3Dnatives Lab: Testing the Form 3L from Formlabs

A prominent figure in the 3D printing market for more than 10 years, Formlabs introduced the third generation of its popular desktop SLA 3D printer with the Form 3 in late 2019. Since then, the Boston-based manufacturer has unveiled various Form 3-derived models, with the Form 3L, Form 3B, Form 3BL and more recently the Form 3+ as well as the Form 3B+. With machines historically based on SLA (stereolithography) technology, Formlabs developed its own technology called LFS (for Low Force Stereolithography) for the release of the Form 3. This new technology aims to offer a higher level of detail, a smoother finish, simplified removal of printing supports as well as improved precision and reproducibility according to the manufacturer.

A few weeks after our test of the Fuse 1, we have the pleasure today to put the Form 3L on the test bench of the 3Dnatives Lab. The Form 3L is a desktop resin 3D printer which offers one of the largest printing volumes on the market and is available for $10,999.00 on its own or $16,399.00 for the pack including two post-processing equipments called Wash L and Cure L. Below you can find the video of our test of the Form 3L to discover how it works and understand what makes it such a unique machine. You can also read on to find our full review of the machine.

Unpacking the Formlabs Form 3L

What first jumps out when you unpack the machine is that the Form 3L is an imposing desktop machine, especially for a resin 3D printer, with external dimensions of 770*520*740 mm (30.3*20.5*29.1 in) and a total weight of 54.4kg (120 lb).From an aesthetic point of view, the printer fits the usual design standards of the brand with its rounded edges, an anthracite aluminum chassis and a translucent orange polycarbonate cover, as well as a 5.5″ touch screen. What’s more, the Form 3L features a butterfly door for easy access to the large build tray, and the machine’s enclosure is illuminated by LED strips. Also on the side of the printer are two slots for Formlabs proprietary resin cartridges.