For those unfamiliar with the method, stereolithography uses a special resin that solidifies under laser light.

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The Form 1 uses stereolithography (SL) technology to achieve resolution unheard of in the low-cost 3D printer market.

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Stereolithography works by steering laser beams through a photosensitive liquid that solidifies when it is exposed to enough light.

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They have taken an existing technique called stereolithography, and miniaturised it.

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The problem with stereolithography for small things is that the liquid tends to solidify even when it is not at the most intense part of the beam.

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However, 3D Systems said it was "well known" in the industry that it had a significant portfolio of stereolithography-related patents and had already been involved in other lawsuits to defend the intellectual property.

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But the FORM 1 isn't just razzle-dazzle, underneath that outer shell is that self-developed technique for bringing stereolithography to the masses, and seeing it in action is as hypnotic as it is innovative.

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They said that by using stereolithography, their printer could offer "layer thicknesses and feature sizes that are worlds ahead of what is possible with" the existing technique used by budget printers, which melt plastic and squeeze it through a nozzle to build up each layer of an object.

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