The U.S.-based maker of 3D printers, Formlabs, launched its new products in the local market to benefit from the country’s booming 3D printing market, the company said Tuesday.
Asia-Pacific and Japan company branch general manager, David Tan, said Formlabs officially decided to release its products in Korea as it is one of the world’s powerhouses in manufacturing.
Tan said through a media conference, “Why we think the Asia-Pacific market is so important for us is the region has three of the top five leading countries ― China, Japan, and Korea ― in manufacturing output worldwide.”
“Countries in this region contribute to 40 percent of global manufacturing output, and Korea is especially important for us because the country has excellent product design capability. With our cost-effective and high-quality 3D printers, we want to help product designers in Korea produce their products accurately and much faster.”
Located in Somerville, Massachusetts, the manufacturer, since its establishment, sold more than 50,000 3D printers. Four founders working at MIT’s Media Lab established the company in 2011.
The firm sells Form 2, which is a stereolithography-based 3D printer. The stereolithography (SLA) technology utilizes a laser to build solid parts from a liquid photopolymer resin.
The general manager announced that the company plans to release Form 3 and Form 3L, using low-force stereolithography (LFS) technology. LFS is an advanced version of SLA technology. He added that the Form 3L, a bigger version of Form 3, can be employed in a wide range of industrial sectors.
Formlabs dominates the dental engineering 3D printing market and is currently expanding the use of its 3D printing machines in other industrial sectors. To achieve a successful expansion, the company will partner with razor maker Gillette and shoemaker New Balance.
The manufacturer will also collaborate with Korean companies such as Samsung Medison, a medical equipment affiliate of Samsung Electronics. The subsidiary uses Formlabs’ machines to develop its ultrasonic diagnosis device.
