Formlabs markets the Automation Ecosystem. Automation Ecosystem consists of several solutions and products from Formlabs. Together, they reduce human handling and downtime of 3D printers. The offering enables 24/7 3D printing at a lower cost per product.
US-based Formlabs was launched in September 2012 by three former students from the US Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT). The students built a 3D printer that could print industrial- and professional-quality parts at an affordable price. Through a Kickstarter project, founders Maxim Lobovsky, David Cranor and Natan Linder brought the Form 1 to market.
Customers in various sectors
Since then, Formlabs has been making solid progress. Several companies are customers of the US company. These include major players in medical researcher, shoe design, automotive and aerospace industries. However, think also of entrepreneurs and small businesses creating customised products with Formlabs' 3D printers.
Automation Ecosystem
Now the company is announcing the Automation Ecosystem. With this, Formlabs aims to simplify the transition for users scaling their 3D printing process from one to multiple printers and counteract management complexity that threatens to arise as a result. For example, the Automation Ecosystem allows users to manage a fleet of 3D printers. These can be printers that print in multiple materials and are deployed by multiple users.
With the Automation Ecosystem, Formlabs aims to create an ecosystem where printers can print 24/7 with minimal downtime. This enables continuous production. In practice, this means that users can have multiple prints ready to print during the night or on a weekend, for example.
Tripling productivity
If customers combine the Automation Ecosystem with the company's 3D printers, it allows them to triple their productivity, according to formlabs. At the same time, customers save up to 80% on labour costs, according to formlabs. They can also produce components at 40% lower costs and reduce the use of packaging material by 96%.
The Automation Ecosystem consists of several components. Form Auto enables 24/7 3D printing through an automated process. Among other things, the solution removes parts after a print is completed. This is done without requiring human actions. For this, Form Auto uses the so-called Quick Release Technology, developed by Formlabs. It then automatically starts the next print ready in the queue. Form Auto is a hardware addition to Formlabs' 3D printers. The hardware is suitable for the Form 3 and Form 3+ 3D printers.
Fleet Control
Another component is Fleet Control. This is a solution that simplifies the management of a fleet of 3D printers. It optimises workflow, with the aim of maximising fleet productivity. The suite includes a dashboard and the PreForm software. Both include new functionalities. These include a centralised management function for print job queues. The software also automatically assigns jobs to available printers. Fleet Control thus helps optimise printer performance and efficiency. Fleet Control is compatible with Form 3+, Form 3B+, Form 3L and Form 3BL 3D printers.
The High Volume Resin System increases capacity for resin, also often referred to as resin. This system can hold up to five litres of resin. This is five times more than a standard cartridge. Users can create more parts thanks to this larger capacity, without the delay of replacing cartridges. The High Volume Resin System features a special pump that ensures a consistent release of resin. The system is suitable for the Form 3+, Form 3B+. Form 3L and Form 3BL.
Fewer operations and lower costs
On its website, Formlabs compares 3D printing with and without the Automation Ecosystem when 3D printing a thousand rotating arms in three days. Without Automation Ecosystem, this would require 28 printers and 12 changes of cartridges, according to Formlabs. Printing the parts costs $3.93 each. Deploying the Automation Ecosystem reduces this to ten printers, two changes of cartridges and a price per product of $2.81.
"The Formlabs Automation Ecosystem is a seamless solution for increasing production with 3D printer parks. In doing so, we stay true to the ease of use of all Formlabs products so anyone can make anything. With these solutions, companies such as dental laboratories, service bureaus and in-house workshops can ramp up production without higher labour requirements or costly capital investments. This makes 3D printing for production more cost-effective. Formlabs users recently reached a major milestone with more than 100 million parts printed on our 3D printers. By adding this ecosystem, Formlabs increases capacity so that users can deliver further 3D printing innovations," said Formlabs Chief Product Officer Dávid Lakatos.
Author: Wouter Hoeffnagel
Photo: Formlabs
