Formlabs Form Studio 1 is the company’s first consumer-level resin printer, and it’s aimed at those looking to hit print, walk away, and come back to a finished print. The print simplicity and reliability come from years of company testing, understanding users and their needs, and Formlabs specialized resins. Sure, you can use third-party resins, but you ultimately risk that print reliability.

Formlabs has really hit a lot of good points with this printer. It looks amazing with its see-through side panels giving old-school iMac vibes. The resin cartridge easily slides in and out, and the printer and its screen basically tell you what you need to do before and after every print to make sure your experience is the best it can be.

At launch, Formlabs is offering multiple packages for the Form Studio 1:

• Form Studio 1 Basic Package – Printer just by itself - $699, includes shipping
• Form Studio 1 Flex Package (what we tested) – $749, includes shipping

From Studio 1 Flex Package “Founders Edition” – $749 includes shipping (different color case options include Graphite, Aqua, Violet, or Teal). This will also include a Founders Edition easter egg on the Printer UI, A limited Form Studio 1 Plushie, Alpha Resin starting at $29, and 25% off up to $100 at Form Now (US Only).

Specifications: Formlabs Form Studio 1

Included in the Box: Formlabs Form Studio 1

The Formlabs Form Studio 1 ships with the usual printer accessories. This includes a sanding block, flush cutters, nitrile gloves, a leveling disc, a USB-A to USB-C data cable, a quick-start guide, a cleaning sheet removal tool, and a resin tray.

On the back of the Form Studio 1 is a small turn knob for access to the vent system. Formlabs has an add-on VOC extractor ($179) to help with the resin fumes it does output.

Printing Safety with the Formlabs Form Studio 1

The Formlabs Studio 1 requires the same safety precautions as most resin printers. Uncured resin is dangerous, and the solvents used to clean your prints can be irritating to skin or cause sensitivity issues over time. Use gloves and safety glasses when pouring resin and handling uncured prints.

Make sure the room you use your resin printer in is well-ventilated to avoid inhaling fumes. Spilled resin should be immediately cleaned up with 99% isopropyl alcohol. After printing, make sure to wipe down your printer and bottles to remove smudges of uncured resin. Always keep your resin tightly sealed and safely stored out of reach of pets and children. Formlabs states that a respirator is not required, but it’s always good to have one to be extra safe.

Assembling the Formlabs Form Studio 1

The Formlabs Form Studio 1 comes almost fully assembled out of the box. You'll need to remove packing material from the inside of the hood and remove the plastic covering the vat. You'll then need to unbox the build plate and insert it onto the printer's mast.

Calibrating the Build Plate on the Formlabs Form Studio 1

The Form Studio 1 came pre-leveled and ready to go out of the box. But if needed, you can adjust the plate by using the included alignment shims and a 4mm hex key that is neatly tucked away on the left front side of the printer.

Design of the Formlabs Form Studio 1

The Formlabs Form Studio 1 shares similar styling features to its larger, much-pricier professional-grade resin printers, with its distinct Orange and Grey coloring. But the company has slimmed down the design and given it more of a modern, skeleton-style panel. The build plate has a nice tab-locking system to help users lock and remove the build plate with ease. The same can be said for the vat system, with two clamp locks on the side to help keep the vat in place, while making it easy to quickly change vats if needed.

The seven-inch display on the Form Studio 1 is large and responsive. It’s the largest screen I have seen on a printer of this size, and a great addition to the setup so you can see what is happening without having to walk right up to the printer. The printer also makes useful sounds to let you know when something is removed, put back into place, or even when there is an issue with a check while printing.

The hood does feel a little flimsy, particularly where it mounts to the arms for the hood, but it’s not terrible. This is about the only thing I found on the printer that seemed like the company cut some hardware corners. But again, it works, and the arms are solid. Formlabs did state that they are working on the design of this to make it a little better.

There is also a camera on the bottom left for live access to your current print job, or to show off an awesome time-lapse of the previous prints you did. One feature I was not expecting was the little pocket on the front left of the printer, shown in an image above, holds hex keys and leveling items. Most printers just have the tools there in a box and expect you to either print a case or toss them in a drawer and forget about them. This little case is 3D printed (files are available to download and make your own too), which is a nice touch showcasing what 3D printers are for.

Setup

When you set up the Formlabs Form Studio 1, it walks you through a series of setup screens, like most resin printers now, but I did not expect the printer to ask me to level the physical printer. This is something normally overlooked by many when resin printing. Leveling the entire printer makes sure that the Automatic resin feed system is properly balanced, keeping the system from making a big mess when the auto refill is triggered, and not overfilling the vat. This step can be skipped, but it is a good idea to make sure the printer is level.

