Why the Form 2 is worth $3499 - SLA 3D Printer Review

[@PaulBraddock]

Great to see your review! If you use "open mode" you can use 3rd party resins. It switches off some of the automatic features, such as refill sensing, so you have to add resin directly into the vat. I've not tried to use it yet, but apparently, Maker Juice should work fine and is much cheaper.

[@MakersMuse]

Nice! I had no idea you could do that, but yeah figured it would make the system less automatic.

[@PaulBraddock]

It works so well though with the proprietary stuff, it's probably worth the cost. Not sure how 3rd party resins would affect your zero failure record!

[@thomasw8074]

Is there a place I can see this, and view the results?

[@PrintThatThing]

Paul Braddock good to know! thanks

[@RsConqueror]

I tried makerjuice on my form2, it worked *ok*, but not having the wiper and the heater enabled definitely hurt print quality. I was not able to get the supports generated to print correctly, but some of my supportless designs worked ok.

[@Fixitt]

Hey MakersMuse! You appear to be removing the supports after curing instead of before. If you remove the supports after washing but before curing they produce far less noticeable marks and are removable by hand. Side note, the Form 2 works fine with non-branded resins, you just turn on Open Mode.

[@MakersMuse]

Great tips, thanks!

[@coryryker3305]

There are trade-offs for when you remove supports. Thin parts or small pieces will be less prone to warp if cured with supports on.

[@Antenociti]

We've had a FOrm 2 for about a month now and it runs pretty much 24x7 exclusively @ 25 micron to produce model-masters for us - haven't had a single failure from the machine. I've had two failures due to my trying to stretch the system capabilities - such as using 0.3mm supports, rather than 0.4 or 0.5, and 1 error due to (us) badly aligning a part for printing. I would call those user-error more than a print error though, otherwise, a good many hundred thousand layers later - not a single error.

[@milesnapue]

This review was highly informative, thank you very much here at almost 2024. My company owns one of these Form 2's and I get to clean and use it on Monday, HYPE! First time ever 3d printing is with a FormLabs machine, I'm lucky.

[@joachimfriberg]

I got one of those at work, thou since IPA is expesive in Sweden I started using concentrated windshield cleaning fluid and it works great while being very cheap.

[@someengineer5146]

My school has this printer and it is amazing! Every failed print I've had was due to my own bad design, very happy with the quality this machine produces

[@minibigs5259]

Dear Formlabs.....let him keep it ;)

[@lmoraisvieira]

Hi All! I won form a friend one Formlabs Form 2! You can not imagine how happy I am righjt now!!!!!

[@InsertAwesomFaceHere]

Mate your reviews are absolutely brilliant.

[@kacheric]

We have one at work, and I have to agree with everything you said. I had zero training the first time I used it, just downloaded the software load my model and let it do the rest. In my experience this as close to plug and play as it gets with 3d printing.

[@ElectricWheelz]

We must have got the same shipment! We got ours at Modelcraft last week and are already using it on architectural models. The layer lines on FDM printing just wasn't worth the sanding time but the Form 2 prints only need the slightest touch ups. Really happy with it so far.

[@josephf151]

My high school is getting one, good to hear that it is worth it.

[@frickmystr]

I have had one of these printers at our makerspace since March.. I have gone through probably 12L of resin with probably only 2 or 3 failures.. I have printed in Clear, White, Black, Grey, Durable, Flexible and Castable. A few things of note. I never put any holes in my prints for "drainage'.. I keep them completely water tight. Never had any issues. So what if the resin inside doesn't cure.. Now, if it is clear, different story. I also suggest that everyone throw out the tools that come with the printer for removing parts from the bed, and find a good stiff spatula (I bought one from IKEA).. My build plate looks brand spanking new. Also, I get more than 2L per Tank, more like 4 sometimes 5.. While preform is good, I hardly ever use the magic button, from experience I can manipulate the needed geometry. The support is ok, but it drives me crazy as it always wants to put support in the wrong area in terms of support removal.. This has been the BEST printer that I have ever had, and can't want until our FUSE1 comes in.

[@LazerLord10]

While an SLA printer wold be fantastic for good D&D miniatures, I've successfully printed out a bunch of reasonable figures on my FDM printer with a 0.2mm nozzle. They don't look _great_, but they're still recognizable.

