基于SLA的桌面級3D打印機(jī)Form 1

Professional 3D printing on your desk: hands on with the Form 1(您桌面上的專業(yè)級3D打印機(jī)：與Form1一起動手)
注：3D小螞蟻英文水平有限，部分句子為意譯，請大家參考。
  The Form 1 turned heads from the moment its hugely successful Kickstarter was announcedin September 2012. It's gorgeous, sure, but mostimpressive was what it promised -- to bringprofessional-grade 3D printing precision into a price range that just aboutcounts as "affordable", at just over ￡2,000.( Kickstarter 在2012年的九月宣布了Form 1的巨大成功，而時間卻如回頭一般那么短。它很漂亮，但是最讓人印象深刻的是，它承諾帶給大家專業(yè)級的精度，而且價錢是可接受的，大約只需2000英鎊)

Its creator company, Formlabs wanted$100,000 (￡66,000).Itreceived $2,945,885 (￡1,949,884). Thefirst backers have been receiving their printers as Formlabs has beengearing up to start selling to the general public, and Wired.co.ukwas invited to the studio of product designer Yoav Rechesin east London last week for an exclusive hands-on with the Form 1.(創(chuàng)造它的公司Formlabs預(yù)期籌集$100,000 (￡66,000)。但是它卻籌集到了$2,945,885 (￡1,949,884).這些第一批支持者將會在Formlabs公開向普通大眾出售機(jī)子之前得到一臺Form 1，而且Wired.co.uk上星期被邀請去位于倫敦東部的Yoav Reches（產(chǎn)品設(shè)計類媒體）工作室，做一期關(guān)于現(xiàn)場操作演示Form 1的節(jié)目。)

Reches,a graduate of the Royal College of Art, was approached by Formlabs to lead theindustrial design of the Form 1 last year. Like all 3D printers, the Form 1builds up layers of material -- unlike other entry-level printers, it usesstereolithography, a technique that gives an extremely high level of detail.Formlabs claims that the Form 1's resolution can be as fine as 0.025mm. The MakerbotReplicator 2's resolution is, for comparison, 0.1mm.(在去年，皇家藝術(shù)學(xué)院畢業(yè)的Reches被邀請擔(dān)當(dāng)Form 1的首席設(shè)計師。就像大多數(shù)3D打印機(jī)一樣，Form 1也是通過逐層堆疊材料，但是不同于其他入門級的打印機(jī)，它使用光固化立體成型，一種可以呈現(xiàn)高精度細(xì)節(jié)的技術(shù)。Formlabs宣布Form1最高的分辨率可以達(dá)到0.025mm。與此作為對比的Makerbot Replicator 2精度為0.1mm。)

file:///C:/Users/ADMINI~1/AppData/Local/Temp/msohtml1/01/clip_image002.jpgStereolithography, like all 3D printing, is additive --layers upon layers. It differs in that it exploits light-sensitive materialsthat harden when subjected to certain wavelengths. With the Form 1, a metalplate lowers into a tray of resin, with the gap between the tray base and the plate forming the width of the layer to beburned. A laser then burns the resin into place. TheForm 1's hood is orange acrylic because it needs to perform a dual function --it protects your eyes from the laser, and protects the resin from exteriorlight.(光固化技術(shù)，像大多數(shù)3D打印技術(shù)，也是一層一層堆疊的。但是與這些不同的是它用的是光敏材料，這種材料遇到某種波長的光時將會凝固變硬。Form 1內(nèi)部有一個金屬托盤用于將固化的樹脂一層一層的降低，在托盤和基板之間有一定高度差，以此形成可供固化的樣層。利用光對指定地方進(jìn)行照射以成型。Form1 的橙色亞克力外罩有著雙重職能，避免光照射到眼睛的同時防止外部光線照射機(jī)內(nèi)的樹脂。)

