Formlabs’ Form 4 resin 3D printer and its biocompatible variant, the Form 4B, are based on our innovative next-generation printing system, the Low Force Display™ (LFD). This system transforms liquid resin into solid printed parts and sets a new standard in terms of printing speed, reliability, quality and material performance. It consists of six advanced components that work together to deliver breakthrough performance.

What is Low Force Display™?

Low Force Display™ (LFD) is the next generation printing system from Formlabs used in the Form 4 3D printer. This technology sets new standards in terms of reliability, speed, print quality, accuracy and material versatility.

LFD builds on Formlabs’ previous Low Force Stereolithography™ (LFS) printing system, which has been used by over 50,000 companies worldwide since 2011. In that time, these companies have used more than 130,000 Formlabs 3D printers to produce over 400 million high-quality parts.

Stereolithography (SLA) was patented in 1984 by scientist Chuck Hull as the world’s first commercial 3D printing technology. This ushered in an era of rapid, professional-quality prototyping that revolutionized the design process for companies such as Apple, Boeing and Ford. However, the technology was initially only accessible to large companies due to high printer prices, large and complex equipment and limited choice of materials.

In 2011, Formlabs brought SLA printing to the desktop format for the first time with the Form 1, enabling small businesses and designers to prototype and produce in-house with professional quality.

The Form 2, launched in 2015, brought the first innovations in professional desktop SLA printing, including automatic resin feeding, easy material changes, a larger print volume, touchscreen operation, Wi-Fi connectivity, improved reliability and a wider choice of materials.

This was followed in 2019 by the Form 3 and Form 3B (for biocompatible 3D printing), which are based on LFS technology. LFS revolutionized stereolithography with a flexible tank and linear illumination, resulting in smoother surfaces and easy-to-remove support structures.

In recent years, many manufacturers have switched from laser-based SLA printing to DLP or LCD technologies in order to increase printing speed. However, this has often been at the expense of surface quality, reliability or device durability. The Form 4’s LFD printing system is designed to address these issues, offering high print speed as well as reliability and printed part quality. LFD utilizes several new components, including a Light Processing Unit (LPU), a special release texture and an integrated camera to improve print quality. There are also improvements to the resin tank, resin supply and control system.

	Form 4	Form 3/B/+
Technology	Masked stereolithography (MSLA)	Stereolithography (SLA)
Pressure system	Low Force Display™ (LFD)	Low Force Stereolithography™ (LFS)
Core components of the printing system	Lighting unit Light Processing Unit 4 (LPU 4) Release texture Redesigned resin tank with flexible film Intelligent control systems Automatic, fast resin handling	Laser Light Processing Unit (LPU) Resin tank with flexible film Automatic resin handling
Light source	Illumination unit (LEDs) and collimator lenses	laser
Light processing	LCD and release texture	Galvanometer, mirror, spatial filter
Production volume	20.0 x 12.5 x 21.0* cm 5,25 l	14.5 × 14.5 × 19.3* cm 4,05 l

* If you print a job on the Form 4/B that is higher than 19.0 cm or a job on the Form 3/B/+ that is higher than 18.5 cm, you must also remove the resin tank when removing the print. PreForm displays a warning if a job for the Form 4/B is higher than 19.0 cm or a job for the Form 3/B/+ is higher than 18.5 cm.

How does LFD work?

The LFD printing system is based on a high-performance lighting unit consisting of 60 LEDs and collimator lenses. This light source emits a uniform light that is collimated by an array of lenses to ensure a uniform light intensity over the entire print area.

The light then passes through the Light Processing Unit (LPU) 4, where it is masked by a series of filters and optical coatings to create the desired print layer. The LCD of the LPU has a high resolution and ensures sharp details and smooth surfaces. The LPU 4 is durable and is designed to deliver a large number of print layers before replacement is required.

As soon as the light reaches the liquid resin layer in the resin tank, it hardens immediately. The construction platform lifts out of the resin and the printed layer is precisely detached from the bottom of the tank.

To minimize the pull-off forces that have been a problem with resin 3D printing in the past, the Form 4 uses a special release texture and a redesigned resin tank with a flexible film. The release texture prevents a suction effect between the tank and LPU and ensures a smooth printing process.

The new resin tank with flexible film is an important part of the Form 4 printing system. It contains the liquid resin and provides a surface for curing the resin layers. The tank has a two-layer flexible film that allows the cured print layers to be easily detached from the edges of the tank. This significantly reduces the pull-off forces acting on the printed parts.

The combination of the release texture and the flexible film of the resin tank results in a significant reduction in the peel forces acting on the printed parts. This allows the Form 4 to produce extremely reliable and efficient smooth and detailed parts with easily removable support structures that rival injection molded parts.

