Many of our test prints don’t showcase the commercial applications to which the Form 4 is suited, so I cobbled together a few more advanced tests. I wanted to reverse-engineer an auxiliary wind deflector for my Triumph Tiger 1200 Rally Pro adventure motorcycle. I put myself in the shoes of someone who could theoretically go into business selling aftermarket automotive and motorcycle parts. I was particularly annoyed with the stock windshield of my bike, and I theorized that I could scan the deflectors, reverse-engineer them, modify them using CAD software (in my case, Fusion 360), and then print marketable transparent replacements.
I started by scanning the part with a Creality Otter NIR 3D scanner and saved the file to my laptop. I also scanned the support bracket. I got a very high-resolution point cloud to work with, converting it to a mesh that I would print for accuracy testing.
(Credit: Michael Lydick)
I then loaded the Clear V5 Resin ($79 per liter) into the Form 4 and set about printing the two pieces for a fit test on my bike. Formlabs sent me a separate resin tray ($99) and wiper/mixer ($25) for each of the resins to prevent accidental mixing of any two resins due to improper cleaning of the tray. Resin tanks, mixers, and even the glass optical window for the light processing unit need periodic maintenance and replacement in some cases, adding to total cost of ownership. The costs start to add up the more resins you print with.
It was at this point in my testing that I truly appreciated who this printer is for: prosumers and professionals who can stomach the costs. Still, the costs are worth it: Every part I put in the printer from this point forward was dimensionally accurate to incredible standards, including the bracket I had scanned (the black one in the photo below), which lined up exactly with the windscreen print.
(Credit: Michael Lydick)
The process was also something I was falling in love with. The printer lets you know with a very happy noise that your print is ready, raising the part upwards with the print bed for you to easily detach and remove from the printer. Normally, I’d be reaching for a scraper to wedge between the print surface and my part to claw away at a corner that I could get my scraper underneath. Not with the Form 4: My review unit has the optional Flex Build Platform ($250), which has side handles you squeeze that cause the print to pop off. It’s worth the additional cost.
(Credit: Michael Lydick)
As I mentioned above, the Form 4’s build volume isn’t the largest. At 1.39 gallons (5.25 liters), it’s generous but much smaller than large-format printers like the Photon M7 Max (3.88 gallons). (For larger prints, Formlabs offers the Form 4L, starting at $9,999.)
Where should you squeeze your build plate? Over the optional Formlabs washing station:
(Credit: Michael Lydick)
The station has arms on which you can rest the build plate above a mesh basket. Pop your part from the plate into your isopropyl below. You’ll appreciate the slots for adjusting the height of the build plate above the solution so the build plate can be cleaned without submerging the entire assembly.
You can choose the amount of time you want the solution to circulate, prompting the basket and the build plate to drop—covered—into the alcohol for the appropriate amount of time. No fumes escape during this process. When the basket rises again, a door rises from below and seals the top from the alcohol a second time. Resin need never touch your fingers.
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The station looks and feels industrial and complements the look of the Form 4 when it’s sitting next to it:
(Credit: Michael Lydick)
It’s a very vigorous wash. I never once had a pocket or face that still felt slick from unwashed resin.
Once the part is washed, you bring it to the curing station, which glows orange when it is bringing the parts to 140 degrees F (60 degrees C) prior to the UV cycle.
(Credit: Michael Lydick)
The plate circulates the part around the three UV light strips, at the top, bottom, and side walls of the unit.
(Credit: Michael Lydick)
Per the instructions on the Formlabs website, I lightly wet-sanded the surface of the deflector. I started at 800 grit, working my way up with the buffing wheel to 1,000-, 2,000-, and then 3,000-grit polishing pads. I then cleaned the surface off with Invisible Glass spray cleaner and added a 3M protective clear coat from the included wipes in my headlight restoration kit. The results were phenomenal:
(Credit: Michael Lydick)
When I test-mounted the parts, I sent my friend a photo showing a printed page behind the part to demonstrate the clarity of the finished piece:
(Credit: Michael Lydick)
I then asked my friend, who owns the same bike, if he would pay $200 for the part, to which he immediately texted back, “How quickly can you make me a set ???” These parts were dimensionally perfect. They fit on the motorcycle perfectly. They printed without issue, washed off completely clean, and cured without any guesswork.
So if you’re planning on using the Form 4 for this type of manufacturing, here’s how the numbers might shake out: You could print three sets of deflectors a day, plus one overnight, which is 28 sets per week. You could sell them for $200 each (based on similarly priced products). Each 1-liter bottle of Clear Resin V5 costs $79, and you could print four deflectors per bottle, for a cost of $20 per deflector. I estimate a total resin cost of $50 per set, for a net profit somewhere between $125 and $150 each. Selling 50 sets in the first manufacturing round would cover the cost of the entire Formlabs 4 system.
If I were to make the part again, I would use a clear acrylic gloss spray, as opposed to the 3M clear coat wipe, which was hard to get a smooth, consistent finish with. I would use the circular sandpaper pads with my drill every time, from 800-grit to 3,000-grit, as I wet-sanded. The Clear Resin V5 was crystal clear at that stage, and I know I could have done a better job.
