Former Cognex CEO brings global industrial scaling expertise; Carl Bass to step down after more than eight years of strategic leadership helping scale Formlabs to its market leading position.

Formlabs, the leader in professional 3D printing, today announced the appointment of Rob Willett, former Chief Executive Officer of Cognex Corporation, to its Board of Directors.

Willett brings more than three decades of leadership experience in industrial automation, machine vision, and global operations. During his tenure as CEO, he led Cognex through sustained expansion, scaling the company into a highly profitable, billion-dollar leader in machine vision systems used across advanced manufacturing environments worldwide.

“Formlabs has built an industry-leading platform at the intersection of manufacturing hardware, software, and materials,” said Willett. “The company is uniquely positioned to drive the next era of digital production by making powerful fabrication tools more accessible without sacrificing performance. I’m excited to join the Board of Directors and help guide the company as it continues to scale globally.”

Willett joins Formlabs as the company advances its long-term vision of making hardware production as fast, affordable, and scalable as software development. Formlabs has sold more professional SLA and SLS printers than any other company, and customers have used its technology to print more than 500 million parts for product development, manufacturing, and healthcare applications.

“Rob has built and scaled global industrial technology businesses with operational rigor and discipline,” said Natan Linder, Chairman of the Board at Formlabs. “There is a strong MIT-rooted heritage connecting Cognex and Formlabs, two companies built at the intersection of software, hardware, and manufacturing. As Formlabs continues its evolution from breakthrough startup to enduring manufacturing platform, his experience scaling complex hardware and automation companies will be invaluable.”

Formlabs also announced that Carl Bass will step down from the Board following more than eight years of dedicated service. Bass joined the Formlabs Board in 2017 and has played a significant role in helping the company redefine additive manufacturing.

“Carl has been an extraordinary partner to Formlabs,” said Linder. “He brought strategic clarity, bold ambition, and deep empathy for builders and designers. We’re deeply grateful for his leadership and the lasting impact he has made on the company.”

Willett’s appointment is effective immediately.

About Formlabs

Formlabs builds the tools that make it possible for anyone to bring their ideas to life. Headquartered in Somerville, Mass., with offices across the globe, Formlabs is the professional 3D printer of choice for engineers, designers, healthcare providers, manufacturers, and decision-makers. Formlabs’ products include SLA and SLS 3D printers, post-processing solutions, best-in-class software, and over 45 materials to suit dozens of applications. In 2024, Formlabs was named one of the world’s Most Innovative Companies in Manufacturing by Fast Company. To learn more, visit www.formlabs.com.

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