[@kylendonovan9470]

you prolly dont give a damn but does someone know a way to get back into an instagram account? I stupidly forgot my login password. I would love any tips you can give me

[@gannongraysen9749]

@Kylen Donovan instablaster =)

[@Culky]

Interesting that one of your IPA buckets was damaged, I had the same thing. Unfortunately I only discovered it was cracked after I had poured a litre of IPA into it. But Formlabs sent out a replacement immediately, so thumbs up for that.

[@3DPrintingNerd]

Good words, dude. I agree with you, and my review is going to echo much of the same. However, I *have* had print failures, so I'll make sure to mention those. However, you can bet I'm going to link back to this video.

[@AdamStarbuck93]

Wow, looking forward to hearing about the failure. I've printed around 3L of resin with no model-specific failures. I have had machine errors, but FormLabs support has been great.

[@tamgaming9861]

TESTED the channel on YT made a test and they show all the problems you will get and where the limits are.

[@raphaelreed5899]

Would you still purchase the Form 2, even though it has been out for some time now.Due to possible upgrade model being released

[@SuyePhoto]

Cant wait to see the Anycubic Photon Review to see how much Formlabs is sweating now :D

[@TheDudeSvU]

build volume limitations are a drawback though

[@justinz9225]

I have friends in the medical device field that use this for prototyping. It's an amazing machine.

[@DeepVeinThrombonus]

hey Angus, not sure if you've had any time with the Form 1+, but if you have, can you please give a rundown of the differences between the 2?

[@roboroogo]

Great review, I must say that the only thing preventing me from buying any SLA is the rapid growth of the tech around it, buying one now only for it to be greatly surpassed by the form3 in a years time.

[@Mirraslog0]

I really hope for new tech breakthroughs so SLA's and other systems of 3D printing become cheaper. As someone who works with characters and illustration I can see my work being greatly improved from switching from FDM to SLA. But that price tag is still too expensive for me, at least for now :(

[@TheArtIsFart]

Wanhao Replicator D7

[@jeremyfasola4276]

Bean Kudo3d

[@goldennboy1989]

Anycubic Photon

[@samirdenhaan4719]

would be nice to see a tolerance test on the form2

[@MakersMuse]

That's something I'll be covering in a future video, but it actually doesn't work and fuses. I suspect it's due to capillary action trapping uncured resin between the internal gaps and the fact the resin is 'sticky' till fully cured - so it always glues itself despite being a hugely accurate technology.

[@samirdenhaan4719]

that makes sense, thanks

[@hoarp001]

It will be interesting to see if the Formlabs washing machine fixes that. You would think with 9L of IPA in there and all the pumps and programs it would do a better job of removing that uncured resin than just soaking does. Even with the squirty bottle.

[@KirklandShunk]

I'm interested to see separate parts printed out and fitted together so see how well it does. People say you can get tight tolerances with the Form 2. I kinda figured though that printing everything together out at once wouldn't do a good job.

[@TylerDurden404]

How strong is the resin compared to other type of filaments like PLA, ABS, PETG etc..?

[@harryobrien9035]

Can you do hollow prints with this? or at least partially infilled rather than solid?

[@TheGreenLounge21]

Awesome. Two thumbs up. Maybe more detail on the comparison of the similar resin printers. Pretty smooth surface from the look!

[@MakeItWithCalvin]

I have to say as a model maker, and having worked with one, it should be noted it was originally a pre release model so it had some bugs, but it is a nice machine for the money. That said the Form 2 is more geared to a professional hobbyist but that is not a bad thing! I will admit if I had one it would be epic ;)!

[@DesktopMakes]

Great review. I've been debating on getting one but I'm pretty happy with FDM for now. Is Formlabs really making you return this?

[@finecutpost]

Excellent presentation, very good information and screen presence. Well done and thank you

[@GDaddyChina]

One important detail that you didn't mention in this video or the one you did for AnyCubic Photon: with non-FDM printers (laser or UV) can completely fill the print bed and NOT add time to the print job. That means that you can print multiple copies or even completely different models if they all fit on the print bed without adding extra time. If you did the same thing with an FDM printer, the time required to print is multiplied when you add more objects on the print bed. The time required to print on a laser or UV printer is determined by the height of the tallest item on the bed, not the number of things being printed. I can print 6 different minis at a time on my Photon in about 2 hours. It would take much longer on an FDM.

