Overview
Although polymers are the most popular materials in 3D printing, different characteristics are required when using 3D printing technology. The type of resin to use depends on the project one is doing. As the manufacture of resins continues to increase, there is the formation of new resins with new properties and characteristics. Resins share a common property of having high levels of detail and an excellent surface for finishes. Using resins in 3D printing represents an ideal way to create frameworks resembling injection molds or decorative pieces.
Some kinds of resins are well suited for nonfunctional frameworks, while some resins are suitable if the framework’s primary objective is to outline details and give intricate shapes. The use of resin in 3D printing is ideal for producing ornamental components due to its incredible detail and fine surface. Utilization of the modern technologies that use resins creates a simple way to obtain surface finishes that resemble injection molds.
The current market offers harder, resistant reins and superior strength. The development in the resin printers and materials has created a bright and hopeful future where one can apply it in different industries such as jewelry manufacture, engineering tasks, and medicine.
Types of Resins used in 3D printing
There are several kinds of resins that one should be familiar with when taking 3D printing as a career. It is because there is the invention of new resin from time to time to improve quality and form new properties and characteristics. Here are some of the resins used in 3D printing:
Standard resin
Standard resin is the most widely used resin in 3D printing. The factors contributing to its popularity in use are that it is of high quality with excellent details and has a reasonable price. It is also effective when used by people who have little or no skills in 3D printing since it produces prints that are high quality. Standard resins ensure the surface of the prints has smooth and detailed characteristic features. It also has low resistance to impact, and a little force can shatter it. A wide variety of standard resin colors are available to choose from, thus providing flexibility.
Tough Resin
Tough resin is the best option to use when it comes to creating practical and rigid prints that readily withstand stress and strain. It features mechanical qualities and is perfect for producing machine parts and other mechanical elements that can handle frictional wear and tear. Tough resin possesses high resistance when it comes to breaking or shattering. It is strong and resilient, provides the best option for making vital and practical machine parts, and is unsuitable for models with thin layers. When it comes to the removal of the print, tough resin is challenging compared to a standard resin.
Flexible Resin
The flexible resin consists of a particular substance that offers rubber-like qualities, making it adjustable. It allows the user to construct intricate pieces of 3D prints with a high level of flexibility. It can tolerate curving and is ideal for manufacturing packaging materials, stamps, and grips. Flexible resin offers an adaptive use with adequate resistance to breakage. It is also the best to use for the production of flexible components. When creating pieces that provide a rigid structure, the elastic resin is not the best option; therefore, it is unsuitable for models with thin layers. In this case, tough resin provides the best opportunity.
Dental Resin
Dental resin is a unique type of material that is suitable for creating dental equipment only. Typically, it has a smooth and quality surface with great accuracy. Dental resin is more practical to use by experts than for everyday use by a regular user. It is because one can sterilize it utilizing an autoclave. Dental resin has firm compression and provides excellent aesthetics for dental applications. It has an optimum resistance to break and is suitable for surgery and dental health equipment. The only setback of using dental resin is that it is expensive, and critical experts can only use it.
Ceramic-Filled Resin
Tough resins are a significant step down from ceramic-filled resins. Typically, the resin is combined with ceramic elements to produce solid and fine pieces. This type of resins is stable when exposed to heat, thereby making highly effective components that can readily withstand different degrees of force applied to it. Ceramic-filled resins offer a firm and rough surface, which is ideal for models with thick layers. It is suitable for producing smooth components and has a high resistance and stability to heat. It is brittle and effective for making jewels, pipelines, and automotive use.
Water-Washable Resin
Water washable resins mean that the resin can be produced or cleaned by washing it with water. It features straightforward post-processing where water is for the production and cleaning of the resin rather than the use of other solutions such as isopropyl alcohol, among other solutions. Additionally, it is simple to use and provides a more rigid structure in a model than the standard resin. It also has a low odor because the resin can absorb water when cleaning and preparing with water.
The benefit of using water washable resin is that it provides an easy way of producing the resin with water rather than using other solutions such as alcohol which can be expensive. It also has considerable strength and a rapid rate of cure. It gives a smooth surface and outlines fine details. The only setback of using water-washable resin is that the components that absorb water tend to break easily.
Clear Resin
Clear resin offers an effective option to individuals looking to create transparent 3D printouts. It can also be in the same class as a standard resin, but the only difference is that it offers a distinctive color available in clear shades of clear blue, red, or colorless. The benefit of using a transparent resin is that It provides a superior surface polish and produces prints that are transparent and resistant to water. The only drawback with the use of clear resin is that when the project component when the UV radiation comes into contact with water washable resin, the clarity could deteriorate.
Wrapping it Up
The increase in the use of resin in 3D printing is crucial to creating high-quality prints. The wide variety of resins can serve the distinctive demands of the user due to the production of new resins with quality and unique characteristics.
