White Paper

Form 3 Dimensional Accuracy Report

The quality of end use parts in additive manufacturing can be evaluated with several metrics, one of which is dimensional accuracy. Formlabs created an internal test to determine the dimensional accuracy of the Form 3 and Form 3B.

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Contents

  • Introduction
  • Addressing Dimensional Accuracy
  • Test Results: 1mm to 50mm Results
  • Test Results: 60mm to 130mm Results
  • Post Processing And Dimensional Accuracy
  • Caveats and Questions

Introduction

For many designers and creators across a wide array of professions, such as engineering, manufacturing, dental labs hospitals, and more, Formlabs printers represented their first foray into the world of in-house stereolithography (SLA) 3D printing. In line with other manufacturing processes, it is important to understand the limits of 3D printing before beginning production.

The quality of end use parts in additive manufacturing can be evaluated with several metrics, one of which is dimensional accuracy. For some applications, such as dental surgical guides or jigs and fixtures, dimensional accuracy is paramount to whether the part is usable.

Formlabs created an internal test to determine the dimensional accuracy of the Form 3 and Form 3B. We tested two models, one with features under 50mm and one with features over 50mm. Importantly, we printed multiple parts per printer across multiple printers to highlight the Form 3’s efficacy in repeatedly creating accurate parts.

Addressing Dimensional Accuracy

What impacts dimensional accuracy?

1. The 3D printer used to create the part (ex: there may be accuracy variations between printers).

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