Formlabs - Revision history

Sojourna: /* Acquisition of Micronics (2024) */ Added link to incident page.

2026-06-15T03:54:48Z

Acquisition of Micronics (2024): Added link to incident page.

← Older revision		Revision as of 03:54, 15 June 2026
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	===Acquisition of Micronics (''2024'')===		===Acquisition of Micronics (''2024'')===
			{{Main\|Formlabs acquisition of Micronics}}

	Formlabs acquired Micronics on 11 July 2024 and canceled the Micron desktop SLS 3D printer the same day.<ref name="formlabs-acquires-micronics" /> The Micron had launched on Kickstarter in June 2024 at a starting price of $2,999.<ref name="3dprint-micronics" /> The campaign raised over £1 million from 431 backers.<ref name="develop3d-micronics">{{Cite web \|author= \|title=Desktop SLS start-up Micronics acquired by Formlabs \|url=https://develop3d.com/3d-printing/desktop-sls-company-micronics-acquired-by-formlabs/ \|website=Develop3D \|date=11 Jul 2024 \|access-date=14 Jun 2026 \|url-status=live \|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20241204183047/https://develop3d.com/3d-printing/desktop-sls-company-micronics-acquired-by-formlabs/ \|archive-date=4 Dec 2024}}</ref>		Formlabs acquired Micronics on 11 July 2024 and canceled the Micron desktop SLS 3D printer the same day.<ref name="formlabs-acquires-micronics" /> The Micron had launched on Kickstarter in June 2024 at a starting price of $2,999.<ref name="3dprint-micronics" /> The campaign raised over £1 million from 431 backers.<ref name="develop3d-micronics">{{Cite web \|author= \|title=Desktop SLS start-up Micronics acquired by Formlabs \|url=https://develop3d.com/3d-printing/desktop-sls-company-micronics-acquired-by-formlabs/ \|website=Develop3D \|date=11 Jul 2024 \|access-date=14 Jun 2026 \|url-status=live \|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20241204183047/https://develop3d.com/3d-printing/desktop-sls-company-micronics-acquired-by-formlabs/ \|archive-date=4 Dec 2024}}</ref>

Sojourna: Clean-up; pass on style.

2026-06-15T03:53:21Z

Clean-up; pass on style.

Show changes

Sojourna: /* References */

2026-06-15T02:06:46Z

References

← Older revision		Revision as of 02:06, 15 June 2026
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	* [[MakerBot]]		* [[MakerBot]]

	== References ==		==References==
			{{Reflist}}

	{{~~reflist~~}}		[[Category:{{PAGENAME}}]]

	~~[[Category:Formlabs~~]]
	[[Category:3D printing]]		[[Category:3D printing]]
	[[Category:Planned obsolescence]]		[[Category:Planned obsolescence]]
	~~[[Category:Companies]]~~
	[[Category:3D printing companies]]		[[Category:3D printing companies]]

Doofus: Added Category:3D printing companies for better organization

2026-06-15T01:32:29Z

Added Category:3D printing companies for better organization

← Older revision		Revision as of 01:32, 15 June 2026
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	[[Category:Planned obsolescence]]		[[Category:Planned obsolescence]]
	[[Category:Companies]]		[[Category:Companies]]
			[[Category:3D printing companies]]

Doofus: Added Category:Companies to References

2026-06-15T00:39:17Z

Added Category:Companies to References

← Older revision		Revision as of 00:39, 15 June 2026
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	[[Category:3D printing]]		[[Category:3D printing]]
	[[Category:Planned obsolescence]]		[[Category:Planned obsolescence]]
			[[Category:Companies]]

