News — Form Labs

3D printing comes in many forms, but two dominant desktop technologies are Fused Deposition Modeling (FDM) and resin-based printing (SLA/DLP). FDM printers extrude molten filament (e.g. PLA, PETG, ABS) in layers, while resin printers cure liquid photopolymers with UV light. Each approach has unique advantages and trade‐offs. In general, resin printers deliver much finer detail and smoother surfaces, whereas FDM machines are simpler, use cheaper materials, and can produce larger, more functional parts4dfiltration.comformlabs.com. This comparison examines both technologies in depth – covering costs, print quality, speed, and safety – and then explores key use cases (miniatures, prototyping, dental models, and manufacturing) where one...