nm on resin - saw statement of open mode
@ChristopherBarr: The marketing materials say you can still use other resins (see āOpen Modeā at http://formlabs.com/products/3d-printers/form-2/)
Would love to get some more details on compatibility with old accessories / consumables. e.g. Can the old build platforms be used with the new model? Can you ārefillā the new cartridges from the old-style resin bottles?
I watched the blurbs on the peel and wiper. It seems like itās no longer actually āpeelingā, per se, but rather āshearingā the part off the bottom of the tank. Is there still a PDMS layer?
Seems like the support geometry/layout will need to change in order to handle the side loads introduced by this method. Long tall objects might not like that too muchā¦
Wifi is great, closed optical path is great, and control panel looks useful. I agree about the top looking like it doesnāt fit thoughā¦ Very interested in see the kinds of issues that pop up here about itās use in the wild.
Yay! Thanks, thatās awesome!
could availability be clarified? The video says available now. The order button says shipping time estimated November.
Yes, Richard is correct in that we are allowing manual pouring of resin via āOpen Modeā so this is not a closed system. Form 1+ build platforms will not be compatible with the Form 2 or itās included finishing kit.
We are very excited about the new wiper system as it automatically cleans the silicone and removes debris from the print window.
Jory
Bill - we are currently taking pre-orders for the Form 2. Purchasing now reserves your spot in line when machines begin shipping in November.
Purchases will be filled in the order they are received.
Jory
I donāt already have a form1 for comparison.
From the video there is a wiper device and maybe a new peel method. I donāt understand it.
Does the wiper move over a freshly exposed surface to even it?
Does the peel still tilt the model from the tray?
In any case are there reduced problems that led people to multiple prints in order to get the correct orientation so the model did not distort?
Could I print a 5*5" box with the flat parallel to the tray, for example?
- Iād like to know more about the new laser and how it affects small prints. Are we still basically looking at a 300 sized dot on the prints? My form1+ is good but Iām still seeing better detail form DLP printers.
@Bill_Knighton: The wiper cleans any artifacts off the bottom of the vat before starting a new layer. It also mixes the resin, which helps ensure you donāt have areas of the liquid getting unintentionally exposed over and over again (i.e. should help against laser flare). Beyond that, I would love to see more technical and practical detail on the improvements myself ;-).
THe new model no longer tilts to peel, instead it seems to slide to shear. Not sure if youād be able to print a 5x5 solid boxā¦ that might still be asking too much.
I see a lot of positive int he form2 and I would consider it even if my form1+ is less than a year old. However, it is the new peeling mechanism that worry me a bit (and attracts me also). The older one caused warping with vertical stress, this one seems to generate even more problems by using tangential stress. I can see the benefit in prints that are printed slated ā¦ but with tall structures it might create lot of problems or need a lot of side supports.
I would love to see lot of print videos showing its benefits.
The new system slides the tray while also moving the print upwards. The bottom of the tray still has PDMS on the bottom, and the wiper keeps that surface clean and helps expose the PDMS to oxygen which helps the print to not stick to the bottom.
The sliding layer separation system might not be better, itās difficult to tell, but the issue of hollow parts not being able to print wonāt be a problem anymore. Itās possible that it will have less stress on the print than what it currently has.
This is a picture of a ~950ml print I did on a Form 2 not too long ago.
Bulbasaur was printed flat on the platform (no supports).
So yes, I think you could print a 5" x 5" solid cube with no issues 
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, @Joel_Urist!!!
@Joel_Urist wow cool!! ā a lot of lines there, is that just the lighting or is it maybe at 200microns?
Also, I noticed just now (from the spec page) that the laser spot size id down from 155 to 140microns.
Anyone care to guess what a used Form1+ will bring on the open market? On a fair price that would move the beast, later this year when one can actually get a hold of the 2?
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Iām not sure you can go all the way to that conclusion from the available dataā¦
Part lighting and part early prototype printer 
Since it lifts up each time it has a chance for the resin to drain from hollow spaces
The discount is $400 towards a new Form 2.
The way the open/non captive resin system works is you just pour resin in a tray without using one of those black chips. From the pitch, it sounded like you would fill a black tank which led me to questions of how the chipped tank knows what is inside.
I spoke to someone at form who said, No, you leave the black tank off and just fill the resin tank to the line like in the prior versions.
As far as running out mid print, you can pause the print and switch tanks or just add resin to the reservoir.
The person I spoke with said they fixed the reservoir corner cracking problem. I do not know what they did to fix it but she said it was fixed.
When using 3rd party resin, you just choose the closest form resing profile to use.
The door at the top is for venting the tank, I guess so it does not burp like a milk jug would if you just turned upside down and poured. The bottom of the tank has a valve that is controlled by the printer. I forget what she called it, but she assured me you could lift the resin tank out and it would not leak from the bottom