Mr Pollo at 01:27, 28 April 2026

2026-04-28T01:27:55Z

← Older revision		Revision as of 01:27, 28 April 2026
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	* Formlabs charges a per-printer license fee ranging from $875 (Form 4) to $11,899 (Fuse 1 series) for the permission to use third-party materials on hardware the customer already owns.<ref name="formlabs-omm-store" />		* Formlabs charges a per-printer license fee ranging from $875 (Form 4) to $11,899 (Fuse 1 series) for the permission to use third-party materials on hardware the customer already owns.<ref name="formlabs-omm-store" />
	* The company acquired Micronics in July 2024 & canceled the Micron, a $2,999 SLS 3D printer that had raised over £1 million from 431 Kickstarter backers.<ref name="3dprint-micronics" /><ref name="develop3d-micronics" /> Formlabs' own SLS printer, the Fuse 1+ 30W, starts at $28,989.<ref name="formlabs-sls-pricing" />		* The company acquired Micronics in July 2024 & canceled the Micron, a $2,999 SLS 3D printer that had raised over £1 million from 431 Kickstarter backers.<ref name="3dprint-micronics" /><ref name="develop3d-micronics" /> Formlabs' own SLS printer, the Fuse 1+ 30W, starts at $28,989.<ref name="formlabs-sls-pricing" />
	* The Form 2 uses proprietary DRM-chipped resin cartridges. Formlabs committed to supplying consumables through 2023, then left the end date ambiguous; by September 2024 consumables were still available but with no guaranteed supply timeline.<ref name="formlabs-forum-form2-support">{{Cite web \|title=Ongoing Support for the Form 2 \|url=https://forum.formlabs.com/t/ongoing-support-for-the-form-2/22871 \|website=Formlabs Community Forum \|date=2019-04}}</ref><ref name="formlabs-forum-form2-consumables">{{Cite web \|title=Form 2 availability of consumables \|url=https://forum.formlabs.com/t/form-2-availability-of-consumables/39108 \|website=Formlabs Community Forum \|date=2024-09}}</ref>		* The Form 2 uses proprietary DRM-chipped resin cartridges. Formlabs committed to supplying consumables through 2023, then left the end date ambiguous; by September 2024 consumables were still available but with no guaranteed supply timeline.<ref name="formlabs-forum-form2-support">{{Cite web \|title=Ongoing Support for the Form 2 \|url=https://forum.formlabs.com/t/ongoing-support-for-the-form-2/22871 \|website=Formlabs Community Forum \|date=2019-04-02}}</ref><ref name="formlabs-forum-form2-consumables">{{Cite web \|title=Form 2 availability of consumables \|url=https://forum.formlabs.com/t/form-2-availability-of-consumables/39108 \|website=Formlabs Community Forum \|date=2024-09-17}}</ref>

	== Incidents ==		== Incidents ==
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	On the Formlabs community forum in September 2023, Form 3 pre-order customer rkagerer stated that paying "$6k (per printer!) for the capability" might "expose them to litigation risk given the original marketing and sales assurances" that Open Mode on the Form 3 had been promised pre-release. Another user, Reine, asked "Is Formlabs idea to charge me three times the cost of a printer to use 3rd party resins?!" Other commenters wrote that "no normal person is going to buy a 6k add on" and questioned who would buy the $6k option.<ref name="formlabs-forum-oml-6k">{{Cite web \|title=Open Material License $6k per printer \|url=https://forum.formlabs.com/t/open-material-license-6k-per-printer/36905 \|website=Formlabs Community Forum \|date=2023-09-12 \|access-date=2026-04-08}}</ref> Formlabs' current tiered pricing on its store lists $1,999 for the Form 3 series and $875 for the Form 4.<ref name="formlabs-omm-store" />		On the Formlabs community forum in September 2023, Form 3 pre-order customer rkagerer stated that paying "$6k (per printer!) for the capability" might "expose them to litigation risk given the original marketing and sales assurances" that Open Mode on the Form 3 had been promised pre-release. Another user, Reine, asked "Is Formlabs idea to charge me three times the cost of a printer to use 3rd party resins?!" Other commenters wrote that "no normal person is going to buy a 6k add on" and questioned who would buy the $6k option.<ref name="formlabs-forum-oml-6k">{{Cite web \|title=Open Material License $6k per printer \|url=https://forum.formlabs.com/t/open-material-license-6k-per-printer/36905 \|website=Formlabs Community Forum \|date=2023-09-12 \|access-date=2026-04-08}}</ref> Formlabs' current tiered pricing on its store lists $1,999 for the Form 3 series and $875 for the Form 4.<ref name="formlabs-omm-store" />