Part of what makes Form 1 so cheap, considering thetechnology it uses, it that is minimises the moving parts that make this work. There are two mirrors that direct the laser, the resin bathtilts to ensure an even layer and then the plate moves up and down. That'sit. Reches said: "Most of the other machines have a lot of components, sothe more accurate you want it the more expensive it is. But we risk less. Thisis how we can bring that quality to the desk of professionals. The leap here is that we managed to harness this technologyto this scale, at this price."( 考慮到Form1所使用的技術(shù)，之所以價格如此親民，很大一部分原因在于其使用了很少移動裝置。它有兩面反光鏡控制著光的方向，樹脂液層可以傾斜以確保托盤上的樹脂均勻，同時托盤上下運動。Reches說：很多打印機(jī)有許多部件和零件，當(dāng)你追求更高精度的同時也意味著其價錢更高。但我們避免冒這樣的風(fēng)險。那也就是為什么我們可以帶給桌面級打印機(jī)更高的質(zhì)量和精度的原因。這次的飛躍，在于我們能夠協(xié)調(diào)這項技術(shù)，在這個價格內(nèi)保持這個規(guī)模。)

The Form 1 is roughly a third moreexpensive than the Makerbot, though, and it's probably the most expensivedesktop 3D printer out there with a price tag of $3,299 (￡2,184). It wasexplicitly designed with the needs of a certain class of designer in mind --those who require a higher quality product than can be provided by otherprinting methods, but who cannot afford to buy or rent time on the machinesfound in large firms that cost tens of thousands of pounds.(盡管Form 1大約比Makerbot貴三分之一，但是其 $3,299 (￡2,184)的標(biāo)價很可能算是最貴的桌面級3D打印機(jī)了。它明確定位于某一類設(shè)計人員，這些設(shè)計人員要求很高的產(chǎn)品質(zhì)量，雖然這些產(chǎn)品可以通過其他方式制作，但是誰又會花時間去購買或租用，那些動輒十幾萬的大公司所生產(chǎn)的打印機(jī)呢？)

"The goal is tohave a tool for designers and engineers to check their designs before they commit to huge moulds and huge quantities."

Yoav Reches, Lead product designer, Formlabs

(我們的目標(biāo)是讓設(shè)計師和工程師擁有一個工具，在產(chǎn)品大規(guī)模高質(zhì)量的生產(chǎn)之前這個工具能夠幫助他們核驗產(chǎn)品是否存在瑕疵)

When someone buys the Form 1, they're not just buying amachine -- they're also buying a software package and a cleaning kit, so thatmodels can be finished properly. The cleaning kit features brushes and scrapingtools for detaching extraneous parts, and rubbing alcohol to remove sticky,unset resin. "Stereolithography is not the cleanest," Reches said."That's why we designed this kit, because we thought this could be verymessy and unwelcome in your house unless we took the responsibility to dosomething about it."(用戶購買它，不僅僅是買一臺機(jī)器，用戶會同時擁有附帶的軟件包和清洗裝置，以便于更好的制作模型。清洗和刮擦工具能夠清除外來附著物，同時酒精可以去除未固化的樹脂。光固化產(chǎn)品不是很干凈，對此我們設(shè)計了工具箱，因為不對模型做處理的話，它將給人非常凌亂的感覺，這也是不受歡迎的。)

Since the Form 1's software is for loading up existing models-- rather than building your own -- it's pretty basic (Reches explained thatthe Formlabs team saw no point in trying to add to an already-crowdedcomputer-aided design software marketplace). The model appears floating on agrid and the user can scale and orientate it either by moving their mouse,typing in specific values for each of the three axes, or by using"auto-orientate".(因為目前Form 1的軟件是針對已加載在托盤上的現(xiàn)有模型設(shè)計的，而不是一款設(shè)計軟件——這是很基本的（Reches認(rèn)為在設(shè)計軟件市場早已飽和的情況下，再投入到其中是毫無意義的）。模型將會呈現(xiàn)在網(wǎng)格坐標(biāo)上，客戶只需動動鼠標(biāo)就可以測量它或給它定位，定位可以通過輸入三坐標(biāo)或干脆使用自動定位設(shè)置。)

