Formlabs Announces Advanced SLS 3D Printer

Formlabs announced the Fuse 1+ 30W SLS 3D printer.

The company, which began a decade ago with a desktop SLA 3D printer, has been working on the SLS process for several years, culminating the in the release of the initial Fuse 1 device a couple of years ago. The Fuse 1 gave Formlabs a second market to pursue, specifically for industrial prototypes. Like their SLA machines, the Fuse 1 was priced quite a bit lower than the typical commercial alternatives, thus attracting considerable interest.

Now they’ve upped the game even more by announcing the Fuse 1+ 30W.

The Fuse 1+ 30W appears to be based on the original Fuse 1, but with significantly upgraded components.

The two main changes seem to be a more powerful laser, likely of 30W power. Formlabs has combined the new laser with an “upgraded galvanometric system” that can move the laser meltpool at up to 12.5m/s, which is quite fast.

Formlabs said the Fuse 1+ 30W can deliver parts “up to 2X faster” than the original Fuse 1.

This is a significant development when you consider the objective of most 3D printers operations: throughput. To produce the same number of parts per week with the original Fuse 1 3D printer, you’d have to operate two of them. However, you can now approach that throughput with only a single Fuse 1+ 30W device. One printer, one footprint, one price, double the throughput. Formlabs said:

“The Fuse 1+ 30W packs industrial power at an affordable price. Designed for reliability and an efficient end-to-end workflow, it integrates new components to improve throughput and material performance while operating as a compact, contained ecosystem. From print setup to powder recovery and mixing, the Fuse Series hardware and Formlabs software maximize efficiency at every step of the process. The result is a truly rapid SLS printer that produces high-performance parts in hours, not days.”

Formlabs simultaneously announced the availability a new, powerful SLS material for the Fuse 1 series: Nylon 11 CF. This is a PA11 material with reinforcing carbon fiber segments that should make the resulting parts significantly stronger. The new material joins the company’s previous Nylon 12, Nylon 12 GF (glass fiber reinforced) and Nylon 11 powders. The new material should be the strongest available for the Fuse 1 series.

Formlabs said the new Fuse 1+ 30W will be shipping towards the end of August, and is priced at US$27,499.

Via Formlabs