	The license is free for accredited educational institutions.<ref name="formlabs-omm-store" /> As of January 2026, Open Material Mode is included with new Form 4B & 4BL purchases, but owners who bought the same printers before that date must pay the full license fee.<ref name="formlabs-forum-4b-omm">{{Cite web \|title=PSA to All form Form 4B & 4BL owners (Open material mode) \|url=https://forum.formlabs.com/t/psa-to-all-form-form-4b-4bl-owners-open-material-mode/46199 \|website=Formlabs Community Forum \|date=2026-01}}</ref> Formlabs' warranty terms state that failure modes caused by third-party materials are excluded from standard warranty coverage, adding financial risk on top of the license cost.<ref name="formlabs-omm-store" />		The license is free for accredited educational institutions.<ref name="formlabs-omm-store" /> As of January 2026, Open Material Mode is included with new Form 4B & 4BL purchases, but owners who bought the same printers before that date must pay the full license fee.<ref name="formlabs-forum-4b-omm">{{Cite web \|title=PSA to All form Form 4B & 4BL owners (Open material mode) \|url=https://forum.formlabs.com/t/psa-to-all-form-form-4b-4bl-owners-open-material-mode/46199 \|website=Formlabs Community Forum \|date=2026-03-27}}</ref> Formlabs' warranty terms state that failure modes caused by third-party materials are excluded from standard warranty coverage, adding financial risk on top of the license cost.<ref name="formlabs-omm-store" />

	=== Form 2 deprecation ===		=== Form 2 deprecation ===
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	By September 2024, nine months past the stated deadline, Form 2 consumables were still available but Formlabs hadn't provided a firm end date. Users requested concrete timelines to plan investment decisions; Formlabs didn't respond in the thread.<ref name="formlabs-forum-form2-consumables" /> Once Formlabs stops selling Form 2-compatible cartridges, owners of the $3,500 printer will have no official consumable supply. The printer becomes unusable even though the hardware itself still works.<ref name="formlabs-forum-form2-support" />		By September 2024, nine months past the stated deadline, Form 2 consumables were still available but Formlabs hadn't provided a firm end date. Users requested concrete timelines to plan investment decisions; Formlabs didn't respond in the thread.<ref name="formlabs-forum-form2-consumables" /> Once Formlabs stops selling Form 2-compatible cartridges, owners of the $3,500 printer will have no official consumable supply. The printer becomes unusable even though the hardware itself still works.<ref name="formlabs-forum-form2-support" />

	Third-party developers attempted workarounds. ProtoART produced a Universal Cartridge, a DIY modification kit installed into an existing cartridge that allowed third-party resin use with heater & wiper functions enabled.<ref name="protoart-cartridge">{{Cite web \|title=A Universal Cartridge For Form 2 3D Printers, But Should You Use It? \|url=https://www.fabbaloo.com/2019/09/a-universal-cartridge-for-form-2-3d-printers-but-should-you-use-it \|website=Fabbaloo \|date=2019-09}}</ref> The Universal Cartridge is compatible only with Formlabs firmware versions through 2.2.0; the product reached end of life & is available only while supplies last.<ref name="protoart-site">{{Cite web \|title=Universal Cartridge Module for Formlabs \|url=https://www.lectronz.com/products/universal-cartridge-for-formlabs-form-2-form-3 \|website=Lectronz \|access-date=2026-04-04}}</ref>		Third-party developers attempted workarounds. ProtoART produced a Universal Cartridge, a DIY modification kit installed into an existing cartridge that allowed third-party resin use with heater & wiper functions enabled.<ref name="protoart-cartridge">{{Cite web \|title=A Universal Cartridge For Form 2 3D Printers, But Should You Use It? \|url=https://www.fabbaloo.com/2019/09/a-universal-cartridge-for-form-2-3d-printers-but-should-you-use-it \|website=Fabbaloo \|date=2019-09-12}}</ref> The Universal Cartridge is compatible only with Formlabs firmware versions through 2.2.0; the product reached end of life & is available only while supplies last.<ref name="protoart-site">{{Cite web \|title=Universal Cartridge Module for Formlabs \|url=https://www.lectronz.com/products/universal-cartridge-for-formlabs-form-2-form-3 \|website=Lectronz \|access-date=2026-04-04}}</ref>

