadvertently curing between uses or when the cover is open.
Serial name
All Formlabs machines have a serial name instead of a serial number. The serial name is a unique identifier used to track the history of manufacturing, sales, and repair, and to distinguish between printers when multiple are connected to a network. The serial name is on the back panel of the machine in the format Form4-AdjectiveAnimal.
For a Form 4 generation printer, the serial name is also available on the touchscreen display. The serial name is listed in the status bar at the top of the screen in the format AdjectiveAnimal.
If you give your printer a custom name, that is displayed instead of the serial name. To find the serial name, check the back label or tap Settings > General > About this printer on the touchscreen.