Formlabs 3D Printer

FormLabs 3D Printer

FormLabs is a 3D printer company based in Somerville Massachusetts. I worked with the early team to develop the first version of the printer, which lead to several rounds of funding. My contributions include designing and building some of the early electromechanical prototypes. Design considerations include first surface mirrors and galvanometers used to point a blue laser. The company has gone through several successful product launches and now has an entire line of printers that use many forms of resin.

I worked on early prototypes for the printer made with 80-20 aluminum extrusion and a precision actuator that uses a stepper motor for control. The prototype that I helped develop was instrumental in funding as it demonstrated the ability to print with low-cost components. The printer uses a small laser unit controlled by a digital signal which bounces off a first-surface mirror. Resin held in a tray is cured by the laser and used to print a part layer by layer. Aluminum parts were manufactured using a combination of waterjet cutting, laser cutting, and manual milling on a CNC.