This last one is important when it comes to the supportstructures. While the program will work out how many of these are needed foreach model depending on how it's orientated, auto-orientate helpsmanoeuvre it to optimise the structural quality of the final product.Multiple objects can be placed on the grid at any time.(最后要說的重要的是支撐結(jié)構(gòu)。程序?qū)⒃诙ㄎ坏幕�礎(chǔ)上，自動計算出模型所需要的支撐材料質(zhì)量和大小，自動定位可以使這部工序得到最大的優(yōu)化，以得到令人滿意的最終產(chǎn)品。)


"The support structure will try to reach any area inneed," Reches said. "You can see the location and say maybe I needless, maybe I need more." The software lets the user customise the supportlegs depending on what they think the structure of the object demands,including thickness and number. However, right now it's only available forWindows. A Mac version is meant to be coming "soon".(Reches：“支撐結(jié)構(gòu)將會出現(xiàn)在所有需要它的位置�！薄爱�(dāng)你看到模型位向時，可能會說，支撐結(jié)構(gòu)也許可以更少或者更多�！边@個軟件可以讓顧客，根據(jù)他們所認(rèn)為的結(jié)構(gòu)需要來設(shè)定支撐柱，包括數(shù)量和高度。然而，目前軟件只支持Windows系統(tǒng)，預(yù)測很快Mac也將可以。)

The software feeds the individual "paths" (orlayers) to the machine, moving into action when done. We'd say it"whirrs" into action, but the truth is the machine is extremely quiet-- roughly no louder than the hum of an old fridge. It's probably possible tosleep with this running in the corner of a bedroom.(打印機(jī)里有一塊特殊的面板，在機(jī)器工作時面板會移動。這就是我們說的呼的一聲，工作就開始了。但是機(jī)器事實上還是比較粗糙的，機(jī)器工作時發(fā)出的聲音和舊冰箱發(fā)出的嗡嗡聲差不多。當(dāng)它在臥室角落里工作時，我們還是可以睡著的，哈哈。)

As the Form 1 prints, it's also clear just how efficient itis with its acrylate photopolymer resin. Reches doesn't bother topping up the couple of centimetres of resin in the bathbefore turning it on, but that's more than enough for a demonstration object --a kind of wavy polyhedron that doubles in on itself (take a look at thegallery) -- to work with. The laser light dances and flickers as it traces theindividual support structures. Slowly, like a reverse-thumbs-upfrom the end of Terminator 2, our object grows outof the liquid resin.（當(dāng)Form 1工作時，就可以看出以樹脂為材料的它是多么的有效率。Reches不用在打開罩子之前，再為了補足兩厘米樹脂差料而煩惱了，而且對于一個可以成倍復(fù)制的多面體模型來說，這些料是足夠的，與此同時你可以讓它自動工作，自己卻可以去走廊上散散心。激光可以根據(jù)支撐結(jié)構(gòu)外形而自動調(diào)節(jié)位置，以使樹脂固化。慢慢的，就像《終結(jié)者2》結(jié)尾描述的反向大拇指手勢那樣，我們的模型在樹脂液上面成型了。) PS：最后一句為美式幽默。