[@carlosjosejimenezbermudez9255]

Hey Angus, will you do a review on the anet E10? It looks like a cool, cheap and easy version of the creality cr-10 that is slightly smaller. What are your thoughts?

[@Vorpal_Wit]

It still bugs me that the lid is smaller than the base (unlike the Form 1) so it just catches dust (bad for lasers) and makes it harder to produce a dust cover for.

[@PrintThatThing]

Stellar review Angus! I'm loving it too. Compared the XYZ Nobel 1.0a ($1K less) I'd GLADY pay the extra money for the Form2. Its badass, a more enjoyable workflow, and better quailty acrosss the board.

[@williamalmeida9999]

Hola he visto tus videos y me encantan entre ellos el que haces con la anycubic photon,please, ayudame a decidir para el tema de joyeria cual escogerias ,gracias

[@antoine3336]

Same level printer with little less quality maybe the small raise3d n2 dual ? What do you think ?

[@zendell37]

Thank you, Angus. You do so much for us. I really appreciate it.

[@oolong2]

I spent forever thinking about getting the Form 1 and then Form 2 and other SLA printers. In the end I decided against it because I didn't like the idea of the toxic resins as well as needing gloves, the cleanup, and curing, etc. Also it seemed like the quality on FDM was getting better and better. Plus I like the idea of multi-color/multi-material printing that you can get with FDM. Still waiting on my 1st printer to find out if I made the right choice though.

[@Peteristrate]

Awesome review. It really helped me make a decision. I'm going to go for it for our small design office. Cheers!

[@orbitalair2103]

Nice review. Its nice to see them address some of the issues, like odor, filling, level keeping and such. The material toxicity needs to be addressed before I get one for home use tho. But thats the kind of tool that would get me into professional model making if I could.

[@TheCammerhammer]

orbitalair I highly doubt the toxicity is a thing that will go away anytime soon, since it needs to react to the laser in order to form properly and photoreactive chemicals are unstable in general. However, the fact that the material is toxic is no big deal at all as long as you treat it with due respect. Use gloves when handling uncured models or open containers of resin, keep the resin tray covered when not in use, and don't fool around when near the printer. Toxic materials should not be an issue for anyone as long as they are willing to invest the proper time and effort into handling it, so it shouldn't be the sole deciding factor of whether or not you use an SLA system.

[@asalottin]

You're the best Angus! Thanks for another great content man! Take care!

[@TheQueenTom]

I'd like to see how it handles clear/translucent prints.

[@Classiclevine]

I own one of these amazing machines for rapid prototyping of war game related bits and models and it is worth every single cent. Making master models to then mold in silicone rubber and make duplicate resin casts has never been easier for me.

[@Samcanplaymusic]

You should do a video on Formlabs' Engineering Resins. I used the Durable Resin for my senior design project and it was pretty impressive.

[@manjud5450]

Can we re use the resins ? Need more info about the resins ? They are very expensive and if there any alternative in resins ?

[@playbunny99]

Is foam 2 still worth it? Compare with Phrozen Sonic 8K series?

[@Michael-wb]

What happens if you use a 3rd party resin in this printer?

[@ProtonOne11]

So, what is the minimal wall thickness you can print with the Form2? I've only seen information on the website that the beam is around 140µm wide. Does that mean that you can build up a wall that is 0.5mm wide without too much problems? We just recently tried to print some models with wall thickness of 0.6 to 0.8mm on an expensive professional SLS printer in PA14, but the thin walls did not print properly or were just completely missing. (The wall is more of a lip, just around 1.5mm high on a bigger, more solid base)

[@EVguru]

There is an 'open' mode for using third party resins. It's currently limited in the following ways; 1. You can't use a resin cartridge, you have to pour in resin manually like on the Form 1. There are legitimate reasons for this. The Form 2 only has one resin sensor, just detecting when the resin level is low. Additional resin is added by 'dead reconning', simply a timed opening of the valve. If a very low viscosity resin was used there would be a danger of overfilling the vat and spilling resin into the machine. A second reason is the reliability of the dispensing valve and it's suitability for re-use. 2. You can't use the vat heater. 3. You have no ability to alter settings for laser intensity, travel speed etc.

