Formlabs Form 3B+ vs Formlabs Form 4BL Medical Resin 3D Printer
Technical comparison · Resin 3D printing
Form 3B+ and Form 4BL Medical Resin 3D Printer are not direct competitors: different use classes (F2 vs F4). Form 3B+ costs less (~€4849) and is the entry-level choice; Form 4BL Medical Resin 3D Printer offers more capability at a higher price (~€11499). Judge them by budget, not head-to-head.
| Parameter |
Form 3B+
Formlabs
F2 · Intermediate
|
Form 4BL Medical Resin 3D Printer
Formlabs
F4 · Semi-professional
|
|---|---|---|
| Identity | ||
| Launch year | 2022 | 2024 |
| Use tier | F2 — Intermediate | F4 — Semi-professional |
| Price | ||
| Price (€) | 4849 € | 11499 € |
| Universal specs | ||
| Dimensions (W×D×H) (cm) | 40.5 × 37.5 × 53 cm | 66.4 × 52.8 × 79.4 cm |
| Weight (kg) | 17.5 kg | 58.5 kg |
| Work area (mm) | 145 × 145 mm | 353 × 196 mm |
| Z-axis height (mm) | 185 mm | 350 mm |
| Power (W) | 220 W | 900 W |
| Voltage (V) | 240 V | 240 V |
| Maximum speed | — | 80 |
| Declared precision | 25 μm | 46 μm |
| Category specs | ||
| Build area XY (short side) (mm) | 145 mm | 196 mm |
| XY resolution (µm) | 25 µm | 46 µm |
| Light source | Laser | Mono LCD |
| Print speed (mm/h) | — | 80 mm/h |
| Tilt / peel system | — | Tilt |
| Ecosystem | ||
| Cloud dependency | No | No |
| Software notes | Printer control is managed by PreForm, Formlabs' proprietary print preparation software. This application automatically optimizes model orientation, support generation, and layout arrangement, integrating specific algorithms to maximize the yield of medical resins. The system supports standard file formats such as STL and OBJ. Through the Dashboard cloud platform, users can monitor print status, track material consumption, and manage job queues remotely for entire fleets of machines. Although network connectivity (Wi-Fi and Ethernet) facilitates advanced management, the printer retains the ability to operate in local mode via data transfer via USB. | Printer management is handled by the proprietary PreForm software, a well-proven tool that automatically optimizes model orientation, support generation, and build area layout. PreForm integrates natively with popular medical and dental CAD workflows, supporting standard formats such as STL and OBJ. The system offers advanced algorithms to calculate specific print parameters for each Formlabs resin. Connectivity is comprehensive, featuring options via USB, Ethernet, and local Wi-Fi. Although the Dashboard cloud platform is available for remote production monitoring and fleet management, the printer remains fully operational offline, ensuring the security of sensitive data within clinical environments. |
The differences that matter
- Price: Form 3B+ 4849 € vs Form 4BL Medical Resin 3D Printer 11499 € — Form 3B+ wins (+137%)
- Work area: Form 3B+ 145×145 mm vs Form 4BL Medical Resin 3D Printer 353×196 mm — Form 4BL Medical Resin 3D Printer wins (+229%)
Which one to choose
Choose Form 4BL Medical Resin 3D Printer if…
you value work area.
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