Ryan Smith ⋅ Form 4L

Introduction

For full context, I recommend learning about the Form 4 first.

Form 4L brings the groundbreaking technology of Form 4 to Formlabs' large format line of resin 3D printers, unlocking extreme speed, reliability, and print quality at any scale - from prototyping to production. With a build volume nearly 5x the size of Form 4, most parts in under six hours, and a more affordable accessory ecosystem, Form 4L enables our users to get more done than ever before.

My Contributions

Design Leadership, Ideation, Concept Development, Physical Prototyping, User Testing, CMF Design, Cosmetic Specification Documentation, Product Visualization, Production CAD, Design for Manufacturing

My Role

Given my experience designing the Form 3L and Form 4, I was chosen as the Industrial Design Lead for the Form 4L, acting as the sole industrial designer from concept development through to production. I designed, in collaboration with a team of approximately fifteen engineers, every cosmetic and user experience related aspect of the machine, including multiple accessory products. I hosted weekly meetings with company stakeholders, including senior management, product leads and manufacturing partners to ensure a united vision for the Form 4L.

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A machine from the future.

Form 4L is a statement on the progress Formlabs has made as a hardware company. My goal with its industrial design was to adapt the Form 4 design language into something even more futuristic, even more advanced, to demonstrate the sheer performance that Form 4L is capable of. I chose large aluminum sheet metal for the exterior shells to communicate to the user that it is a professional, robust machine. I worked closely with the engineering teams to design the structure of the printer, including a completely new door architecture that is both lightweight and rigid, enabling an edge-to-edge orange window that provides complete visibility to the interior of the machine. Additionally, I redesigned all of Formlabs' large format accessories, improving their reliability and ease of use across the board.

Marketing teaser | made in Blender

Overhauling the large format user experience.

After releasing the Form 3L in 2019, I spent years gathering customer feedback to inform Formlabs’ next generation large format resin printer. This research first informed my design work on the accessories for the Form 4, and I endeavored to bring these same improvements to its large format variant. I used the same intuitive latch designs, adapting them to the more cumbersome and heavy accessories of the Form 4L. The new build platform latch is more accessible and requires less force, and the new tank slides elegantly into place before being secured with two simple latches on either side. The cartridge cavity is also greatly improved, with smoother walls and a more generous insertion window, making cartridge replacement easier than ever.

A six year journey.

The Form 4L was my final product at Formlabs after six years with the company. It was my opportunity to demonstrate my skills as a design leader, guiding a complex and crucial product from the first day of sketching to the first machine rolling off the assembly line. I worked with dozens of engineers, managers, UI/UX designers, and company stakeholders to make the Form 4L a reality. It represents my vision for the future of accessible 3D printing, where a machine can look and feel every bit as high quality as the parts it produces. A tool that anyone can use to make anything they can imagine, without compromise.

Below are a few of the companies who provided valuable feedback during development of the Form 4L, and are now happy users of the system.

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