Celebrating a Decade of Formlabs: 10 Years of 3D Printing Innovation

This month celebrates Formlabs’ tenth anniversary. More than a year after a MIT classroom prototype, we launched the Form 1 via Kickstarter on September 26, 2012, with a clear mission: high‑resolution 3D printing for every desktop.

In 2010, 3D printing was a buzzword, yet its long‑term influence remained unclear. A $5,000 3D‑printed prosthetic leg illustrated the technology’s growing affordability. Desktop options were dominated by FDM printers aimed at hobbyists, while professional SLA and SLS machines priced above $100 k were restricted to a handful of large firms.

Recognizing a gap for a cost‑effective, high‑quality SLA printer, Formlabs set out to democratize 3D printing, empowering designers and creators worldwide to transform digital concepts into tangible products.

Ten years later—and nine years after our Kickstarter—we pause to answer a simple question: what have people been printing for the past decade? With the power to create anything, what did they bring to life? Here are ten projects that stand out to us.

3D‑Printed COVID‑19 Swabs

When the pandemic struck, global swab shortages threatened testing capacity. Teams worldwide accelerated the design of 3D‑printed nasopharyngeal (NP) swabs to mitigate supply chain gaps. A USF Health team, in partnership with Northwell Health and Formlabs, prototyped a nasal swab in just one week using Formlabs’ SLA printers and biocompatible, autoclavable resins.

Within 12 months, that design helped produce over 70 million swabs across 50 countries.

In Singapore, Dr. Ho Chaw Sing’s consortium launched a local NP swab design, collaborating with Formlabs and Eye‑2‑Eye Communications to develop a clinically validated, cost‑effective 3D‑printed swab.

“We are extremely proud to be helping in the global fight against COVID‑19. NP swabs enable testing, which is a critical element in controlling the pandemic, and Project Python will provide Singapore with significant domestic production capabilities of these swabs. We have now helped establish swab manufacturing facilities in several countries around the world, which is a testament to the agility and distributed manufacturing capabilities 3D printing can offer.”

Formlabs CEO Max Lobovsky

Dávid Lakatos, Formlabs Chief Product Officer, notes: “The pandemic underscored the fragility of traditional supply chains. Our print farm bridges that gap, enabling rapid, reliable deployment when conventional methods falter. As we continue to refine our infrastructure, Formlabs remains ready to support the next wave of global health challenges.”

Over the next decade, 3D printing will continue to reshape healthcare, from pre‑operative models to real‑time solutions for supply shortages.

New Balance & Rebound Resin

In 2017, New Balance partnered with Formlabs to develop a production‑grade 3D‑printing system for footwear. The collaboration birthed Rebound Resin—a custom SLA material engineered to withstand the rigors of daily wear.

Resulting models, such as the 990 Sport TripleCell, hit shelves in the United States and sold out quickly, proving the commercial viability of additive manufacturing in footwear.

“One of the things that’s really exciting for us is that it provides a very different experience for the runner.”

Katherine Petrecca, New Balance General Manager of Footwear, Innovation Design Studio

Seeing consumers step into a shoe crafted by 3D printing marked a milestone for Formlabs and underscored the potential of mass customization.

Mass Customization: Gillette Razor Maker

Responding to the rise of direct‑to‑consumer shaving brands, Gillette turned to Formlabs for Razor Maker™—a platform that lets users design and order custom razor handles in a variety of colors and with personalized text.

Using Formlabs’ printers as the production engine, Gillette can rapidly launch limited‑edition handles, such as the 50th‑anniversary Apollo moon‑landing commemorative design.

“Our partnership with Formlabs and the power of their 3D printers give consumers a say in how their razor looks. We’re excited to work with our Boston neighbors to pilot this breakthrough of customization,” says Donato Diez, Gillette global brand manager and Razor Maker™ co‑founder.

In 2020, Formlabs launched Factory Solutions, a suite of industrial‑grade 3D printing tools that enable brands like Gillette to scale small‑batch production and achieve true mass customization.

Working with leaders such as Gillette revealed that in‑house printing could scale to high‑throughput manufacturing—an insight that has shaped our roadmap since the Form 1 Kickstarter.

Shirley Technique: Cancer Survivor Receives New Jaw

While many medical applications use 3D printing, the case of Shirley Anderson in 2016 illustrates the technology’s transformative power. Shirley’s original prosthetic was uncomfortable, heavy, and lacked realistic skin detail, limiting daily use.

Dr. Travis Bellicchi, a maxillofacial prosthetics resident at Indiana University, led a team that used Formlabs’ Form 2 SLA printer to create a precise, watertight mold. The resulting prosthesis is lighter, breathable, and features a feather‑edge margin that enhances comfort.