	== Products ==		== Products ==
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	[[Category:3D printing]]		[[Category:3D printing]]
	[[Category:Planned obsolescence]]		[[Category:Planned obsolescence]]

	~~<!-- INCIDENT SEVERITY SCORES (for pipeline orchestration, not displayed)~~
	INCIDENT_SCORE: Acquisition of Micronics \| 72/100 \| Acquired & canceled a $2,999 Kickstarter-funded SLS competitor that had raised $1.3M from 431 backers; backer compensation complaints documented on Formlabs forum
	~~INCIDENT_SCORE: Open Material Mode \| 58/100 \| Per-printer license fee of $875-$11,899 to use third-party materials; unprecedented in the desktop 3D printing industry; ongoing~~
	~~INCIDENT_SCORE: Form 2 deprecation \| 45/100 \| Proprietary cartridge DRM + V4.1 resin incompatibility creates forced obsolescence for Form 2 owners; third-party workarounds also discontinued~~
	~~-->~~

PixelRunner: fix categories

2026-04-16T12:57:51Z

fix categories

← Older revision		Revision as of 12:57, 16 April 2026
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	[[Category:Formlabs]]		[[Category:Formlabs]]
	[[Category:3D ~~Printing~~]]		[[Category:3D printing]]
	[[Category:Planned ~~Obsolescence~~]]		[[Category:Planned obsolescence]]

	<!-- INCIDENT SEVERITY SCORES (for pipeline orchestration, not displayed)		<!-- INCIDENT SEVERITY SCORES (for pipeline orchestration, not displayed)

Louis: fix boppart to software side per toms hardware; replace fabricated anti-consumer oml quotes with verbatim forum language; drop uncited causal claim on tiered pricing

2026-04-08T13:00:31Z

fix boppart to software side per toms hardware; replace fabricated anti-consumer oml quotes with verbatim forum language; drop uncited causal claim on tiered pricing

← Older revision		Revision as of 13:00, 8 April 2026
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	SLS (Selective Laser Sintering) printers use a laser to fuse nylon powder into parts without support structures. Traditional industrial SLS machines from manufacturers like EOS & 3D Systems cost $200,000 to $500,000 or more.<ref name="formlabs-sls-pricing" /> Formlabs' own SLS offering, the Fuse 1+ 30W, starts at $28,989.<ref name="formlabs-sls-pricing" /> The Micron at $2,999 would have undercut the Fuse 1+ 30W by roughly 10x.<ref name="3dprint-micronics" />		SLS (Selective Laser Sintering) printers use a laser to fuse nylon powder into parts without support structures. Traditional industrial SLS machines from manufacturers like EOS & 3D Systems cost $200,000 to $500,000 or more.<ref name="formlabs-sls-pricing" /> Formlabs' own SLS offering, the Fuse 1+ 30W, starts at $28,989.<ref name="formlabs-sls-pricing" /> The Micron at $2,999 would have undercut the Fuse 1+ 30W by roughly 10x.<ref name="3dprint-micronics" />

	Formlabs CEO Max Lobovsky acknowledged this price gap in an interview with TechCrunch, stating that Formlabs had achieved a "5x leap in starting price" with the Fuse 1 & that Micronics was "trying to do another 5x beyond that."<ref name="techcrunch-micronics">{{Cite web \|title=Formlabs acquires 3D printing startup Micronics mid-Kickstarter campaign \|url=https://techcrunch.com/2024/07/11/formlabs-acquires-3d-printing-startup-micronics-mid-kickstarter-campaign/ \|website=TechCrunch \|date=2024-07-11}}</ref> ~~Micronics founders Henry~~ Chan ~~& Luke Boppart joined~~ the Formlabs ~~engineering team at its Somerville, Massachusetts headquarters~~.<ref name="~~formlabs-press~~-micronics">{{Cite web \|title=~~Formlabs Acquires Micronics to Further Advance Accessible~~ SLS ~~3D Printing~~ \|url=https://~~formlabs~~.com/~~company~~/~~press/formlabs~~-~~acquires~~-~~micronics/~~ \|website=~~Formlabs~~ \|date=2024-07-11}}</ref> The Micronics brand was discontinued & the Kickstarter was canceled.<ref name="techcrunch-micronics" />		Formlabs CEO Max Lobovsky acknowledged this price gap in an interview with TechCrunch, stating that Formlabs had achieved a "5x leap in starting price" with the Fuse 1 & that Micronics was "trying to do another 5x beyond that."<ref name="techcrunch-micronics">{{Cite web \|title=Formlabs acquires 3D printing startup Micronics mid-Kickstarter campaign \|url=https://techcrunch.com/2024/07/11/formlabs-acquires-3d-printing-startup-micronics-mid-kickstarter-campaign/ \|website=TechCrunch \|date=2024-07-11}}</ref> Per Tom's Hardware, "Boppart will join the software side of Formlabs while Chan will lead the development of Formlabs next generation printers."<ref name="tomshardware-micronics">{{Cite web \|title=David vs Goliath: Desktop SLS Kickstarter Ends with Acquisition \|url=https://www.tomshardware.com/3d-printing/david-vs-goliath-desktop-sls-kickstarter-ends-with-acquisition \|website=Tom's Hardware \|first=Denise \|last=Bertacchi \|date=2024-07-11}}</ref> The Micronics brand was discontinued & the Kickstarter was canceled.<ref name="techcrunch-micronics" />

