Formlabs Expands Industrial and Soft Robotics Use Cases for Form 4 Platform

Formlabs – Weekly Recap

Formlabs featured prominently this week for expanding industrial and soft robotics applications of its Form 4 resin 3D printer. The company highlighted new use cases that showcase both its hardware capabilities and the strategic role of specialized materials in driving deeper professional adoption.

In soft robotics, Formlabs publicized a YouTube creator’s soft robotic tentacle printed as a single part on the Form 4 using its Silicone 40A resin. The example underscores how engineers can design complex internal pressure channels without molds or post-assembly, enabling faster iteration and reducing manufacturing steps.

These demonstrations position the Form 4 and Silicone 40A combination as a viable solution for advanced soft robotics and functional prototyping. By emphasizing flexible, one-piece parts with intricate geometries, Formlabs is targeting engineering teams and small robotics developers that prioritize agility and cost efficiency.

On the industrial side, Formlabs showcased the production of transparent molds for silicone casting in automotive manufacturing using its Clear Resin. Engineers can 3D print molds to cast protective masks for shock tubes used in coating processes, allowing visual confirmation of silicone fill and detection of air bubbles.

This transparent tooling approach supports improved quality control, faster prototyping cycles, and design validation before committing to permanent machined tooling. The ability to lower upfront development costs and shorten time-to-market reinforces the Form 4’s value in process optimization and production-adjacent workflows.

Materials innovation remains central to these use cases, with both Silicone 40A and Clear Resin enabling specialized functionality. Collaboration with partners such as Echo Engineering & Production Supplies, Inc. provides additional validation in real-world industrial environments and may support higher printer utilization and recurring resin demand.

Taken together, the week’s developments highlight Formlabs’ ongoing efforts to deepen its presence in professional, robotics, and automotive segments. By broadening high-value applications for the Form 4 platform, the company appears to be strengthening its position in the competitive professional 3D printing market and laying groundwork for continued materials-driven growth.

Overall, it was a constructive week for Formlabs, marked by practical customer-centric examples that illustrate how its printers and resins can integrate more tightly into advanced engineering and industrial workflows.