Let's talk about resins, and specifically Formlabs resins. When it comes to resin printers, most users will end up using their prefered resin, or whatever is cheapest. This can still be done with the Form Studio 1 with its Open Material Mode. But you will still need to calibrate your resins through the slicer as normal, to get successful prints.

Formlabs Alpha Resins are the first and 3D printing resins that are UL GREENGUARD Gold certified when using Form Studio 1 and Formlabs’ VOC Extractor. This means they pass an independent test for chemical emissions during printing that are low enough to be considered healthy for sensitive groups. The company’s resins are low odor, and parts printed with Alpha Resins have passed tests for long-term skin safety.

Formlabs achieved this by changing up the ingredients in its resin. There are no known chemicals with acute toxicity or known long-term effects on organ and reproductive health. This is good news for those who are scared of the chemical side of resin printing. Now, this doesn't mean that you can just carelessly toss out your PPE, but it does mean that resins are getting better and safer for users. Maybe one day we’ll get to a point where we don’t need PPE.

Slicer compatibility with the Formlabs Form Studio 1

The Formlabs Form Studio 1 comes with the PreForm Form Studio 1 slicer. This is Formlabs’ slicer for all its printers. It takes a little bit to get used to if you're coming from Lychee or Chitubox, like most resin printers, but after your third print, you should be getting the hang of it. If you're a new user, it’ll be a little troublesome understanding how to properly angle the print and size it, but that's about it.

Sample Prints on the Formlabs Form Studio 1

Using Formlabs Alpha V1 Resin in Grey, I printed a model of Johanna from Diablo 3. I found this model while searching on Makerworld. I used Formlabs’ auto orientation tool for this print. I used stock settings for the Alpha Grey V1 in the slicer and added the stock supports. The file was sliced and sent via Wi-Fi to the printer. I printed this as a solid piece using 264ml of resin, which printed in 10 hours and 56 minutes, at 0.05 mm layer height.

The next print I wanted to tackle was a Halloween-themed print, since it is Spooky season after all.

This print was scaled up to fit the build plate area, and printed with Formlabs Alpha V1 Resin in Grey. I added some supports and sent it to the printer. This print used 224ml of resin and printed in 7 hours and 58 minutes at 0.05 mm layer height.

Lastly, I decided I wanted to try a different resin, one that most people either don’t know about or haven't really used before: flexible resin.

Since Formlabs sent us various resins to test out, I didn't want to just stick with one basic resin type. So I swapped vats and loaded up a bottle of Formlabs’ Flexible 80A V2 Black Resin. I figured the best use case for this was to print something that would be squeezable, so I ran over to Thingiverse to search for stress balls, and a soccer ball-style caught my eye. But also, I wanted to reprint a file I had printed about two years ago to showcase resin, so I went over to Makerworld to grab the tennis ball. Both printed without issue.

I did have to tweak the supports and go the manual support route. Because of the way the slicer sees all the holes, it wanted to add tons of supports that aren't really needed. Once that was completed, I sent it to the printer. These models printed together in 7 hours and 53 minutes, and only took 153 ml of resin at a 0.050mm layer height.

Washing and Curing Your Prints PSA

Before you can admire your prints, you’ll need to wash them with isopropyl alcohol and cure them with a UV light. I like to give prints a 30-second hand rinse in a container of 95% Isopropyl alcohol, then a 5-minute rinse in the Form Studio 1 Wash + Cure Station which is sold separately and retails for $199.

Completely dry the print with a hair dryer on cool – IPA left on the print can make it tacky. You can also let the print air dry in a place away from sunlight. Supports are easier to remove before curing because they are softer. Clip the supports off with side cutters and use tweezers to remove stubborn supports. Remember to always wear gloves while handling uncured prints. Then place the print in a UV curing station for its recommended curing time.

Your IPA should never be flushed down the drain, especially after being contaminated with uncured resin. Instead, keep using the resin until it’s too dirty, then leave the container open to evaporate. The remaining sludge can be cured with UV light or the sun before being thrown away. Supports should also be cured before being thrown away.

Bottom Line

Starting at $699, the Formlabs Form Studio 1 may seem a bit pricey for those looking at comparable resin printers on the market, like the HeyGears Reflex RS ($499) and Elegoo Saturn 4 Ultra for $426.99. And while our testing showed slow printing times, you can get Formlabs Fast Resin to print quicker. The build quality of the printer and the Formlabs name instantly appeal to those looking for a premium package. Overall, the price feels right for what you're getting.

