US-based
Formlabs, a leading developer of 3-D printing materials and hardware, has announced two new materials — Silicone 40A and Alumina 4N resin (pictured) — and a new Open Platform option that allows access to third-party materials, personalisable 3-D print settings, and open material printing. The company is also increasing accessibility to its SLS ecosystem with ‘Fuse Starter Package, enabled by Fuse Depowdering Kit’.
Max Lobovsky, Formlabs co-founder and CEO, said: “So much attention in the AM industry is focused on hardware, but materials are just as essential for delivering on our mission to create user-friendly cost-effective 3-D printing solutions. That is why we continue to innovate relentlessly in the material space, creating high-performance materials that unlock new possibilities in manufacturing, healthcare, and other industries. With Silicone 40A and Alumina 4N, we are combining the flexibility and efficiency of 3-D printing and the performance of silicones and ceramics, at a readily affordable price point.
“Silicone 40A resin combines the material properties of cast silicone with the flexibility of 3-D printing to eliminate the labour-intensive moulding and casting processes, while enabling design freedom. With this patent-pending ‘Pure Silicone Technology’ users can print 100% silicone parts with complex geometries that are not possible with traditional methods — parts that can be soft, pliable, and durable, as well as withstand repeated cycles of stretching, flexing, and compression — allowing their use for functional prototyping and end-use part production.
“With Alumina 4N resin, we have unlocked the performance, design freedom, and affordability of 3-D printing for ceramic engineering. As a technical ceramic with 98.6% relative density and 99.99% purity, Alumina 4N resin is reliable in extreme conditions for parts that are thermally resistant, abrasion resistant, mechanically strong, and chemically inert. The material is formulated to withstand the extreme environments in manufacturing industries that include defence, foundry, chemical, automotive, semiconductor — and others.”
Meanwhile, Open Platform includes three new solutions that expand the capabilities of Formlabs SLA printers, while Certified Materials offers users a ‘curated selection’ of best-in-class third-party resins, including resins from Kulzer GmbH for dental biocompatible applications. In addition, Print Settings Editor is a new PreForm feature that enables advanced users to modify print settings to ‘tailor their print performance’.