3D Printing Info

Printer comparison

Formlabs Form 4L vs Rat Rig V-Core 4.1

Compare hardware, build volume, printing specifications, dated prices and sources.

Formlabs Form 4L guideRat Rig V-Core 4.1 guide

2 selected · all documented properties

Open these two in the interactive comparisonMore Formlabs Form 4L comparisonsMore Rat Rig V-Core 4.1 comparisons
Formlabs Form 4L vs Rat Rig V-Core 4.1 — documented properties and sources
PropertyFormlabs Form 4LRESINRat Rig V-Core 4.1COREXY
Identity
BrandFormlabsRat Rig
ClassRESINCOREXY
Identity & Market
Manufacturer & exact marketed model name (verify the exact product identity first)Formlabs Form 4L[1]Rat Rig V-Core 4.1, described by Rat Rig as a large-format open CoreXY 3D printer kit[2]
Variants & sibling models — and how to tell them apart (spec-contamination risk)Same Low Force Display engine as the Form 4 but a different machine on every physical figure: 353 x 196 x 350 mm vs 200 x 125 x 210, 46 um vs 50 um pixels, 58.5 kg vs 18.3 kg, 900 W vs 480 W, two resin cartridges vs one. Formlabs lists Basic, Premium and Complete packages, whose prices are not printer-only prices, and no printer-only USD figure was found on a live listing[1]Three sizes, all at the same base-kit price. Acceleration is the size-dependent figure and the one most often mis-quoted: 15,000 mm/s2 at 300 mm, 12,000 at 400 mm, 8,000 at 500 mm. IDEX is a configuration option and changes the usable area per toolhead (copy mode 150x150x300 at the 300 size, mirror mode 95x95x300). Base kit excludes electronics. Rat Rig prices the base kit only in EUR (EUR 873.90 on sale from EUR 971.00, Aug 2026); no USD list price is published, so no USD street price is recorded here[2]
Market position: superseded? successor announced?Not documentedCurrent revision, replacing the V-Core 4; Rat Rig sells a 4.1 upgrade kit for existing V-Core 4 machines[2]
Physical & Frame
Build volume X×Y×Z (mm) — advertised vs actually usable353 x 196 x 350 mm (Formlabs quotes 24.2 litres)[1]300 x 300 x 300, 400 x 400 x 400 or 500 x 500 x 500 mm. Sortable value is the 300 mm kit[2]
Machine footprint (mm) & clearance needed (cable/spool overhang)664 x 528 x 794 mm[1]623.2 x 583 x 785 mm (300); 723.2 x 683 x 885 mm (400); 823.2 x 783 x 985 mm (500). Sortable value is the 300 mm kit[2]
Net weight (kg)58.5 kg[1]Kit weight 35 kg (300), 45 kg (400), 55 kg (500)[2]
Frame construction & materialNot documented30-series aluminium extrusion; the 4.1 adds a steel X-axis gantry for rigidity[2]
Enclosure: open / enclosed; panel material; door/lidEnclosed cabinet with a UV-blocking cover. Operating temperature 18-28 C[1]Open frame in the base kit[2]
Kinematics & Motion Hardware
Kinematics (bedslinger i3 / CoreXY / other)Masked stereolithography (MSLA) with the Low Force Display engine; straight-lift peel[1]CoreXY; Hybrid CoreXY and IDEX are configuration options[2]
Speed & Acceleration
Max acceleration (claimed, mm/s²)Not documentedSize-dependent: 15,000 mm/s2 at 300 mm, 12,000 at 400 mm, 8,000 at 500 mm (manufacturer claims)[2]
Extruder
Type (direct drive / bowden) & design nameNot documentedFull-metal skeleton toolhead, new in the 4.1[2]
Hotend & Nozzle
Max nozzle temp claimed AND firmware max temp limit (both values)Not documented350 °C maximum nozzle temperature (manufacturer claim)[2]
Stock nozzle size & sizes included in boxNot documented0.4 mm hardened steel and 0.6 mm included[2]
Heated Bed & Surface
Max bed temp claimed AND firmware limitNot documented120 °C maximum heatbed temperature (manufacturer claim). The 400 and 500 sizes get 8 mm thick beds in the 4.1[2]
Cooling & Air Handling
Part-cooling fan(s): count, size, ducting designNot documentedImproved part cooling, listed by Rat Rig as one of the 4.1 changes[2]
Electronics & Power
Input voltage (110/220 V, switch or auto)100-240 VAC, 9 A, 50/60 Hz, 900 W[1]Not documented
Total rated power draw900 W[1]Not documented
Firmware & Openness
Firmware base & current version (Klipper fork / Marlin fork / proprietary)Proprietary; print preparation is PreForm[1]RatOS 2.1 (Rat Rig's Klipper distribution)[2]
Connectivity, UI & Camera
Display: size, type, touch?7-inch interactive touchscreen, 1280 x 800 (control panel — not the masking LCD, see W1)[1]Not documented
WiFi (band/standard), Ethernet, USB ports, SD/flash-driveDual-band Wi-Fi, Gigabit Ethernet, USB-C 2.0[1]Not documented
Calibration Routines & QoL
Assembly level & time from unbox to first printNot documentedSelf-assembly kit; the 4.1 ships pre-made cables that need no crimping, with rewritten step-by-step build documentation[2]
Materials Support
Officially supported filament listFormlabs resin range as for the Form 4; biocompatible materials require a B-series machine[1]PLA, PETG, ABS, ASA, TPU, PET, PA, PC, PVA, PLA-CF, PETG-CF, ABS-GF, ASA-CF, PA6-CF, PA6-GF, PAHT-CF, PPA-CF, PET-CF[2]
Independently Measured Performance
Dimensional accuracy measurements (third-party, with numbers)XY dimensional tolerance +/-0.15% — a manufacturer specification[1]Not documented
Resin & MSLA
Masking LCDLow Force Display masking LCD with a 46 um pixel size. Formlabs does not publish the screen diagonal or pixel count[1]Not documented
Light sourceBacklight unit with uniform-wavelength LEDs behind collimating lenses, with integrated cooling[1]Not documented
Layer height range25-200 um[1]Not documented
Resin vat & feedingTwo next-generation resin cartridges. No vat capacity published[1]Not documented

Manufacturer claims, independent measurements, packages and test conditions retain their source wording. FDM linear speed and resin vertical speed use different units and are not directly comparable. Unknown values are marked “Not documented”. Prices and source dates remain historical snapshots; check the linked guide for product details. Differences highlight text, not a universal winner.

Sources for this comparison

  1. Formlabs resin printer technical specifications (Form 4 / 4B / 4L) formlabs.com · 2026-08 · vendor
  2. Rat Rig V-Core 4.1 product page ratrig.com · 2026-08 · vendor