Form 4 technical specifications

Improved automatic resin handling and new materials

The Form 4’s resin system is designed for maximum efficiency and user-friendliness. Thanks to the Form 4’s conduction heating elements and infrared temperature sensor, the heating time before printing starts is significantly reduced. These components ensure precise control of the resin temperature and enable the use of more viscous materials.

The Form 4’s resin tanks are robust and durable, reducing running costs and waste. They are easy to handle and have practical features such as a lid for stacking and storage outside the printer and a spout for easy pouring. With separate tanks for different resin colors or types, material changes can be made with ease.

Each resin tank is designed to provide consistent performance over more than 75,000 layers, regardless of the resin used. The new flexible film resin tank is also more cost-effective than previous models, making it easier to try new materials and reduce operating costs.

The fast resin mixer enables fast and homogeneous mixing of the resin directly in the tank without significantly affecting the printing time. The mixer can be easily removed from the tank and reused for multiple resin tanks with the same material, reducing waste.

The Form 4’s automatic resin dispensing system allows the printer to be filled quickly and efficiently. The resin cartridges have been optimized to use less plastic and take up less space, reducing waste and improving storage. An integrated load cell allows users to accurately monitor their resin inventory and plan their requirements.

The Form 4 offers the ability to print with 23 high-performance materials from the Formlabs materials library. These include six brand new resins that offer improved speed, toughness, accuracy and appearance:

• The standard synthetic resins V5 (Clear Resin, Grey Resin, Black Resin, White Resin) enable prints that are two to five times faster than on the Form 3, with improved toughness and color quality at the same time.
• Fast Model Resin is ideal for rapid prototyping or the fabrication of orthodontic models.
• Precision Model Resin offers high accuracy and is perfect for the fabrication of high-precision dental models that need to fit perfectly.

To find out more about the materials in the Formlabs materials library, please explore them in more detail.

Form 4 Discover materials

Optimized user experience

The Form 4 builds on the intuitive user experience of the Form 3+. With Wi-Fi, Ethernet and USB connectivity options, as well as power switches, the printer is now even easier to use and control, whatever the needs of your business. Additional updates make the Form 4 even more autonomous and intelligent, meaning more time is available for more demanding tasks.

The Form 4’s improved user interface makes fault diagnosis and queue management on the Form 4 easier – no more Post-it notes on printers marking whose part is printing.

The Form 4 offers an enhanced user experience through a seven-inch touch screen with an intuitive user interface. The screen displays preventive maintenance reminders and print status and readiness information, making the printing process simpler and more user-friendly. The printer continuously communicates its name and status, eliminating the need for Post-it notes. After five minutes of inactivity, a standby screen displays the printer name, resin type and status in a larger font size for easy identification.

Thanks to the faster print preparation, you can usually leave the Form 4 unattended for less than a minute after starting. However, if the printer is already prepared, no interaction with the device is necessary at all: Simply send the print job from your computer to the printer and the Form 4 will automatically begin its work.

The on-screen display includes maintenance reminders and diagnostic tools to help keep your printer running smoothly. In case of problems, error messages display QR codes that allow you to quickly find support articles and get your printer up and running again.

New functions are continually being added through firmware updates, including additional language options.

The Form 4 has six integrated control systems, including a printer leveling sensor, a resin level sensor, a Z-axis force sensor and a camera. These systems ensure a precise and stable printing process.

Build Platform

The Form 4 build platforms are available in two versions: the Form 4 Build Platform has a rigid aluminum surface, while the Build Platform Flex offers a flexible stainless steel surface with patented quick-release technology. The Flex platform enables easy and quick release of the printed parts without tools, which reduces the risk of damage and optimizes the work process.

The Form 4 Build Platform and the Build Platform Flex both offer a generous printing surface of 20.0 x 12.5 cm, compared to the 14.5 x 14.5 cm on the Build Platform and Build Platform 2 of the Form 3.

Both the Form 4 Build Platform and the Build Platform Flex as well as the construction platforms of the Form 2 and Form 3/B/+ (including the Build Platform 2) are compatible with the new Form Wash (2nd generation).

	Form 4 Build Platform	Build Platform Flex
Quick release technology	No	Yes
Resin compatibility	All resins	All synthetic resins (parts made of flexible/elastic materials may not always be removable due to the quick release mechanism, but can be easily removed with tools)
Compatible with the Form Wash (2nd generation)	Yes	Yes

Printing without compromise

The Formlabs engineering team’s commitment to excellence in 3D printing is reflected in the Form 4, a printer designed for fast, accurate and reliable printing. With the Form 4, you can produce high-quality parts right out of the box, accelerating and optimizing your production processes. Contact our team of 3D printing experts today to learn more about how the Form 4 or Form 4B can support your business goals.