Formlabs Launches Fuse 1 in APAC, Drastically Expanding Access to Production-Ready 3D Printing

SINGAPORE, June 1, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Formlabs, a leading 3D printing company, today announced the world's first benchtop industrial selective laser sintering (SLS) 3D printer, the Fuse 1, will start shipping to selected regions across APAC this month. The Fuse 1 will enable engineers, designers, and manufacturers at all levels to rethink product development, hybrid manufacturing, and end-use production. Additionally, the company has launched Fuse Sift, a post-processing system for the Fuse 1, along with Nylon 12 and recently announced Nylon 11 powder.

Whereas Formlabs' Nylon 12 Powder is a versatile material that provides high detail and dimensional accuracy, Nylon 11 Powder is ideal when durability and performance are essential. Nylon 11 Powder's ductility, strength, and flexibility suit end-use parts that must be able to take impact and handle wear and tear over time. Nylon 11 and Nylon 12 powders are two of the many materials Formlabs plans to launch for the Fuse 1, reaffirming the company's position as the complete solution for end-use 3D printing by expanding the versatility of powder-based materials.

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 access 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 of industrial 3D printing, unlocking truly production-ready 3D printing for an entirely new set of customers. Formlabs' complete end-to-end SLS printing workflow takes the guesswork and challenges out of creating strong, functional parts 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, and low cost per part. The Fuse 1 enables users to take control of their entire product development process, from iterating on their/the first concept design to manufacturing ready-to-use products in production-ready nylon.

Fuse 1's features include:

• Modular build chamber that enables continuous printing and reduces downtime;
• End to end workflow with the Fuse Sift, for cleaning parts and recycling powder
• Patent pending Surface Armor technology that creates a semi-sintered shell around the part to protect the surface as it prints;
• User-determined recycling rate, up to 70% recycled material for Nylon 12, and 50% for Nylon 11
• Real time print analytics with visual monitoring from inside the build chamber
• Nylon 12 refresh rate, the minimum ratio of fresh powder required to print, of 30 percent for minimal material waste.
• Nylon 11 Powder, a high performance durable nylon material ideal for functional prototyping and small batch production. Pushing 3D printing further out of prototyping and into production. 

Fuse 1 is available to order today in China, Japan, Korea, Singapore, Thailand and Australia from our network of authorized resellers. Email apac.sales@formlabs.com if you would like to find out more about regional availability.

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