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|Type=Private
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|Website=https://formlabs.com
|Website=https://formlabs.com
|Description=Charges $875-$11,899 per printer to use third-party materials; acquired & canceled a $2,999 SLS competitor to protect its $28,989 Fuse 1+
|Description=Charges $875-$11,899 per printer to use third-party materials; acquired & canceled a $2,999 SLS competitor to protect its $28,989 Fuse 1+.
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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><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>
'''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 |author= |title=Open Material Mode |url=https://formlabs.com/store/materials/open-material-mode/ |website=Formlabs |date= |access-date=14 Jun 2026 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20260116171208/https://formlabs.com/store/materials/open-material-mode/ |archive-date=16 Jan 2026}}</ref> In July 2024, Formlabs acquired Micronics, a startup building a $2,999 desktop SLS printer funded on Kickstarter, and immediately canceled the product.<ref name="formlabs-acquires-micronics">{{Cite web |author= |title=Formlabs Acquires Micronics to Develop the Next Generation of Accessible SLS |url=https://formlabs.com/blog/formlabs-acquires-micronics/ |website=Formlabs |date=11 Jul 2024 |access-date=14 Jun 2026 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240711140237/https://formlabs.com/blog/formlabs-acquires-micronics/ |archive-date=11 Jul 2024}}</ref><ref name="3dprint-micronics">{{Cite web |last=Peels |first=Joris |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=11 Jul 2024 |access-date=14 Jun 2026 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240711155721/https://3dprint.com/311327/formlabs-buys-nascent-sls-3d-printer-competitor-micronics/ |archive-date=11 Jul 2024}}</ref> The cheapest SLS printer Formlabs sells starts at $28,989; the Micron would have cost roughly 1/10th that price.<ref name="3dprint-micronics" /><ref name="formlabs-sls-pricing">{{Cite web |author= |title=How to Compare SLS 3D Printer Prices |url=https://formlabs.com/blog/selective-laser-sintering-sls-3d-printer-price/ |website=Formlabs |date= |access-date=14 Jun 2026 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20260421103930/https://formlabs.com/blog/selective-laser-sintering-sls-3d-printer-price/ |archive-date=21 Apr 2026}}</ref> <!-- Founded in 2011 by MIT Media Lab students Maxim Lobovsky, David Cranor, and Natan Linder, the company raised $2.95 million on Kickstarter for its first printer and 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> -Commented out until it's not a Wikipedia citation. -Sojourna -->


== Consumer-impact summary ==
==Consumer impact summary==
{{Ph-C-CIS}}


* 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" />
===User freedom===
* 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" />
*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 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>


== Incidents ==
*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 |author=DKirch |title=Ongoing Support for the Form 2 |url=https://forum.formlabs.com/t/ongoing-support-for-the-form-2/22871 |website=Formlabs |date=2 Apr 2019 |access-date=14 Jun 2026 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://megalodon.jp/2026-0615-1149-55/https://forum.formlabs.com:443/t/ongoing-support-for-the-form-2/22871 |archive-date=15 Jun 2026}}</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>


This is a list of all consumer-protection incidents this company is involved in. Any incidents not mentioned here can be found in the [[:Category:Formlabs|Formlabs category]].
==Incidents==
This is a list of all consumer-protection incidents this company is involved in. Any incidents not mentioned here can be found in the [[:Category:{{FULLPAGENAME}}|{{PAGENAME}} category]].


=== Acquisition of Micronics ===
===Open Material Mode===
Formlabs requires a one-time per-printer software license to unlock the use of third-party resins and powders on its printers. The license, called Open Material Mode, costs:<ref name="formlabs-omm-store" />


Formlabs acquired Micronics on July 11, 2024, & 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 |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=2024-07-11}}</ref>
*$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


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" />
Without the license, users can only load Formlabs' proprietary DRM-chipped resin cartridges.


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" />
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 |author=rkagerer |title=Open Material License $6k per printer |url=https://forum.formlabs.com/t/open-material-license-6k-per-printer/36905 |website=Formlabs |date=12 Sep 2023 |access-date=14 Jun 2026 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://megalodon.jp/2026-0615-1223-43/https://forum.formlabs.com:443/t/open-material-license-6k-per-printer/36905 |archive-date=15 Jun 2026}}</ref>


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>
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 |author=KevinH |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 |date=27 Mar 2026 |access-date=14 Jun 2026 |url-status=live
|archive-url=https://megalodon.jp/2026-0615-1228-25/https://forum.formlabs.com:443/t/psa-to-all-form-form-4b-4bl-owners-open-material-mode/46199 |archive-date=15 Jun 2026}}</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" />


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.
===Form 2 deprecation (''2019—'')===
Formlabs announced the end of active support for the Form 2 in April 2019, following the launch of the Form 3 series. The company committed to selling resin tanks, cartridges, and build platforms through at least 2023.<ref name="formlabs-forum-form2-support" /> The Form 2 uses proprietary DRM-chipped resin cartridges. Without an authorized cartridge, the printer runs in a limited mode that disables the heater and wiper functions, causing a reduction in print quality.<ref name="protoart-cartridge" />


=== Open Material Mode ===
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" />