Using Formlabs resin pretty much guarantees a completed print over other resin printers I’ve tested. For me, the selling point beyond the name and price is the fact that it just prints. I didn’t have a single issue on that front while testing the Studio 1. That right there will sell me over any new tech or faster print times. Plus, with all the added helpful features in the slicer and the printer, the Form Studio 1 welcomes new users with open arms.

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Anycubic’s newest Photon P1 was released a few months ago, and now it’s time for its bigger brother to step into the resin printing spotlight. Replacing the current Mono M7 Max, the Anycubic Photon P1 MAX packs in some new tech, along with a larger build volume.

Anycubic is showing off its new refined look for resin printing here – sleek, simple, and user- friendly. The Photon P1 Max has the same look and feel as the P1. However, the firmware on the machine we are testing was still in its early stages. With a few bugs, it still works as it should.

The Anycubic P1 MAX is currently on a presale on Anycubic's website for $1,103.00. After the presale, the P1 MAX will go up to $1,149, which isn’t a significant price increase. With all the tech packed into this printer and its simple, sleek design, it’s a great addition to any 3D printer’s workshop and lands a spot on our best resin printers list.

Specifications: Anycubic Photon P1 MAX

Included in the Box: Anycubic Photon P1 MAX

The Anycubic P1 Max ships with the standard resin printer starter accessories. This includes a Metal scraper, a set of Allen keys, a user manual, a USB drive, a power cord, plus a wipe for the inside of the hood and a plastic scraper.

The USB drive comes pre-loaded with Anycubic’s Photon Workshop Slicer, test files, and a digital manual.

On the back of the printer is a rubber grommet for those who want to add a vent to the back of the printer for fume extraction. No hose is provided with this printer, so you will need to source one that fits to make it usable.

Printing Safety with Anycubic Photon P1 MAX

The Anycubic Photon P1 MAX requires the same safety precautions as any other resin printer. Uncured resin is dangerous, and the solvents used to clean your prints can be irritating to skin or cause sensitivity issues over time. Use gloves and safety glasses when pouring resin and handling uncured prints.

Make sure the room you use your resin printer in is well-ventilated to avoid inhaling fumes. Spilled resin should be immediately cleaned up with 99% isopropyl alcohol. After printing, make sure to wipe down your printer and bottles to remove smudges of uncured resin. Always keep your resin tightly sealed and safely stored out of reach of pets and children.

Assembling the Anycubic Photon P1 MAX

The Anycubic P1 MAX comes fully assembled out of the box. You’ll just need to remove the packing material from the build plate area and peel the screen protectors and labels off the printer and FEP Film.

If you choose any add-ons, such as the perforated build plate, they will be supplied in separate boxes.

Calibrating the Build Plate on the Anycubic Photon P1 MAX

The P1 MAX, just like the smaller P1, has the same assist features for leveling. You can choose to have the auto-leveling feature on at all times, which I do recommend, but there are times when it’s a good idea to check and make sure all is good after printing for a while. Personally, with these new printers, I tend to check the level right after the first test print to make sure everything is leveled properly.

I am still humbled by the fact that this printer has a pressure system to level the printer. It’s such a nice feature to have. That said, our review unit seems to have a firmware glitch. It levels the build plate, then raises the build plate off the screen about 100 mm. Then you adjust the screws and do it again to get the proper level. It’s not that bad, honestly. You just need to make sure you give it a little turn and go and adjust from there. Hopefully, Anycubic will patch this to make it work just like the smaller P1, where you adjust while the plate is against the screen, as it should be.

Design of the Anycubic Photon P1 MAX

The Anycubic P1 MAX shares the same exterior and interior design as the smaller P1, which is polished and professional-looking. Anycubic has stepped up its game significantly on the design front, and I’m here for it. Normally, we see cutbacks on newer printers to make them more affordable for the end user, and that's all fine and dandy, but there is something about a nice, weighted printer that gives you that feel of quality over quantity.

The Locking System for the build plate is one of the better ones out there – no longer are you worrying about unscrewing the normal screw like in the past with resin printers. This has a flip-up / down locking system that is nice and chunky, a big plus. The same follows with the vat, which features a slide-in / out locking system that gets rid of the old screws. This is a nice upgrade, because you no longer have to worry about losing screws or getting resin spilled inside the screw holes when swapping vats.

