At Fenix 3D, we regularly receive customer orders to 3D print larger series (10-200 units) on our SLA 3D printers. We then print these on our Formlabs Form 3L or Formlabs Form 4BL, allowing us to print, wash, and cure as many parts as possible in a single job.
Because the resin tank for both of these printers already requires 1 liter to fill, three 1-liter cartridges must be used per print job.
This requires our operator, Gijs, to remain at the printer for the initial filling and startup. This takes time and therefore increases costs. That’s why, when Formlabs launched the Resin Pump, we immediately started using it!
What is this Formlabs Resin Pump?
The Formlabs Resin Pumping System is an accessory designed for Formlabs’ Form 3 and Form 4 series stereolithography (SLA) 3D printers. The Resin Pump transports resin from a 5-liter or 30-liter drum directly to the printer’s resin tank via an integrated pumping system. Because 5-liter drums can be used, you reduce waste by over 80% compared to using individual cartridges.
The pump operates via a peristaltic pump, which pushes resin through a tube (see video below). The major advantage of this is that the resin doesn’t enter the pump itself, so it doesn’t need to be cleaned when changing materials.
The Resin Pump can be used with any resin. To change the resin, only the hose needs to be replaced. The Resin Pump replaces the cartridges in the printer. Furthermore, the resin tank fills automatically, eliminating the need to change cartridges every liter.
The printer knows how much and what kind of resin is in the tank, thanks to a card reader system on the pump. These cards are included with the 5-liter drums. If the amount of remaining resin is too low for a print, the printer will issue a warning.
How long can you 3D print SLA with 5 liters of resin?
Using standard Formlabs Black Resin at 0.1mm thickness, the Form 4L can print continuously for 25 hours. On the Form 4, due to its small footprint, this is 36 hours. This means an operator can leave the printer running on a job for more than a full day without having to worry about it.
The geometry of the design naturally influences this. To simulate how long a custom design takes to print with different resins, you can download the free slicer software PreForm (the program that generates the print file) from Formlabs.
30 liter barrels for print farms
We can also supply 30-liter barrels of resin upon request. These are primarily intended for print farms that continuously print the same design or material. While this is possible, these barrels usually don’t feed the printer directly but are primarily used to refill 5-liter cans. The advantage of this is, of course, the lower price per liter and less waste.
What is the advantage of a Resin Pump?
The major advantage of this is that far fewer cartridge changes are required, especially when a user frequently uses the same type of resin. Furthermore, the operator can immediately continue with other tasks, eliminating waiting or changeover times. The number of error messages is also reduced, as separate cartridges are no longer used, and potential problems can arise from improperly opening the resin valve. Furthermore, the resins are 10-20% more economical per liter in the 5L version.
In short: using the Resin Pump for Form 3 and Form 4 makes printing faster, more efficient, easier, and more affordable! The Resin Pump can be ordered here, and the 5L resin containers can be ordered here.