file:///C:/Users/ADMINI~1/AppData/Local/Temp/msohtml1/01/clip_image003.jpgPrinting takes around two hours, so as we sit and wait Rechesexplains who the Form 1 is actually for. "The goal is to have a tool fordesigners and engineers to check their designs before they commit to hugemoulds and huge quantities," he said. He takes the cover off his old Nokiamobile phone as an example of something injection-moulded. "To make amould like that would cost between ten and 15 thousand dollars. Before youcommit you want to see you're in the clear with that design. There's alwaysbeen a gap between computer aided design and finalising the shape of adesign."(打印需要兩個小時，當(dāng)我們坐著等待的時候，Reches給我們講Form 1所面向的人群�！拔覀兊哪繕�(biāo)是讓設(shè)計師和工程師擁有一個工具，在產(chǎn)品大規(guī)模高質(zhì)量的生產(chǎn)之前，這個工具能夠幫助他們核驗產(chǎn)品是否存在瑕疵”他說到。他取下自己舊諾基亞手機(jī)的外殼，把它類比于一些注塑成型的模型。“制作這樣一個模子需要花費1至1.5萬美元。當(dāng)在你想看到設(shè)計的實物之前，仍然在CAD與完成實物制作之間有不可逾越的距離。”)

"It gives you the quality of a high-end machine,if you want a high-end finish."

Yoav Reches, Lead product designer, Formlabs

(“它給你一個高端機(jī)的質(zhì)量,如果你想要一個高端的完成。”)

"Scale, material, light, finishing -- a computer cannotprovide the tactile feedback a designer needs. They can fool the consumer, butas a maker, I'm not buying it. For me, it's important to be hands on, and tofeel." (“比例，材料，光線，表面處理——電腦提供不了設(shè)計者所需要的觸覺反饋。這些可能欺騙消費者，但作為一個制作者，我不購買它。對于我，親手制作它，感受這個過程才是最重要的。”)


He showed us a3D-printed model of the Wired logothat he made the previous day as a test -- it's delicate, but pretty, andstructurally consistent. Then he showed us two bracelets, printed from the sameCAD model. One, bright red, was printed on an Ultimaker (a DIY home 3D printing machine that uses abiodegradable polymer) "at the highest quality setting"; the other, atransparent example printed on a Form 1 on the lowest setting. The Ultimaker'sproduct is clearly of a poorer quality -- it feels more solid, but as a designartefact it is imperfect, with straggly red hairs everywhere.(他給我們展示了一個Wired Logo模型，那是他前一天打印的，做測試用——它易碎，但是漂亮且結(jié)構(gòu)穩(wěn)定均一。后來他給我看了兩個手鐲模型，這兩個所用的都是相同的CAD設(shè)計模型。其中一個亮紅色的，是用 Ultimaker（一個用生物降解高分子DIY制作的家用3D打印機(jī))打印且“采用最高的質(zhì)量要求設(shè)置”；另一個是一個Form 1打印的透明模型，是在最差質(zhì)量狀態(tài)下打印的。Ultimaker打印的那個手鐲很明顯質(zhì)量差——給人感覺更立體，但作為一個人工制品，它是有瑕疵的，而且很多地方有紅色的粗糙的塑料絲。）


"I need quality," Reches said. "I need,relatively, the best quality I can achieve. That was the first thing. All theprinters I can afford, home-ish, the quality is not that amazing. And I have tomake a lot of labour on top of it to make it look like an injection-mouldedpart. At the same time, I like the qualities of something printed on a simplemachine, but if you're designing for the client you can't show them that. It's alimitation."(“我注重質(zhì)量”，Reches說道。“我需要達(dá)到我能實現(xiàn)的最高的質(zhì)量。那是首要的。所有我能負(fù)擔(dān)的起的家用打印機(jī)，打印質(zhì)量都不能讓人感到滿意。我不得不做很多后續(xù)工作，才能讓模型看起來像是一個注塑的成品。有的時候，我能接受一些簡單打印機(jī)所打印的成品，但是如果你是為客戶設(shè)計，那很明顯你不能拿那些作品給顧客，因為它是不符要求的�！�)

"We said, is there a technology that requires littlefinishing -- this just needs a little sanding -- and this machine does it. It'sa small leap. It gives you the quality of a high-end machine, if you want ahigh-end finish."(“我們一直在想，有沒有一種可以簡化后續(xù)加工的技術(shù)——只需一點拋光打磨工作就好——這個機(jī)器做到了。這算是一個小的飛躍。它給你一個高端機(jī)的質(zhì)量,如果你想要一個高端的完成�！�)