The touch screen is just your standard 4.5-inch panel, but it was also nice and responsive in our testing. Handles on the sides of the printer make it easy to move around if needed, as well.

The P1 MAX has a heated vat that is constantly being maintained at a precise 35 degrees Celsius (95 F). Previous Anycubic resin owners have struggled with printers only initially heating up and then cutting off after that. That is no longer the case here.

The vat also features a drop tray for your build plate, which makes resin cleanup much easier. One thing you won't have to worry about much is the vat capacity: This Vat holds up to 1900ML(1.9L) of resin, which is plenty for any print task.

The most unique feature on the P1 MAX is the Wave Release technology. Anycubic decided to put a special screen cover over the LCD to help ease the release of all prints, and it works wonderfully. This tech keeps air bubbles from being trapped between the FEP Film and the screen, making the peel force smooth like butter.

Slicer compatibility with the Anycubic Photon P1 MAX

The Anycubic Photon P1 MAX comes with Anycubic’s Photon Workshop Slicer pre-loaded onto the USB drive. It’s generally very user-friendly and works very well with prints. You select your resin, add your supports, and slice. Send the file to your printer, and you're done. For those who are not fans of having multiple slicers on their system, the good news is that both Chitubox and Lychee support the Anycubic Photon P1 MAX.

Sample Prints on the Anycubic Photon P1 MAX

Using Anycubic Standard Resin in Gray, I wanted to print out some models for a co-worker who is a big Diablo fan. Searching around Makerworld, I came across this figure of Tyrael, and this model by FotisMint was already split into pieces for easier printing. I brought it into the slicer, angled the print, added some automatic medium supports, hit slice, and sent it off to the printer via WIFI. This model printed in 7 hours and 24 minutes at 0.050mm layer height. Taking 254ml of resin, it cost a little over $5 to print. A normal figure like this would be roughly between $25-$80. That’s quite the savings, even adding in the cost of paint.

Adding another print from the Diablo series, I decided to print the Lord of Terror from Makerworld as well. This print I scaled up a bit to make it more boss-like.

This was printed with a mix of Anycubic’s standard gray and white. It printed in 14 hours and 15 minutes, using 1106ML(1.1kg) of resin.

For the last test print, I wanted to do something different. A few years ago, I saw a print for a Pokémon Cubone mask for a dog. So to MakerWorld I went, searching for one that I could print easily, and I found one. It was a two-part mask with little pegs to clip them together. This is nice in part, because if one side of the mask breaks, you can just reprint it. This was sized for a smaller dog right off the bat, so I supported the print and sent it to the printer.

It printed in six hours and five minutes and used 519 ml of resin. I printed this in standard Anycubic gray resin.

Washing and Curing Your Prints PSA

Before you can admire your prints, you’ll need to wash them with isopropyl alcohol and cure them with a UV light. I like to give prints a 30-second hand rinse in a container of 95% Isopropyl alcohol, then a 2-minute rinse in the Anycubic Wash and Cure, which is sold separately and retails for $249 at Anycubic.com.

Completely dry the print with a hair dryer on cool – IPA left on the print will turn white. You can also let the print air dry in a place away from sunlight.

Supports are easier to remove before curing because they are softer. Clip the supports off with side cutters and use tweezers to remove stubborn supports. Remember to always wear gloves while handling uncured prints.

Then place the print in a UV curing station for 15 minutes, or outside in bright sunlight for a few hours.

Your IPA should never be flushed down the drain, especially after being contaminated with uncured resin. Instead, keep using the resin until it’s too dirty, then leave the container open to evaporate. The remaining sludge can be cured with UV light or the sun before being thrown away.

Supports should also be cured before being thrown away.

Bottom Line

The Anycubic Photon P1 MAX is packed with tech and features that are handy for novices and experienced printers alike. It’s easy to use and straightforward to set up. The touchscreen walks you through every aspect to get it started. Anycubic really took user suggestions on this printer and implemented them with precision. If you're new to resin printing and looking for a simple, easy-to-use, and helpful resin printer with a larger volume, this one should be on your short list.

At its current price of $1,103, it’s also a great value. And if you miss the presale window, the $1,149 standard price isn’t a big jump. You can also buy it at Amazon for only $899, if you avail of the $230 coupon. It has features to make sure your print comes out as expected, a heated vat for those who print in cold climates, and the build plate size is a home run in this price range. If you're not looking to print large-size models, the P1 is a great alternative and is currently on sale for only $499.