Formlabs Creates New Flame Retardant Resin

Formlabs announced at RAPID + TCT the release of its first Flame Retardant Resin (FR Resin) for Form 3 series 3D printers, its new Build Platform 2L with Quick Release Technology for the Form 3L and Form 3BL, and PreForm support for 3MF files. The Flame Retardant Resin is Formlabs’ first UL 94 V-0 certified resin and self-extinguishing material, developed for transportation, aviation, manufacturing, electronics and aerospace industries.

The Build Platform 2L enables Form 3L/3BL users to more efficiently produce large parts with the post-processing efficiency Form 3/B/+ users have enjoyed since the launch of the first Build Platform 2 last year, the company suggests. Adding 3MF support to PreForm allows for smaller file sizes and the storage of multiple models in one file. 

“We are excited to deliver new options our users have been asking for, while expanding production possibilities for customers in new industries,” says Dávid Lakatos, chief product officer at Formlabs. “With the Build Platform 2L, we are enabling Form 3L and 3BL users to print in ways they weren’t able to before, and with our first ever Flame Retardant Resin, we are opening up 3D printing to industries such as aviation and transportation that must adhere to product regulations and certifications for flame retardancy. Lastly, by enabling PreForm, our free file preparation software, to support 3MF files, we are making it easier than ever for users to turn their designs into physical products.”

With Flame Retardant Resin, users can easily and quickly create stiff, creep resistant, and functional plastic parts that perform well long-term in high temperature environments. Ideal for producing airplane, automobile, and railway interior parts, protective and internal consumer electronics components, and custom jigs, fixtures, and replacement parts for industrial environments, FR Resin eliminates upfront costs of traditional manufacturing of flame retardant parts, according to Formlabs.

FR Resin is UL 94 V-0 and FAR25.853(a) certified with favorable flame, smoke and toxicity (FST) ratings. It unlocks design freedom to create isotropic and highly detailed parts with a surface finish that have the look and feel of injection molded parts but at much lower cost, the company says.

FR Resin, Build Platform 2L, and 3MF file support are available today. To learn more, the company invites those interested to stop by the Formlabs booth (#4330) at RAPID + TCT, May 2-4, 2023. 

Sources: Press materials received from the company and additional information gleaned from the company’s website.

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