	Tom's Hardware headlined its coverage "David vs Goliath" & reported that the Micronics branding would be discontinued.<ref name="tomshardware-micronics"~~>{{Cite web \|title=David vs Goliath: Desktop SLS Kickstarter Ends with Acquisition \|url=https:~~/~~/www.tomshardware.com/3d-printing/david-vs-goliath-desktop-sls-kickstarter-ends-with-acquisition \|website=Tom's Hardware \|first=Denise \|last=Bertacchi \|date=2024-07-11}}</ref~~> 3D Printing Industry reported the acquisition as producing "new accessible SLS 3D printers forthcoming," but no such product has shipped as of April 2026.<ref name="3dprintingindustry-micronics">{{Cite web \|title=Formlabs acquires Micronics, new accessible SLS 3D printers forthcoming \|url=https://3dprintingindustry.com/news/formlabs-acquires-micronics-new-accessible-sls-3d-printers-forthcoming-231608/ \|website=3D Printing Industry \|date=2024-07-11}}</ref>		Tom's Hardware headlined its coverage "David vs Goliath" & reported that the Micronics branding would be discontinued.<ref name="tomshardware-micronics" /> 3D Printing Industry reported the acquisition as producing "new accessible SLS 3D printers forthcoming," but no such product has shipped as of April 2026.<ref name="3dprintingindustry-micronics">{{Cite web \|title=Formlabs acquires Micronics, new accessible SLS 3D printers forthcoming \|url=https://3dprintingindustry.com/news/formlabs-acquires-micronics-new-accessible-sls-3d-printers-forthcoming-231608/ \|website=3D Printing Industry \|date=2024-07-11}}</ref>

	Formlabs offered backers a full refund plus a $1,000 credit toward any current or future Formlabs printer & a free Open Material License.<ref name="formlabs-press-micronics" /><ref name="formlabs-forum-backer-breach" /> By December 2024, backers reported on the Formlabs forum that the promised $1,000 credit had not been delivered months after submission. Some backers who attempted to use their credit toward a Fuse 1 purchase were denied a $5,000 discount for unspecified reasons. The forum thread was auto-closed in July 2025.<ref name="formlabs-forum-backer-breach">{{Cite web \|title=Formlabs' breach of promised Open Material License and $1000 credit to Micronics Kickstarter Backer \|url=https://forum.formlabs.com/t/formlabs-breach-of-promised-open-material-license-and-1000-credit-to-micronics-kickstarter-backer/40715 \|website=Formlabs Community Forum \|date=2024-12-27}}</ref> A $1,000 credit toward a $28,989 SLS printer represents a 3.4% discount for backers who had pledged for a $2,999 machine.		Formlabs offered backers a full refund plus a $1,000 credit toward any current or future Formlabs printer & a free Open Material License.<ref name="formlabs-press-micronics">{{Cite web \|title=Formlabs Acquires Micronics to Further Advance Accessible SLS 3D Printing \|url=https://formlabs.com/company/press/formlabs-acquires-micronics/ \|website=Formlabs \|date=2024-07-11}}</ref><ref name="formlabs-forum-backer-breach" /> By December 2024, backers reported on the Formlabs forum that the promised $1,000 credit had not been delivered months after submission. Some backers who attempted to use their credit toward a Fuse 1 purchase were denied a $5,000 discount for unspecified reasons. The forum thread was auto-closed in July 2025.<ref name="formlabs-forum-backer-breach">{{Cite web \|title=Formlabs' breach of promised Open Material License and $1000 credit to Micronics Kickstarter Backer \|url=https://forum.formlabs.com/t/formlabs-breach-of-promised-open-material-license-and-1000-credit-to-micronics-kickstarter-backer/40715 \|website=Formlabs Community Forum \|date=2024-12-27}}</ref> A $1,000 credit toward a $28,989 SLS printer represents a 3.4% discount for backers who had pledged for a $2,999 machine.

