3Dnatives Lab: Testing the Formlabs’ Fuse 1 SLS 3D Printer

Recognized as a leading player in the field of resin 3D printers, Formlabs announced a few months ago that it was taking its first steps into the industrial world of SLS 3D printing with the Fuse 1. This machine represents a market expansion for the Boston-based manufacturer, and with this opportunity, Formlabs enters the court of the few manufacturers that offer several 3D printing processes.

Formlabs was founded back in 2011 and has since then specialized in SLA-based 3D printers with its Form 1, Form 2, and more recently its Form 3 machines. While SLA, or Stereolithography, uses a UV laser to solidify a photopolymer resin, SLS, or Selective Laser Sintering, uses a laser to sinter a polymer powder with traditional industrial SLS solutions costing up to $250K. The main advantage of the Fuse 1 3D printer is its price, with a starting price of only $31,845 or €25,955 for the complete setup, making it one of the few desktop SLS printers available on the market.

The Fuse 1 is the first SLS 3D printer of Formlabs

The 3Dnatives Lab had the opportunity to be one of the few to test this unique 3D printer with the help of 3DZ, a reseller of the Formlabs Fuse 1, who welcomed us and trained us on the 3D printer during a complete test. So, what makes the Fuse 1 special? How easy is it to run a desktop SLS 3D printer? What materials and quality can we expect? Read on for 3Dnatives’ full review of the new Fuse 1 from Formlabs.