In industrial manufacturing and Research & Development (R&D) departments, every hour of 3D printer operation has its price. A prolonged printing cycle is not just a technical inconvenience. It translates into direct financial costs for electricity, operator working hours, and most importantly, delayed product releases. The client is waiting – production stands still.

Until recently, it was widely believed that large-format, high-precision SLA printing always required a compromise on time. We put this to the test in practice to see how a change in technology affects manufacturing economics by comparing the previous Form 3L system with the new generation – Formlabs Form 4L 3D printer.

LFD Technology: The Reason Behind a 2-3x Speed Increase

The main problem with classic SLA printing was the part formation principle: the laser had to sequentially "draw" every single point on a layer. Consequently, the more parts there were on the build platform, the longer the cycle took.

Preparing a batch of parts for 3D printing in PreForm software to maximize the build volume of the Form 4L.

The new Form 4L system solves this problem by shifting to Low Force Display™ (LFD) technology. Instead of point-by-point exposure, an ultra-high-power light source and optical system cure the entire layer simultaneously in a single pass.

In practice, this delivers radical acceleration. During our testing, a part that took 4 hours to print on the Form 3L was completely ready in 1.5 hours on the Form 4L. Thanks to the PreForm software, engineers can maximize the packing density within the build volume (330 × 190 × 300 mm) — print time will depend solely on the height of the objects along the Z-axis, not on their quantity on the platform.

Materials and Process Continuity

Fast printing is useless without the appropriate material throughput capacity. In our test, we used the innovative Formlabs Clear V5 resin.

Engineer installing Clear V5 resin cartridges into the Formlabs Form 4L industrial SLA 3D printer.
Pouring transparent Formlabs Clear V5 resin into the Form 4L printer tank for high-speed SLA printing.

This material is characterized by exceptional transparency and is optimized for the extreme speeds of LFD technology. The automatic resin dispensing system in the Form 4L ensures that even with a fully loaded chamber, the print will not stop due to a lack of material.

Scaling: From Rapid Iterations to Mass Production

We tested the Form 4L in two drastically different scenarios to demonstrate its flexibility for manufacturing tasks:

Scenario 1: Rapid Iteration (4 Hours)

If an R&D team urgently needs to test a hypothesis or deliver a test batch by the end of a work shift, the printer is capable of producing two fully loaded build platforms of parts in just 4 hours.

Rapid prototyping: two full build platforms with clear parts printed in just 4 hours on the Formlabs Form 4L.

Scenario 2: Mass Production and Throughput (60 hours)

For enterprises with a consistent flow of orders, the Form 4L operates as a high-capacity production hub. The batch of parts shown in the photo is the result of 19 cycles, totaling 60 hours of printer operation. Quick platform swapping enables a stable manufacturing pace with predictable lead times for production orders.

Mass production scalability: hundreds of SLA parts printed during 60 hours of continuous operation on the Form 4L.

A crucial cost-saving factor: The Form 4L consumes approximately 30% less electricity compared to similar systems for the identical print volume. For manufacturing facilities operating 24/7, this makes a noticeable difference in monthly utility bills.

The Full-Cycle Ecosystem

Obtaining a high-quality part does not end inside the printer. To preserve dimensional accuracy and mechanical properties (especially in mass production), standardized post-processing is required.

The build platform with finished products is transferred to the automated large-format Form Wash L, which cleans uncured resin residue without operator intervention. The part achieves its final strength characteristics in the Form Cure L post-curing chamber. Having the entire ecosystem minimizes manual labor.

Industrial SLA 3D printer Formlabs Form 4L with Low Force Display technology in an engineering workspace.

Business Conclusions: Who Needs This?

Switching to the Formlabs Form 4L ecosystem is economically justified for:

  • Manufacturing facilities with a regular part flow: device enclosures, functional prototypes, shop floor tooling, custom components.
  • R&D teams and design bureaus: where delaying a prototype test by a day means halting the entire project.

3Ddevice is the official distributor of Formlabs in Ukraine. We do not just supply equipment; we integrate it into your production processes. With your purchase, you receive professional staff training, commissioning, and official technical service.

We invite you to our showroom to see LFD technology in action.

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