	=== Open Material Mode ===		=== Open Material Mode ===
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	Formlabs requires a one-time per-printer software license to unlock the use of third-party resins & powders on its printers. The license, called Open Material Mode, costs $875 for the Form 4, $1,999 for the Form 3 series, $2,499 for the Form 4B, $3,999 for the Form 3L series, $4,999 for the Form 4L, & $11,899 for the Fuse 1 series.<ref name="formlabs-omm-store" /> Without the license, users can only load Formlabs' proprietary DRM-chipped resin cartridges.		Formlabs requires a one-time per-printer software license to unlock the use of third-party resins & powders on its printers. The license, called Open Material Mode, costs $875 for the Form 4, $1,999 for the Form 3 series, $2,499 for the Form 4B, $3,999 for the Form 3L series, $4,999 for the Form 4L, & $11,899 for the Fuse 1 series.<ref name="formlabs-omm-store" /> Without the license, users can only load Formlabs' proprietary DRM-chipped resin cartridges.

	Formlabs ~~users on the company's own~~ forum ~~called~~ the ~~pricing~~ "~~anti-consumer~~" ~~& argued~~ that the ~~correct price should be zero~~, ~~noting~~ that ~~competing desktop printers accept third-party materials without restriction~~.<ref name="formlabs-forum-oml-6k">{{Cite web \|title=Open Material License $6k per printer \|url=https://forum.formlabs.com/t/open-material-license-6k-per-printer/36905 \|website=Formlabs Community Forum \|date=2023-09-12}}</ref> Formlabs ~~initially proposed~~ pricing ~~as high as~~ $6,~~000 per printer~~ for the Form 3 series ~~in September 2023; community backlash led to~~ the ~~current tiered pricing structure~~.<ref name="formlabs-~~forum-oml~~-6k" />		On the Formlabs community forum in September 2023, Form 3 pre-order customer rkagerer stated that paying "$6k (per printer!) for the capability" might "expose them to litigation risk given the original marketing and sales assurances" that Open Mode on the Form 3 had been promised pre-release. Another user, Reine, asked "Is Formlabs idea to charge me three times the cost of a printer to use 3rd party resins?!" Other commenters wrote that "no normal person is going to buy a 6k add on" and questioned who would buy the $6k option.<ref name="formlabs-forum-oml-6k">{{Cite web \|title=Open Material License $6k per printer \|url=https://forum.formlabs.com/t/open-material-license-6k-per-printer/36905 \|website=Formlabs Community Forum \|date=2023-09-12 \|access-date=2026-04-08}}</ref> Formlabs' current tiered pricing on its store lists $1,999 for the Form 3 series and $875 for the Form 4.<ref name="formlabs-omm-store" />

