Feature Request for PreForm and API: Automatic numbering and serialize parts

[strojano]

I’m a prosumer who sees a need for this feature. As I’m creating the n+1 version of a prototype while fighting with accuracy and precision, I see the need to have automatic numbering of parts. I think it will also be very helpful for people who run production on printers and want to avoid another step in part production. I know it’s not easy to implement but it’s possible - since you’ve implemented descriptions on rafts, this will be a piece of cake for your programmers.

I wrote for you functional requirement with short user story (or just explanation)
Feature Overview
Enable automatic numbering and serialization of printed parts with persistent tracking across print sessions.
Functional Requirements

1. Text Placement Configuration
   • 1.1 User shall be able to select a specific face of the model for text placement
   • 1.2 User shall be able to define exact position coordinates on the selected face
   • 1.3 System shall provide visual preview of text placement before printing
2. Text Formatting Options
   • 2.1 User shall be able to select font family from available system fonts
   • 2.2 User shall be able to define font size (with min/max constraints)
   • 2.3 User shall be able to apply text styles (bold, italic, underline)
   • 2.4 User shall be able to set text depth/height for embossing or engraving
3. Numbering Format Configuration
   • 3.1 User shall be able to define numbering format (e.g., ###, 000#, PREFIX-###)
   • 3.2 User shall be able to set increment value (e.g., +1, +2, +5)
   • 3.3 User shall be able to define starting number
   • 3.4 System shall support alphanumeric serial formats
4. External Data Source Integration
   • 4.1 System shall support importing predefined number lists from external files (CSV, TXT)
   • 4.2 System shall support connection to simple databases for number retrieval
   • 4.3 System shall validate imported numbers for uniqueness and format compliance
5. Number Tracking and Persistence
   • 5.1 System shall maintain a persistent log of all used serial numbers
   • 5.2 System shall prevent automatic reuse of previously assigned numbers
   • 5.3 Serial number history shall persist across application sessions
   • 5.4 System shall store tracking data independently from .form files
6. Failed Print Recovery
   • 6.1 User shall be able to manually release/recycle specific numbers from failed prints
   • 6.2 System shall provide interface to view and manage used number history
   • 6.3 User shall be able to mark prints as “failed” and return numbers to available pool
7. Serialization Template Management
   • 7.1 Serialization settings shall be saveable as templates separate from .form files
   • 7.2 Templates shall include all configuration (placement, format, style, data source)
   • 7.3 User shall be able to apply saved templates to different .form files
   • 7.4 System shall support multiple serialization types per template (serial number, production date, batch code)

Use Case Example
A user prints one prototype part today with serial number 001. Tomorrow, they need to print 10 production parts and want to continue numbering from 002-011, using the same formatting and placement settings without modifying the original .form file. What I mean is, I want to use different form files with the same template. I might have a file with one part, but also 3-5-20, etc.

Best Regards,
Sebastian

[Mario_Martinez]

What about this?

AMIS | Additive Manufacturing software

[strojano]

Hi,
It definitely doesn’t meet my amateur needs and is beyond my budget.
I choose hardware not only based on specifications but also on what’s more important these days, based on (free) software.
If I’m determined enough, I could probably automate this using open source software and use the Formlabs API to add it to the print queue.

It’s just an idea; Formlabs can definitely handle it.
I’m the product owner on cloud storage area in my professional life and am looking for customer-facing problems. I see a lot of potential for this feature. In another forum thread, someone asked about using a laser engraver, perhaps for this purpose.
I use a resin printer. I’m an amateur and simply want a simple way to automate the numbering of my “prototypes” without having to manually add engravings in PreForm or write the numbers with a marker.

BR,

Sebastian

[Sophia_M]

Hi Sebastian,

Thank you for your reaching out! We’ve passed your suggestion along to our development team. We appreciate you taking the time to share your insight!

Best regards,
Sophia

[Davidwedge]

A number formatting component of this which would be helpful would be to allow a multi-component serialization - where a section would tie to a specific run of the printer and another section would be serialized part. This is not dissimilar to current standards for say computers systems & components.
For example: an Apple computer has a 13 digit serial. Several digits cover year and month, another quartet which denote system type and build location, a group which cover configuration, and a final set which are actual serialization.

This implementation would allow production teams to narrowly define not only lot numbers, but specific runs on specific printers, thus providing more accurate and immediate management based on serials.

[jmasterson]

I see a lot of value in this feature too.

It would be incredibly helpful for troubleshooting damaged parts in my Fuse printer. If I’m running a job with 30 of the same part and 5 come out damaged (orange peel, layer shifting, etc.) it’s nearly impossible to determine how and where the 5 parts were packed in the chamber.

The only way around this is manually serializing or extremely careful unpacking.

[pkonichek]

I am currently working on a dashboard for my company that does this exact thing using the labeling REST API for verified print jobs. I am already over 80 hours into coding and have the frontend done just working on the backend and packaging. If there is enough interest I could work on developing a solution to this issue that every Formlabs customer could use. Or Formlabs, I would be happy to work on this project with you to seamlessly integrate in Preform free of charge.

[strojano]

I was not so brave to offer myself to working on this but I did research and some preparation + some concepts, but in my case it will be just “script based solution” for myself.
@pkonichek Can you show some screens from you frontend?

[pkonichek]

Here is a picture of the dashboard I am currently working on. I had to scribble out the part geometry and part number. Goal of this dashboard is to simplify our company’s additive manufacturing workflow so that operators just have to select the part number and then press print on an iPad. This process will later be revised as the company production management system will send files to the print group.