| Ultimakers (FDM) | Formlabs (Resin) | |
|---|---|---|
| How it Prints | The Ultimakers use fused deposition modelling, meaning they fuse melted plastic that is deposited through a nozzle. Essentially they layer thin layers of plastic that hardens quickly. | The Formlabs is a resin printer that uses UV light to harden the resin in a tray. Over hundreds of layers, a solid and detailed model is built. |
| What material it uses | The primary type of plastic we use is PLA (Polylactic acid, a thermoplastic monomer derived from renewable, organic sources such as corn starch or sugar cane). | Formlabs resin comes in a number of different types but we use the generic colour-base or basic resin our machine. |
| Pros | The Ultimakers printers generate light and sturdy models that are great for prototyping, design and art purposes. The texture of an Ultimaker model can have tiny ridges but the printers can design with surprising detail and are relatively fast at printing. | Formlabs generate solid and durable models with a great deal of detail. |
| Cons | The Ultimaker is not ideal for generating fine or small details so if your model is tiny or needs a lot of realistic detail it may be better to use the Formlabs. | Formlabs resin comes in a number of different types but we use the generic colour-base or basic resin for our machine. |
| Our Advice | The Ultimakers are great for testing prototypes, creating art projects or creating models with many parts. | The Formlabs are ideal for models that will be smaller or require more detail. |
If you still are unsure which printers to certify on you can contact our staff at dsc.library@ualberta.ca we would be happy to help.