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.
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 and wiper functions enabled.<ref name="protoart-cartridge">{{Cite web |last=Stevenson |first=Kerry |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=12 Sep 2019 |access-date=14 Jun 2026 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://megalodon.jp/2026-0615-1233-40/https://www.fabbaloo.com:443/2019/09/a-universal-cartridge-for-form-2-3d-printers-but-should-you-use-it |archive-date=15 Jun 2026}}</ref> The Universal Cartridge is compatible only with Formlabs firmware versions through 2.2.0; the product reached end of life and is available only while supplies last.<ref name="protoart-site">{{Cite web |author= |title=Universal Cartridge Module for Formlabs |url=https://www.lectronz.com/products/universal-cartridge-for-formlabs-form-2-form-3 |website=Lectronz |date= |access-date=14 Jan 2026 |url-status=deviated |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20260114093834/https://www.lectronz.com/products/universal-cartridge-for-formlabs-form-2-form-3 |archive-date=14 Jan 2026}}</ref>


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" />
As of 14 June 2026, the Universal Cartridge is out of stock and discontinued.<ref>{{Cite web |author= |title=Universal Cartridge Module for Formlabs |url=https://www.lectronz.com/products/universal-cartridge-for-formlabs-form-2-form-3 |website=Lectronz |date= |access-date=14 Jun 2026 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20260615033914/https://www.lectronz.com/products/universal-cartridge-for-formlabs-form-2-form-3 |archive-date=15 Jun 2026}}</ref>


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" />
===Acquisition of Micronics (''2024'')===
 
{{Main|Formlabs acquisition of Micronics}}
=== Form 2 deprecation ===
 
Formlabs announced the end of active support for the Form 2 in April 2019, following the launch of the Form 3 series. The company committed to selling resin tanks, cartridges, & build platforms through at least 2023.<ref name="formlabs-forum-form2-support" /> The Form 2 uses proprietary DRM-chipped resin cartridges. Without an authorized cartridge, the printer runs in a limited mode that disables the heater & wiper functions, reducing print quality.<ref name="protoart-cartridge" />
 
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>
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>


== Products ==
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{{Clarify|who}} and 3D Systems cost from $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 approximately 90%.<ref name="3dprint-micronics" />


* '''SLA printers:''' Form 1, Form 1+, Form 2, Form 3 series (Form 3, 3+, 3B, 3B+, 3L, 3BL), Form 4 series (Form 4, 4B, 4L, 4BL)
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 and that Micronics was ''"trying to do another 5x beyond that."''<ref name="techcrunch-micronics">{{Cite web |last=Heater |first=Brian |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=11 Jul 2024 |access-date=14 Jun 2026 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240711212359/https://techcrunch.com/2024/07/11/formlabs-acquires-3d-printing-startup-micronics-mid-kickstarter-campaign/ |archive-date=11 Jul 2024}}</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 |last=Bertacchi |first=Denise |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 |date=11 Jul 2024 |access-date=14 Jun 2026 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240712104121/https://www.tomshardware.com/3d-printing/david-vs-goliath-desktop-sls-kickstarter-ends-with-acquisition |archive-date=12 Jul 2024}}</ref> The Micronics brand was discontinued and the Kickstarter was canceled.<ref name="techcrunch-micronics" />
* '''SLS printers:''' Fuse 1, Fuse 1+ 30W
* '''Software:''' PreForm (slicing & print preparation)
* '''Post-processing:''' Form Wash, Form Cure
* '''Automation:''' Form Auto, Form Cell


== See also ==
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 |last=Tyrer-Jones |first=Alex |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=11 Jul 2024 |access-date=14 Jun 2026 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240711182524/https://3dprintingindustry.com/news/formlabs-acquires-micronics-new-accessible-sls-3d-printers-forthcoming-231608/ |archive-date=11 Jul 2024}}</ref>


* [[Bambu Lab]]
Formlabs offered backers a full refund plus a $1,000 credit toward any current or future Formlabs printer and a free Open Material License.<ref name="formlabs-press-micronics">{{Cite web |author= |title=Formlabs Acquires Micronics to Further Advance Accessible SLS 3D Printing |url=https://formlabs.com/company/press/formlabs-acquires-micronics/ |website=Formlabs |date=11 Jul 2024 |access-date=14 Jun 2026 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240712094128/https://formlabs.com/company/press/formlabs-acquires-micronics/ |archive-date=12 Jul 2024}}</ref><ref name="formlabs-forum-backer-breach">{{Cite web |author=facfox |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 |date=27 Dec 2024 |access-date=14 Jun 2026 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://megalodon.jp/2026-0407-2320-45/https://forum.formlabs.com:443/t/formlabs-breach-of-promised-open-material-license-and-1000-credit-to-micronics-kickstarter-backer/40715 |archive-date=7 Apr 2026}}</ref> 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" /> 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.
* [[Creality]]
* [[MakerBot]]


== References ==
==Products==
*'''SLA printers:''' Form 1, Form 1+, Form 2, Form 3 series (Form 3, 3+, 3B, 3B+, 3L, 3BL), Form 4 series (Form 4, 4B, 4L, 4BL)
*'''SLS printers:''' Fuse 1, Fuse 1+ 30W
*'''Software:''' PreForm (slicing & print preparation)
*'''Post-processing:''' Form Wash, Form Cure
*'''Automation:''' Form Auto, Form Cell


{{reflist}}
==See also==
*[[Bambu Lab]]
*[[Creality]]
*[[MakerBot]]


[[Category:Formlabs]]
==References==
[[Category:3D Printing]]
{{Reflist}}
[[Category:Planned Obsolescence]]


<!-- INCIDENT SEVERITY SCORES (for pipeline orchestration, not displayed)
[[Category:{{PAGENAME}}]]
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
[[Category:3D printing]]
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
[[Category:Planned obsolescence]]
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
[[Category:3D printing companies]]
-->
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