Experimental Applications for Formlabs Printers

Form X is Formlabs’ experimental product platform. Form X showcases innovative tools, materials, and approaches, for advanced users who want to explore the boundaries of what’s possible with desktop stereolithography (SLA).

Form X includes Ceramic Resin and OpenFL, an API for hacking the Form 1+. More projects are in development.

Other, user-led, experimental projects can be found in the Experimental Projects category on the Formlabs Forums.

Ceramic Resin

Ceramic Resin is the first Form X material from Formlabs. This experimental material produces post-cured prints with a distinctive aesthetic that look and feel like ceramic. After firing, prints become pure ceramic parts, suitable for glazing. Ceramic Resin is under development and will be available in early 2017.

Interested in working with Ceramic Resin? Get in touch.

Inquire about Ceramic

Material Properties

The current formulation of Ceramic is optimized for reliable, detailed printing, and is a mixture of ceramic microparticles dispersed in a photopolymer resin. Objects printed in Ceramic Resin look and feel like ceramic without firing.

Download Ceramic Usage Guide

Using Ceramic Resin

Successful printing with Ceramic requires some additional precautions, such as use of a polyester film to protect the build platform, vigorous shaking of the cartridge, and adherence to different design parameters.

If you choose to fire your parts, you’ll need to account for various shrinkage effects and use a programmable kiln.

OpenFL: An API for Hacking the Form 1+

OpenFL is a software project that gives users direct access to the Form 1+ API. This allows the Form 1+ to support third party materials, and enables non-standard applications such as embedding objects in prints, creating lithopanes, and etching PCBs.

View on GitHub
Read More on the Forums