Other products Reches shows us include a so-called "gyrocube",four spheres inside one another that rotate independently, yet printed as oneobject by the Form 1, just as a proof of concept. Thepolyhedron thing coming out of the resin looks almost done by now, hangingfrom the plate by dozens of tiny support legs and dripping resin.(Reches給我們展示了一個叫做“陀螺立方儀”的模型，四個獨立圓形球體互相結(jié)合在一起，被Form 1當(dāng)做產(chǎn)品打印出來，被當(dāng)做一個概念驗證模型。這個樹脂制成的多面體，由許多小的支撐結(jié)構(gòu)，和大量未固化的樹脂線條所支撐，以便使之成型。)

"We are pushing hard to develop more materials,"Reches said. "More materials, more properties. A material we are reallypushing towards is a little bit like wax because goldsmiths showed a lot ofinterest in our machine. If I design something on the computer like a ring,then I can cast the plaster around it, you melt the wax, you cast the metal. Ithink materials is a definite challenge, [we need] a pallet of materials thatfit this technology."(“我們在發(fā)展新材料的路上艱難前進(jìn)，”Reches說到。“更多的材料，有更多的性能。我們目前正在研究一種類似于蠟的新材料，因為金斯密斯學(xué)院對此也很感興趣。如果我在電腦上設(shè)計一只戒指，那我可以用石膏包住石蠟做的戒指模型，再融化石蠟，再在空腔內(nèi)填入金屬，以此制作戒指。我認(rèn)為材料是一個確切的挑戰(zhàn)，需要有滿足這項技術(shù)的材料才行�！�) PS：此項技術(shù)相當(dāng)于金屬鑄造工藝?yán)锏娜勰ｈT造。

When the Form 1 moves its motors back into position andconfirms that it's finished printing, Reches puts on gloves and takes out theplate. It slots into the cleaning station, where a metal scraper is used todetach it. He rinses it in the rubbing alcohol and that's it -- it's done. You can see the finished product in the image gallery.(當(dāng)Form 1電機(jī)歸位，并確保打印工作已結(jié)束，Reches帶上手套，取出托盤。放置于清洗室，用金屬刮刀從托盤上分離出模型，再用酒精沖洗。你可以在圖像畫廊里看到這些產(chǎn)品。)

"We have worked hard to introduce a new typology into 3Dprinting," Reches tells us. "There are always things you want to do,to improve, but the Form 1's product design is an ongoing process that starteda year ago and is still going on. It will go on until we move to develop new stuff,but for the next year we have a lot of challenges."(“我們已經(jīng)努力引入一個新的類型學(xué)到3D打印中”,Reches告訴我們。“我們總有一些想改善的東西,但是Form 1的產(chǎn)品設(shè)計是一個持續(xù)的過程,一年前已經(jīng)開始，現(xiàn)在仍在繼續(xù)。它將繼續(xù)下去,直到我們開發(fā)出新的東西,但在接下來的一年我們會面臨很多挑戰(zhàn)�！�)

The Form 1's print quality is superb, and its beautifuldesign is distinctive and sleek enough for any designer to want on their deskor bench. The complete package of device, software and cleaning kit doesexactly what it claims to do, and brings professional-quality 3D printing intoa price range that the small designer or studio can afford. It's going to beexciting to see where Formlabs takesthe Form 1 next.(Form 1的打印質(zhì)量是極好的，它還擁有簡潔漂亮的外觀，讓人樂于接受放置于桌面或工作臺上。完善的成套服務(wù)如軟件，清洗裝置，這也印證了他們所宣布的那樣——在一個可以接受的價格范圍內(nèi)，給那些設(shè)計者和小工作室，提供專業(yè)級質(zhì)量的3D打印服務(wù)。這將是令人激動的——看到Formlabs制作的新一代Form 1.)