This article compares the main printing resins, including standard, tough, durable, heat resistant, rubber-like, dental and castable, by material properties. Find the best material option for your application.
SLA (Stereolithography) can produce plastic parts with high resolution and accuracy, fine details and smooth surface finishes. Thanks to the variety of resins available for SLA , this manufacturing process is popular among many industries for a variety of applications.
Standard resins, for instance, are often used for general prototyping and engineering resins are chosen for applications requiring specific mechanical and thermal properties. Dental and medical resins come with biocompatibility certifications,
In this article, we explore the most common SLA material options to highlight the key advantages of each and give actionable guidelines to help you choose the right one for designing custom parts with SLA .
What materials are available for SLA 3D printing? What do SLA resins do best?
SLA uses a UV laser to cure liquid resin into hardened plastic in a process called photopolymerization. Different combinations of monomers, oligomers, photoinitiators, and various other additives that comprise a resin result in different material properties.
SLA produces parts from thermoset polymers . Here are the main benefits and limitations that are common to all SLA materials:
Pros
Similar smoothness to injection molding
Fine features & high detail
High stiffness
Cons
Relatively brittle (low elongation at break)
Not suitable for outdoor use, as the material properties may change over time (especially with overexposure to UV radiation)
Susceptible to creep
In the following sections, we will go deeper into material properties that are specific to each SLA resin.
What are the standard SLA resins?
Standard resin
Standard resins produce high stiffness, high-resolution prints with a smooth injection molding-like finish. Their low cost makes them ideal for prototyping applications.
The color of the resin affects its properties. For example, grey resin is better suited for parts with fine details, and white resin for parts that require a very smooth surface.
Standard resin is ideal for concept modeling, rapid prototyping and using 3D printing for more artistic endeavors.
Pros Fine features & high detail Smooth surface finish Very cost-efficient Cons Brittle (low elongation at break) Low impact strength Low heat deflection temperature
Tough resin (ABS-like)
Similar to ABS, tough resin was developed for applications requiring materials that can withstand high stress and strain. Parts printed in tough resin have tensile strength (55.7 MPa) and modulus of elasticity (2.7 GPa) comparable to ABS.
This material will produce sturdy, shatter-resistant parts and functional prototypes, such as enclosures with snap-fit joints, or rugged prototypes. Tough resin is ideal for functional prototypes and mechanical assemblies.
Pros High stiffness Excellent resistance to cyclic loads Cons Not suitable for parts with thin walls (recommended minimum wall thickness of 1 mm) Low heat deflection temperature Relatively brittle (low elongation at break)
Heat-resistant resin
Heat-resistant resin is ideal for applications that require high thermal stability and the ability to operate at high temperatures.
These resins have a heat deflection temperature between 200-300°C and are ideal for manufacturing heat-resistant fixtures, mold prototypes, hot air and fluid flow equipment, and casting and thermoforming tooling.
Heat-resistant resin is ideal for mold prototyping, casting and thermoforming tooling.
Pros High heat deflection temperature Smooth surface finish Cons Britte (low elongation at break) Not suitable for parts with thin walls (recommended minimum wall thickness of 1 mm)
What are castable SLA resins?
Castable resin for jewelry making
This material enables printed parts with sharp details and a smooth finish and will burn out cleanly without leaving ashes or residue. Castable resin allows the production of parts directly from a digital design to investment casting through a single 3D printed part. They are suitable for jewelry and other small and intricate components. As the name suggests, this castable resin is great for investment casting and producing jewelry.
Pros Low ash content after burnout (less than 0.02 %) Fine features and high detail Cons Low impact and wear resistance Requires post-processing to ensure best results
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