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For a normal first print, you do not need to run an advanced calibration routine. Put the Form Studio 1 on a stable, level workspace, complete its touchscreen onboarding and leveling, install the tank, build platform and shaken resin cartridge correctly, then prepare a small supported model in PreForm. The printer is factory-calibrated for build-platform parallelism and supported materials use validated settings. Run manual calibration only when the printer reports a sensor problem, parts show overcompression or non-adherence, or a component such as the Light Processing Unit (LPU) has been replaced.
What you need before switching on
A first print is easiest when the printer, consumables and cleanup supplies are ready before you begin. Formlabs recommends a stable, level workspace with at least the following convenient clearance:
| Workspace dimension | Minimum convenient clearance |
|---|---|
| Width | 36 cm (14.2 in) |
| Depth | 33 cm (13 in) |
| Height | 79 cm (31.1 in) |
Leave enough room to open the cover, remove the build platform and handle the resin tank without bumping the machine. The surface should not rock or flex while the printer is moving. Do not cover the printer during a print.
Consumables and protective equipment
- Disposable non-reactive nitrile or neoprene gloves for liquid-resin handling.
- Paper towels for drips and spills.
- A wash solvent compatible with your wash setup. Formlabs identifies isopropyl alcohol for rinsing parts and cleaning liquid resin; TPM or Formlabs Resin Washing Solution can be alternatives for compatible wash systems.
- A clean, dry storage location away from direct sunlight for resin and spare tanks.
Keep the original packaging. It is useful if the printer ever needs to be transported for service. Avoid placing the machine where sunlight can reach the resin tank or cartridge.
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Unbox, connect and start the printer
- Place the printer on the prepared level surface.
- Remove the shipping protection and other packing material. Keep the packaging rather than discarding it.
- Connect the power cable and switch the printer on at the rear.
- Follow the touchscreen prompts. If onboarding does not appear, close the cover; Formlabs notes that the printer may not initialize with the cover open.
Do not install a print job while the machine is still in its initial setup screens. Complete the internet connection and firmware setup first, then use the on-screen leveling workflow. Leveling is part of normal commissioning; it is not the same as the exception-based alignment and Z-axis procedures described later.
Complete touchscreen onboarding and leveling
The onboarding sequence establishes the printer’s network and firmware state and guides you through leveling. Use the touchscreen’s current labels rather than skipping a step because later tools depend on an idle, correctly initialized machine.
- Connect the printer to the internet when prompted.
- Allow the firmware setup to finish. Do not interrupt power during an update.
- Run the touchscreen leveling workflow and follow each physical instruction it displays.
- Confirm that the printer reaches its ready or idle state before inserting consumables.
You can sign in to or create a Formlabs Dashboard account and add the printer if remote status tracking is useful. Dashboard access is optional for making a local print; it does not replace the physical setup steps.
Install the resin tank, build platform and cartridge
Wear gloves whenever liquid resin may be exposed. Work slowly: a tank, platform or cartridge that is not fully seated can cause a failed job or a spill.
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Seat the resin tank
- Remove the tank from its packaging and remove its lid.
- Hold the tank with its spout pointing away from you.
- Lower it flat into the printer between the blue latches.
- Close both blue latches so the tank is secured.
Do not force a latch. If the tank does not sit flat, remove it and check for packaging, resin residue or an obstruction before trying again.
Install the build platform
- Lift the build-platform latch.
- Align the platform with its mount.
- Push the platform fully into place.
- Lower the latch to lock it.
The platform must be clean and properly locked. A platform that is contaminated with cured debris or liquid resin can affect adhesion and make later troubleshooting misleading.
Load and vent the resin cartridge
- Shake the resin cartridge to remix its contents.
- Lower it into the rear slot until the top of the cartridge is level with the printer.
- Open the cartridge vent cap before starting the print.
Leave the rubber bite valve in place. Never remove it. The open vent allows resin to dispense as the printer consumes it; removing the bite valve can release resin improperly and damage the dispensing system.
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What calibration means on a first print
The Form Studio 1 is pre-calibrated for build-platform parallelism, and Formlabs’ supported materials use validated print settings. That combination is intended to avoid calibration trial and error for a new owner. In practical terms, your first-run calibration is the onboarding and leveling workflow, followed by using the correct material profile in PreForm.
