Shipping today, the Fuse 1 brings powerful Surface Armor technology, a 70% powder refresh rate and the new versatile Nylon 12 powder to deliver a simplified industrial 3D printing workflow at a fraction of the cost of traditional industrial SLS printers
Formlabs, a leading 3D printing company, today announced the launch and general availability of the world’s first benchtop industrial selective laser sintering (SLS) 3D printer, the Fuse 1, to enable engineers, designers, and manufacturers at all levels to rethink product development, hybrid manufacturing, and end-use production. Additionally, the company launched Fuse Sift, a post-processing system for the Fuse 1, and Nylon 12 Powder, Formlabs’ first powder material for Fuse 1, to provide users with a straightforward end-to-end SLS workflow.
SLS technology has long been trusted by engineers and large manufacturers for its ability to print strong, functional prototypes and end-use parts, but its high cost and complex workflow have historically confined it to large companies. The Fuse 1 and Fuse Sift improve on the unique advantages offered by SLS, while bringing it within reach for companies of all sizes and types through unprecedented affordability and ease of use.
“The Form 1 redefined stereolithography (SLA) printing for the additive manufacturing industry 10 years ago, and now the Fuse 1 is bringing the same reliability and accessibility standard that Formlabs customers expect of industrial 3D printing,” said Max Lobovsky, CEO and co-founder of Formlabs. “SLS 3D printing shouldn’t be solely for those with big budgets, it needs to be accessible so all companies — from startup to big manufacturer — can benefit from the design freedom and high productivity SLS 3D printing provides.”
The Fuse 1 will enable Formlabs to substantially expand the market size for industrial 3D printing, unlocking truly production-ready 3D printing to an entirely new set of customers. Formlabs’ complete end-to-end SLS printing system takes the guesswork and challenges out of creating strong, functional parts all while minimizing costs, freeing many organizations from their reliance on expensive and slow external solutions.
“We previously used an outsourced injection-molding workflow to deliver prosthetic fingers to patients young and old, helping them improve mobility and increase functionality; but this process was extremely slow and did not allow for the personalization needed for each patient,” said Matthew Mikosz, founder of Partial Hand Solutions and Fuse 1 beta user. “Fuse 1 gives us the design freedom needed to truly customize our prosthetics and the high productivity and throughput necessary to quickly get this solution to our patients.”
After seven years of development, Formlabs is delivering on its promise to bring this powerful technology to market at an affordable price point without compromising quality. Engineers, product designers, and manufacturers choose SLS printers for their design freedom, high productivity and throughput, low cost per part, and proven track record. The Fuse 1 enables users to take control of their entire product development process, from iterating on your first concept design to manufacturing ready-to-use products in production-ready nylon.
Fuse 1 features include:
A modular build chamber that enables continuous printing and reduces downtime;
Patent pending Surface Armor technology that creates semi-sintered shell to protect the surface of the part as it prints;
The capability to print with up to 70 percent recycled powder;
A material refresh rate, the minimum ratio of fresh powder required to print, of 30 percent for minimal material waste.