	The license is free for accredited educational institutions.<ref name="formlabs-omm-store" /> As of January 2026, Open Material Mode is included with new Form 4B & 4BL purchases, but owners who bought the same printers before that date must pay the full license fee.<ref name="formlabs-forum-4b-omm">{{Cite web \|title=PSA to All form Form 4B & 4BL owners (Open material mode) \|url=https://forum.formlabs.com/t/psa-to-all-form-form-4b-4bl-owners-open-material-mode/46199 \|website=Formlabs Community Forum \|date=2026-01}}</ref> Formlabs' warranty terms state that failure modes caused by third-party materials are excluded from standard warranty coverage, adding financial risk on top of the license cost.<ref name="formlabs-omm-store" />		The license is free for accredited educational institutions.<ref name="formlabs-omm-store" /> As of January 2026, Open Material Mode is included with new Form 4B & 4BL purchases, but owners who bought the same printers before that date must pay the full license fee.<ref name="formlabs-forum-4b-omm">{{Cite web \|title=PSA to All form Form 4B & 4BL owners (Open material mode) \|url=https://forum.formlabs.com/t/psa-to-all-form-form-4b-4bl-owners-open-material-mode/46199 \|website=Formlabs Community Forum \|date=2026-01}}</ref> Formlabs' warranty terms state that failure modes caused by third-party materials are excluded from standard warranty coverage, adding financial risk on top of the license cost.<ref name="formlabs-omm-store" />

Louis: Fix citation-claim mismatches: add 3dprint cite for $2999, fix $250M->$230M to match Wikipedia source, fix duplicate ref definition

2026-04-06T00:21:58Z

Fix citation-claim mismatches: add 3dprint cite for $2999, fix $250M->$230M to match Wikipedia source, fix duplicate ref definition

← Older revision		Revision as of 00:21, 6 April 2026
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	'''Formlabs''' is a 3D printing company that charges its customers $875 to $11,899 per printer for the permission to use third-party materials on hardware they already own.<ref name="formlabs-omm-store">{{Cite web \|title=Open Material Mode \|url=https://formlabs.com/store/materials/open-material-mode/ \|website=Formlabs \|access-date=2026-04-04 \|url-status=live \|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20260116171208/https://formlabs.com/store/materials/open-material-mode/ \|archive-date=2026-01-16}}</ref> In July 2024, Formlabs acquired Micronics, a startup building a $2,999 desktop SLS printer funded on Kickstarter, & immediately canceled the product.<ref name="formlabs-acquires-micronics">{{Cite web \|title=Formlabs Acquires Micronics to Develop the Next Generation of Accessible SLS \|url=https://formlabs.com/blog/formlabs-acquires-micronics/ \|website=Formlabs \|date=2024-07-11}}</ref> The cheapest SLS printer Formlabs sells starts at $28,989; the Micron would have cost roughly 1/10th that price.<ref name="formlabs-sls-pricing">{{Cite web \|title=How to Compare SLS 3D Printer Prices \|url=https://formlabs.com/blog/selective-laser-sintering-sls-3d-printer-price/ \|website=Formlabs \|access-date=2026-04-04}}</ref><ref name="3dprint-micronics">{{Cite web \|title=Formlabs Buys Nascent SLS 3D Printer Competitor Micronics \|url=https://3dprint.com/311327/formlabs-buys-nascent-sls-3d-printer-competitor-micronics/ \|website=3DPrint.com \|date=2024-07-11}}</~~ref~~> Founded in 2011 by MIT Media Lab students Maxim Lobovsky, David Cranor, & Natan Linder, the company raised $2.95 million on Kickstarter for its first printer & has since raised over $~~250~~ million in venture funding.<ref name="wikipedia-formlabs">{{Cite web \|title=Formlabs \|url=https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Formlabs \|website=Wikipedia \|access-date=2026-04-04}}</ref>		'''Formlabs''' is a 3D printing company that charges its customers $875 to $11,899 per printer for the permission to use third-party materials on hardware they already own.<ref name="formlabs-omm-store">{{Cite web \|title=Open Material Mode \|url=https://formlabs.com/store/materials/open-material-mode/ \|website=Formlabs \|access-date=2026-04-04 \|url-status=live \|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20260116171208/https://formlabs.com/store/materials/open-material-mode/ \|archive-date=2026-01-16}}</ref> In July 2024, Formlabs acquired Micronics, a startup building a $2,999 desktop SLS printer funded on Kickstarter, & immediately canceled the product.<ref name="formlabs-acquires-micronics">{{Cite web \|title=Formlabs Acquires Micronics to Develop the Next Generation of Accessible SLS \|url=https://formlabs.com/blog/formlabs-acquires-micronics/ \|website=Formlabs \|date=2024-07-11}}</ref><ref name="3dprint-micronics">{{Cite web \|title=Formlabs Buys Nascent SLS 3D Printer Competitor Micronics \|url=https://3dprint.com/311327/formlabs-buys-nascent-sls-3d-printer-competitor-micronics/ \|website=3DPrint.com \|date=2024-07-11}}</ref> The cheapest SLS printer Formlabs sells starts at $28,989; the Micron would have cost roughly 1/10th that price.<ref name="formlabs-sls-pricing">{{Cite web \|title=How to Compare SLS 3D Printer Prices \|url=https://formlabs.com/blog/selective-laser-sintering-sls-3d-printer-price/ \|website=Formlabs \|access-date=2026-04-04}}</ref><ref name="3dprint-micronics" /> Founded in 2011 by MIT Media Lab students Maxim Lobovsky, David Cranor, & Natan Linder, the company raised $2.95 million on Kickstarter for its first printer & has since raised over $230 million in venture funding.<ref name="wikipedia-formlabs">{{Cite web \|title=Formlabs \|url=https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Formlabs \|website=Wikipedia \|access-date=2026-04-04}}</ref>