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Manual tools are exception handling, not a mandatory ritual before every first print. Use them when a diagnostic or print symptom points to a specific subsystem:
- Resin-level sensor calibration: a no-resin reading, dispensing problem or LevelSense error.
- Build-platform alignment: overcompression, non-adherence caused by a parallelism problem, or work performed after replacing the LPU.
- Z-axis fine tuning: persistent, repeatable dimensional or adhesion errors after the mechanical setup is correct.
Formlabs warns that “Incorrect calibration will lead to print failures.” Do not run a calibration tool merely to see whether it changes the printer; each procedure changes a different reference and has prerequisites.
Calibrate the resin-level sensor only when indicated
LevelSense measures the amount of resin available. Its board is above the back-left corner of the tank. If the printer reports a resin-level or dispensing problem, use the supplied calibration card rather than guessing from the cartridge level.
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Resin-level sensor procedure
- Remove all consumables from the printer.
- On the touchscreen, open Settings > Tools > Calibration > Resin Level Sensor.
- Tap Start.
- Place the supplied calibration card where the screen illustration shows. The card is stored in the tool caddy.
- Tap Next, review the confirmation, then tap Calibrate.
- Do not move or bump the printer while calibration runs.
- When Calibration successful appears, tap Close.
- Remove the card and return it to the tool caddy.
Afterward, reinstall the tank, platform and cartridge and check whether the original reading or dispensing symptom has cleared. If the same error returns, treat it as a hardware or consumable problem rather than repeatedly recalibrating.
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Align the build platform for parallelism problems
Use Align build platform when a print is flattened at its base from overcompression, when parts repeatedly fail to adhere because the platform and LPU are not parallel, or after replacing the LPU. The alignment tool can improve dimensional accuracy and print success, but it is not a substitute for cleaning a contaminated platform or tank.
Required conditions and tools
- Current printer firmware.
- An idle printer.
- Clean nitrile gloves.
- A completely resin-free build platform.
- A covered and removed resin tank and cartridge.
- Four alignment shims.
- The tool-caddy 4 mm hex key.
Alignment procedure
- Remove the tank and cartridge, cover the tank, and make sure the build platform is free of resin.
- On the touchscreen, open Settings > Tools > Align build platform.
- Place the four shims on the LPU as shown by the tool’s instructions.
- Insert the clean build platform.
- Using the supplied 4 mm hex key, loosen each alignment screw by half a turn.
- Allow the printer to lower the platform onto the shims.
- Press the platform flat as instructed by the workflow.
- Tighten the alignment screws in two passes so the platform remains seated while the screws are secured.
- Let the printer complete its Z-limit calibration.
- Remove the shims, reinstall the tank and cartridge, and print a small test model.
Running this tool resets any existing Z offset. That reset matters if you had previously changed fine-tuning values: evaluate the aligned printer before adding a new offset.
Use Z-axis fine tuning only for repeatable residual errors
Z-axis fine tuning is advanced troubleshooting. It is appropriate when dimensional errors or adhesion problems remain consistent after the tank, platform and alignment are correct. Formlabs recommends current firmware and current PreForm software, changing the offset in 50 µm increments and printing a small test model after every change.
- Positive offset: raises the platform and is used to address overcompression.
- Negative offset: lowers the platform and is used to address non-adherence.
Change one increment at a time and record the value and result. Do not compensate for a dirty platform, an incorrectly seated tank or missing cartridge vent by changing Z. If parts still never adhere or keep shifting, reset the fine-tuning values and contact Formlabs Support.
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Prepare and send your first job in PreForm
PreForm is the preparation stage: it imports the model, sets its orientation, creates supports and sends the finished job to the printer. Start with a simple, well-supported test model rather than a large or delicate part. A small first job makes it easier to inspect the base and supports and limits wasted resin if a setup issue appears.
- Download and install PreForm on the computer you will use to prepare the job.
- Open PreForm and import a printable model.
- Choose the printer and the supported resin material profile that matches the cartridge you loaded.
- Orient the model so its surfaces and supports can be inspected clearly.
