Today, we’re excited to announce two new hardware products that will further advance industrial 3D printing and help bring ideas to life faster than ever. The Form 3+ and Build Platform 2 with patented Quick Release Technology are now available!
The Form 3+ combines both hardware and software improvements to deliver what’s most important to our users: 20-40% faster print speeds, efficient and clean post-processing, and incredible part quality. To learn more, be sure to check out our official blog post!
To make post-processing easier and cleaner than ever before, pair the Form 3+ with Build Platform 2, our next generation build platform with patented Quick Release Technology. Build Platform 2 enables a faster workflow by quickly and easily releasing parts from the build platform in seconds without tools and without the risk of damaging your part. Check it out here!
Together, Form 3+ and Build Platform 2 are changing the way 3D printed parts are fabricated, allowing you to print, post-process, and finish your parts in record time.
If you have any questions, be sure to let us know in the discussion thread below. Alternatively, feel free join us on Instagram Live tomorrow January 5th at 10 AM PT, 1 PM ET, where we will be talking through the new products and taking questions. You can find us on Instagram @formlabs.
We can’t wait to see what you create! The Formlabs Team
While the physical parts cannot be upgraded, many of the key improvements highlighted in the launch of Form 3B+ are enabled by our newest software updates, continuing to ensure that customers will see their Formlabs products regularly improve post-purchase. By upgrading your version of PreForm and the firmware on your Form 3B, you will be able to experience many of the improvements of the Form3B+. For a closer look at these software improvements, check out “What’s Improved on My Form 3+ and Form 3B+ Printer” on our blog.
The chances are pretty high! We actually started shipping Form 3+ and Form 3B+ printers prior to our public announcement, so if you ordered one recently you will likely be sent a 3+. To confirm this, you can look for a plus symbol in the bottom left corner of the sticker on the back of your printer when it arrives.
This is really interesting to see! Is there any examples of the improved surface? I am especially interested in if it improves faces towards the build plate at all. Some times they come out a little soft, does this improve it at all?
The quick release mechanism isn’t all that new although it is somewhat different from others I have seen for other manufacturers.
There are companies out there that make similar items for other SLA printers. I have one for the Prusa SL1/S that I have. It works well but it does eventually not lay flat. BUT, keep in mind that the quick release for the Prusa was not designed by them but from another company and it was only ~$10 so it is probably a get what you pay for type of thing.
Agree with rxy that the buildplatform 2 look real fragile… it look like a thin sheet metal (spring steel i guess?) with welded handle
It will be interesting to see how well it retain its flatness after X number of flex
From the look of it, it seem there will be some gap at the back/rear of the build platform which the resin might seep in… no idea will this cause any issue…
Thank you for your interest in Build Platform 2, to address a few of your points:
The print surface is made of a high strength stainless steel which is very resistant to permanent deformation. We have yet to see a sheet deform and loose its flatness after normal use - even at high cycle counts or after extreme bends. We don’t expect any change in product lifespan between Build Platform 2 and the current build platform.
A small amount of resin will get under the surface while printing, however this does not impact print performance or print success in any way.
If you aren’t switching resins between prints, you don’t need to worry about resin between the sheet and body - you can just give the top surface a quick wipe with a paper towel to ensure there aren’t any bits of cured resin remaining on the surface, and then you’re good to go for your next print!
If you are switching resins between prints, you will need to remove the surface and clean the body and sheet separately. This can be done with solvent and paper towel or by placing the Build Platform 2 surface in the Form Wash basket and the Build Platform 2 body on the Form Wash forks and washing for a few minutes.
For more information about Build Platform 2 see our support page:
Yes! Form 3+ and Form 3B+ have new components that improve alignment between the print surface and the build platform. This improved alignment reduces the amount of laser power and exposure needed for early print layers to adhere:
Form 3+ and Form 3B+ also include an updated stabilization component for the LPU, which results in smoother travel and improved alignment between layers. This improves the surface quality of many parts, including those facing the build plate, and is especially noticeable in Clear Resin:
I am not quite sure what you mean by parts coming out a little soft. However, this sounds like it could be an issue with your curing process rather than the printer. If you’re using the Form Cure, be sure to check out our support article on best curing practices to avoid this softness in the future!
I will agree that the flexible print surface can withstand lots of print cycles but it will eventually wear out. I don’t care what kind of SST it is made of it will eventually fatigue and loose the ability to go back to its original flatness. This fatigue might not be noticeable or affect the prints until after the Form 3B+ has outlived it usefulness.
If an appreciable amount of resin gets between the build plate and the quick release plate, then I do not believe for one second that acceptable prints will be the result unless the prints are of low technical specifications. For those of us who use the Form 3 for more than a prototype machine or a figurine maker, then almost any amount of resin will make the build plate uneven and the resulting print will either fail or have problems. To claim that it resin between the build plate and the quick release plate will not effect prints it a huge claim to make and one that I will not believe without hard data to prove it.
remember that any resin that gets between the build bed and the plate more than likely won’t be cured, unless a cured piece gets knocked inbetween them somehow. So, resin will not be able to “build up” between the two.
This is most likely true but I highly doubt that whatever resin gets between the build plate and the flexible plate will be even. And if too much gets into one are on not in another area the plate that the part is adhering to will not be flat or horizontal to the tray.
The magnetic force on one side and the compressive force by the LPU on the other side should ensure that the liquid resin in this space does not affect the flatness of the build platform to a greater extent than would be expected with a solid build platform. Any unevenness will get squeezed out by the LPU motion during the first layer of a print job.
I’m sorry to hear that! However, it is possible that your printer could have shipped in different packaging. The plus symbol could be in the bottom right as shown below:
Or, you could connect the printer to an updated version of PreForm (3.22 or later) to identify it. If the printer’s firmware is up to date, going to Settings > Printer Details will also show you if you have a 3 or 3+.
The Formlabs Team
pretty disappointed tbh