	== Consumer-impact summary ==		== Consumer-impact summary ==

	* Formlabs charges a per-printer license fee ranging from $875 (Form 4) to $11,899 (Fuse 1 series) for the permission to use third-party materials on hardware the customer already owns.<ref name="formlabs-omm-store" />		* Formlabs charges a per-printer license fee ranging from $875 (Form 4) to $11,899 (Fuse 1 series) for the permission to use third-party materials on hardware the customer already owns.<ref name="formlabs-omm-store" />
	* The company acquired Micronics in July 2024 & canceled the Micron, a $2,999 SLS 3D printer that had raised over £1 million from 431 Kickstarter backers.<ref name="~~formlabs-acquires~~-micronics" /><ref name="develop3d-micronics" /> Formlabs' own SLS printer, the Fuse 1+ 30W, starts at $28,989.<ref name="formlabs-sls-pricing" />		* The company acquired Micronics in July 2024 & canceled the Micron, a $2,999 SLS 3D printer that had raised over £1 million from 431 Kickstarter backers.<ref name="3dprint-micronics" /><ref name="develop3d-micronics" /> Formlabs' own SLS printer, the Fuse 1+ 30W, starts at $28,989.<ref name="formlabs-sls-pricing" />
	* The Form 2 uses proprietary DRM-chipped resin cartridges. Formlabs committed to supplying consumables through 2023, then left the end date ambiguous; by September 2024 consumables were still available but with no guaranteed supply timeline.<ref name="formlabs-forum-form2-support">{{Cite web \|title=Ongoing Support for the Form 2 \|url=https://forum.formlabs.com/t/ongoing-support-for-the-form-2/22871 \|website=Formlabs Community Forum \|date=2019-04}}</ref><ref name="formlabs-forum-form2-consumables">{{Cite web \|title=Form 2 availability of consumables \|url=https://forum.formlabs.com/t/form-2-availability-of-consumables/39108 \|website=Formlabs Community Forum \|date=2024-09}}</ref>		* The Form 2 uses proprietary DRM-chipped resin cartridges. Formlabs committed to supplying consumables through 2023, then left the end date ambiguous; by September 2024 consumables were still available but with no guaranteed supply timeline.<ref name="formlabs-forum-form2-support">{{Cite web \|title=Ongoing Support for the Form 2 \|url=https://forum.formlabs.com/t/ongoing-support-for-the-form-2/22871 \|website=Formlabs Community Forum \|date=2019-04}}</ref><ref name="formlabs-forum-form2-consumables">{{Cite web \|title=Form 2 availability of consumables \|url=https://forum.formlabs.com/t/form-2-availability-of-consumables/39108 \|website=Formlabs Community Forum \|date=2024-09}}</ref>

Louis: Comprehensive revision: expand Micronics acquisition section with killer acquisition framing, rewrite Open Material Mode & Form 2 deprecation sections, replace all bare URLs with cited sources, populate CompanyCargo fields, remove stub placeholders

2026-04-05T23:14:02Z

Comprehensive revision: expand Micronics acquisition section with killer acquisition framing, rewrite Open Material Mode & Form 2 deprecation sections, replace all bare URLs with cited sources, populate CompanyCargo fields, remove stub placeholders

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