[@coryryker3305]

We have been making great strides in the community in using FL cartridges with third party resins in automatic mode. They key there is resin with acceptable viscosity and finding the right cure settings. The limiting factor is lack of older version used cartridges. Programmers are being developed.

[@hitler69]

what a fucking garbage proprietary garbage

[@dashlambda6707]

Where'd that Flutterbat model come from?

[@aknotienenestefito]

You should try printing some gears or simple mechanism in the smallest working size posible, it would be nice to see how fine it can go.

[@uhadonejob]

The parts look great but how strong are they? Are they paintable?

[@QuantumVariant]

Do you think these prints are good enough to make mold cases from them for mass productions? Thanks for all your great insights.

[@2Infinit2]

Will you be reviewing the Form 3??

[@bradgardner5675]

What materials is it limited too. Can it generate usable parts?

[@HDTbassboost]

Flutterbat. Wasnt expecting that in a 3d printing video. Neat

[@Dragontamerz]

Would liked to have seen the set up and printing of an object.

[@hoarp001]

I have had one for a few weeks and it gets heavy use. They say replace the tank after two L of resin but im starting to get weird features after 1.8ish L. No problem, bought a new resin tank for 50 quid, stick it in and carry on. This thing is so cheap, 50 quid on a new resin tank is nothing. I love it. Can't wait to get a Fuse1 too :-D

[@jesuschal]

Any chance of reviewing the kirimoto slicer? (cloud-base slicer)

[@jerwee]

What do you think in comparison with moai?

[@maximummarklee]

I'd like to see you review open-source SLA printer designs so we could get a maker's perspective of how the DIY community is making progress as compared to commercial solutions like the Form2.

[@FiliusAestatis]

Absolutely loved this printer...while I could use it at work. After switching jobs it's back to FDM at home :D

[@slap_my_hand]

What about LCD based SLA printers like the wanhao duplicator 7?

[@goslmka]

Look forward for the Wanhao D7 for some comparison between SLA & DLP.

[@sharkbytesart]

Have you seen the milkshake3d printer, what are your thoughts on its new sla approach?

[@DanielPierce]

Form Labs opened up their system so you can use whatever resin you want, it just won’t use the autofill feature, also they just came out with a new resin vat that lasts 50x longer and only costs $130

[@DataToTheZero]

Does the Form 2 have DRM system to enforce use of it's own resin or is there a possibility of third party copy resins being made much like for 2d ink printers?

[@ColonelCavalier]

People have refilled the cartridges with resins from photocentric and other supplies, mixed results. Also seen people water down fromlabs resins with other 3rd party resins aswell. Of course there is always open mode.

[@jadoctor]

When is the Form 3 introduced?

[@Phobos2k]

How can i get the Flutterbat Model ?

[@javannapoli2018]

Couldn't you print a refillable resin container so you could still run it like normal but using cheaper resin?

[@Encore1332]

Another great review. Will admit i was tempted by the form 2 earlier this year but as everything i print is fairly small i went for the wanhao d7. Looking forward to your review of the d7 as i love mine

[@themessiah1832]

3 years later and my form 2 has problems reading the vat and resin cartridges

[@crazzopl6690]

Well 4 years later, Anycubic photon mono for 180 $ Anycubic resin for 30$ and wash and cure for 120$. Lychee slicer doing all the work It's just amazing how this technology grown and how cheap became. What a time to by alive!

[@afganistan666]

What do you think about the new Bean SLA 3d printer designed by Kudo3D?

[@douggoldengolden72]

Can I design in zbrush then move the object to formlabs software

[@alejandrocano6654]

What are your thought on the XYZ SLA printer. The Nobel 1.0 ?

[@davidespigolon8170]

How long does a cartridge last?

[@BillyBob-si2db]

How does the print quality compare to the PeoPoly Moai?

[@lgtwzrd]

Is there a way to seamlessly connect two clear resin parts? Could I possibly brush some resin on the connecting surfaces and cure it in a UV oven? Would that work?

[@wunwinglow]

Yes.....

[@guestuser2373]

can you print a 3D mandelbrot?