- Generate supports.
- Inspect the support contacts, the first layers and the model’s position in the build area. Correct unsupported islands or an orientation that creates unnecessary suction or large unsupported surfaces.
- Send the prepared file to the Form Studio 1.
- If the tank, cartridge and platform were inserted during setup, the printer can start automatically. Otherwise, confirm the job on the touchscreen.
The official setup guidance does not specify a required calibration print or an independent performance benchmark. You therefore do not need to search for a supposedly mandatory test file. Use a small model that is easy to inspect and that fits the material and support settings you selected.
What to do when the first print finishes
Resin remains liquid on the part and platform after the machine stops. Finish the job before touching the part with bare hands.
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- Put on non-reactive gloves.
- Remove the build platform carefully.
- Wash residual liquid resin from the part using the solvent compatible with your wash system. Isopropyl alcohol is the standard option identified by Formlabs; TPM or Formlabs Resin Washing Solution may be used with compatible systems.
- Post-cure the washed part according to the material’s validated workflow.
- Remove supports as needed, taking care around small features.
- Clean spilled resin and return the tank to protected storage if it will not be used immediately.
Handle the resin tank carefully between prints. Keep resin and contaminated towels away from direct sunlight and dispose of them according to the requirements that apply in your location.
Troubleshoot a failed or suspect first print
| Observed symptom | First checks | Next action |
|---|---|---|
| No resin detected or a LevelSense error | Confirm the cartridge is seated, shaken and vented; check that the tank is correctly installed. | Remove all consumables and run Settings > Tools > Calibration > Resin Level Sensor with the supplied card. |
| Base is flattened or looks overcompressed | Inspect the platform and tank for contamination or cured debris. | Use Align build platform when a parallelism issue or LPU replacement is involved; then try a positive Z adjustment in 50 µm steps if the error remains. |
| Part is absent or detached | Verify that the platform and tank are clean, the platform is latched, the cartridge is vented, and the model has adequate supports. | Align the platform if parallelism is suspect; then test a negative Z adjustment in 50 µm steps. |
| Failure began after LPU replacement | Do not start with repeated Z changes. | Run Align build platform, which is the specified post-replacement procedure. |
| Failure continues after adjustment | Return fine-tuning values to their reset state and recheck the physical setup. | Contact Formlabs Support rather than continuing to increase the offset. |
If the print does not stick
Start with the physical causes that can invalidate every later test: a platform that is not clean, a tank that is not seated flat, a platform latch that is not lowered, a cartridge that is not fully inserted, or a cartridge vent that remains closed. Confirm the model was supported in PreForm and that the selected material profile matches the loaded resin. If the failure is consistent after those checks, use platform alignment when parallelism is plausible, then test negative Z fine tuning in 50 µm increments. This order prevents an offset from masking a mechanical setup error.
If the part is compressed at the base
Inspect the platform and tank first, especially for cured fragments or resin contamination. If the platform and LPU are not parallel, run the alignment workflow with its shims and hex key. Because alignment resets the Z offset, perform the small test print from the reset state; only then consider a positive 50 µm fine-tuning change.
First-print readiness checklist
- The printer is on a stable, level surface with room to open the cover and remove the platform.
- Shipping protection is removed and the original packaging is stored.
- Internet and firmware onboarding is complete, and touchscreen leveling has finished.
- The resin tank is unwrapped, lid removed, seated flat and locked by both blue latches.
- The build platform is aligned with its mount, fully inserted and latched.
- The cartridge has been shaken, inserted to the correct height and vented; its rubber bite valve remains installed.
- PreForm has the correct printer and supported material profile.
- The model is oriented, supported and small enough for easy first-job inspection.
- Gloves, paper towels and compatible wash solvent are ready before the print starts.
When to stop calibrating
A successful first setup is not measured by how many calibration menus you run. Stop after onboarding, leveling and the correct consumable installation when the printer is ready and the small test print behaves normally. Move to sensor calibration, platform alignment or Z-axis tuning only when the matching symptom or hardware change justifies it. If resetting fine tuning and correcting the physical setup do not restore adhesion, escalate to Formlabs Support instead of applying larger undocumented offsets.
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