Dr. Travis Bellicchi

“We’ve used 3D printing to replace about 75 % to 80 % of the traditional prosthetic fabrication process.”

Father Helps Son With Cerebral Palsy Walk With Custom 3D‑Printed Orthosis

Over 17 million people worldwide suffer from cerebral palsy (CP), and orthoses—custom braces that correct limb alignment—are often bulky, uncomfortable, and expensive.

Faced with a standard off‑the‑shelf solution that would be inadequate, a father turned to 3D scanning and printing to create a bespoke orthosis for his son in under 24 hours.

1. The patient’s feet are placed in a vacuum bag in a weight‑bearing position.
2. Footprints are captured via an affordable structure‑from‑motion scanner mounted on an iPad.
3. The scan data is merged and cleaned to produce an accurate foot model.
4. Orthosis geometry is designed directly in CAD on the scanned foot.
5. The orthosis is printed with Form 2 SLA and Durable Resin.

Compared to traditional orthoses, the 3D‑printed version is lighter, less visible, and causes no skin irritation—providing a comfortable, functional solution that can adapt as the child grows.

Designing a 3D‑Printed Acoustic Violin

In 2013, Formlabs engineer Brian Chan challenged himself to build a fully functional acoustic violin using our White Resin. Partnering with violinist Rhett Price, the instrument debuted in a video featuring an original composition performed on the printed violin.

Rhett praised the “unbelievable” sound quality, noting that the modern, additive‑manufactured instrument offered a fresh take on a classic art form.

Reinventing Modern Storytelling

Founded in 2005, Aaron Sims Creative (ASC) merges world‑class concept and visual‑effects talent to create memorable characters, creatures, and immersive worlds. ASC’s partnership with Formlabs replaced traditional clay modelling with high‑resolution 3D printing, producing some of the most iconic movie monsters of recent years.

For “Stranger Things,” ASC used Formlabs’ printers to bring the Demogorgon from sketch to physical model, accelerating design iterations and contributing to the show’s iconic aesthetic.

Trailblazing With Peak Design

Peak Design’s engineering philosophy revolves around creating products that set new industry standards. By investing months—or even years—in design, they develop award‑winning travel and gear solutions.

Their journey demonstrates how in‑house 3D printing has evolved from a hobby tool to a critical production asset. It allows rapid prototyping, cost savings, and design freedom that would be unattainable through outsourcing.

“In‑house 3D printing has helped with both aesthetics and functionality. It has allowed us, as a small company, to create dozens of prototypes, due to time and money saved compared to outsourcing. It allowed the team to do more with less.”

Max Maloney

700 3D‑Printed Parts in the Ashley Furniture Factory – Professional Engineering Applications

Ashley Furniture leverages advanced technologies to augment labor and enhance operational value. 3D‑printed manufacturing tools resolve common production issues and drive continuous improvement.

By 2019, the Arcadia, Wisconsin, facility was producing 700+ 3D‑printed parts alongside industrial robots and CNC machines—from assembly to fabrication.

“We’re doing 10 % more business out of our Arcadia facility alone with probably almost 15 % less labor,” says Vaughn Pieters, senior director of case‑good operations.

Reverse engineering has also proven transformative: instead of purchasing a $700 replacement assembly, Ashley prints the needed part for just $1, dramatically reducing downtime.

Formlabs Dental

Launched in 2019, the Formlabs Dental unit marked a pivotal moment in the adoption of SLA technology by dental labs. A Key Group survey reports that Formlabs printers are the most installed in small, medium, and large labs.

Dr. Jay Burton, DMD, MBA, Board Certified Orthodontist at SmileMaker Orthodontics, observes: “Since the Form 2, 3D printing adoption within the dental industry has surged. By lowering entry costs, Formlabs revolutionized the market. The Form 3B will continue to expand adoption and deliver dental products we can all be proud of.”

Dental practices now benefit from faster appointment times, quicker product delivery, and improved profitability across specialties. Perfect Finish Ortho Lab’s President, Phil Pelligra, notes: “We create over 700 appliances per week. Reprints are a luxury we can’t afford; accuracy is paramount, and that’s why we rely on Formlabs.”

	PolyJet printer	Formlabs printer	Price charged	Savings per model with Formlabs
Single horseshoe model	$8–10	$2–3	$12	$5–8
Single low‑profile model	$10–15	$4–5	$14	$6–10

The Next Ten Years: Follow Formlabs

When we first published a blog post in 2012, none of us could have imagined the breadth of stories that would unfold. Our customers’ ingenuity continues to surprise us, and we remain committed to delivering the best professional 3D printers while letting the world print the impossible.

Thank you to everyone who has supported Formlabs over the years—without your curiosity, the achievements highlighted here would not exist.

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