[@thatoneguy99100]

Just got one of these, so excited to try it out

[@constantinf.5764]

Thanks for your reviews, your Moai video inspired me to buy one. Can you get the same print quality/resolution on the Moai as on Form2? I just ordered a Moai; I was looking for a high resolution printer for jewelry work.

[@wow3dprinter760]

Pretty good review. I think within 5 years, DLP and SLA printer price will go down under $2,000. Then, everyone wants to buy it. I am waiting for that moment

[@TtForge]

is the form 2 fast compared to fdm.

[@annamariavanwyk6577]

I use the Form 2 for printing jewelry its great for its price point!

[@michelfeinstein]

You didn't mention that you are supposed to prime paint the parts so they can achieve long term life, or the environment UV would damage them, making them brittle for long time exposure

[@litarea]

Can I read the whole dissertation? Sounds interesting.

[@maayaa77]

Tailgating DLPer's - Form 2 amazing but the market is moving very fast in the DLP direction - Wanhao D7 / Photon / Phrozen all capable of super accurate results. you could buy 8 Photons or Phrozens for the same price.

[@jbraMoVal]

I purchase the Elegoo Mars 3D and I have all positive thoughts about it. It just needs to level the head and hit print. The only feature I dislike is that the USB socket is on the back. I will try to add an extension cable so I can connective from the front.

[@danielpierce922]

Just got in the sample (that looks like a chest piece) today. Beautiful! Awesome vid showcasing this printer. I'm buying one soon. I'm a computer guy/nerd, even have a degree in computers... but I've never done anything with a 3D printer. I'm not doing this to make money, I'm doing this to print stuff for D&D, Pathfinder, and random stuff like your Red Bull holder (awesome idea, btw). Because you have used this and other 3D printers, do you have any tips/ideas for us noobs? An older vid maybe or some sites. Is there any kind of resin that you can reuse?

[@TonyCelliers]

Thanks for the great review Angus, I'm looking forward to the Duplicator 7 review.

[@cattaraugustonawanda4426]

The Form 2 prints look exquisite BUT one can get a lot of prints done by service providers for the price o a Form 2. I used to get SLA printed parts done for my model business and for me owning one didn't look cost effective since I usually got 3 day turn around time from my service provider. For more time critical printing the Form 2 looks like a great machine! Wish I could justify one for my retirement hobby shop.

[@daneledanele3400]

Hello, what do you think about XFAB from DWS?

[@Bajicoy]

How much resin was left after all those prints?

[@frickmystr]

The cost to run the machine in consumables is about $.20/ml.. That includes resin, tank (2L usage), Alcohol, gloves.. You can use 3D hubs in many areas to get the part without paying for the printer.

[@MicheleHjorleifsson]

How strong is the standard resin? Usable for mechanical prototypes?

[@MakersMuse]

Nah it's fairly brittle. Some yes, but it would shatter in heavy loading. I'd use their tough resin.

[@MicheleHjorleifsson]

Maker's Muse thanks

[@johnd1774]

I owe form2 for over a year and they even a lot more expensive in South Africa then in The US but worth every cent of it. I use the castable resin for jewelry making.and had very few printing errors.

[@norchie2543]

Still have it?

[@IDryIce]

Does anyone recommend an adhesive to use to glue two Form 2 parts together?

[@Bajicoy]

Hobbyist looking to buy an SLA printer for jewlery and model making. I'm wondering how the Moai and Form 2 compare? I want to save money but not at the extreme loss of quality or the ability to print in non-transparent colors. Been a couple days since I watched your video and in my excitement to know more, I may have just asked a question you'll be making a video for in the next following days. My bad! The question is driving me crazy because I made so many crazy models my FDM printer struggles with haha

[@akmikki3251]

Why cant you have infill with resin printers?

[@MikeXwolf]

Great review! I was very skeptical about this machine, but after this, I might just start saving up. Would LOVE to see a review of the new Wanhao D7 Duplicator, also an SLA device. Cheers from Canada!

[@RobertLandivar]

How about a review of moonray dlp?? I've been interested in it since it's kick starter when it was $2500 now it closer to 5k though. But I'd still like to hear your thoughts on it.

[@rasmusjansson751]

what happened with the D7 review? Would be nice with a resin printer comparesment.. how mutch better is the formlab2 for exemple if you compre it with q budget dhl printer like wanhao D7 or Anycivic? best reards!