High-Detail Resin 3D Printing for Intricate Prototypes

3D printing Forge offers high quality resin printing service for variety of applications.

We recommend resin printing for parts that require very high level of detail. For example, it is perfect for printing intricate organic models or product prototypes to show what it would look like when injection moulded or machined.

Although material choice for resin printing is not as wide as FDM, we stock various resins depending on your need and budget.

If you would like to order your parts you can use our instant quote tool or contact us directly.

Instant Quote

Maximum build volume for resin parts is 320x180x290mm.

When to use Resin Printing Service?

Although there are no set rules for when to use resin printing, it is likely to be a good option when:

Parts have very small details
Aesthetic parts
Layer lines are not acceptable
Low volume for large parts
Medium/High volume for small parts
Complex organic shapes

When Resin Printing may not be the best option?

The upside of resin printing is the incredible detail it can produce. However, it may not be the best choice if:

Cost is critical
Medium/High volume production for medium to large parts
Mechanical properties are a priority
Standard thermoplastic material has to be used (eg. ABS, PC, Nylon etc.)

Keep in mind that these are generic guidelines and not set in stone. There is considerable overlap between FDM and Resin printing and often either process can be used. If in doubt, we can advise which option should best meet your requirements.

Resin Printing process

Resin printing builds up components one layer at the time just like FDM, but the printing process is very different.

Resin printing is known as SLA (Stereolithography) or MSLA (Masked Stereolithography). These two names refer to two slightly different processes, but can be viewed as the same for the purposes of this very brief guide.

Resin printers use special liquid resin that solidifies when exposed to UV light. By controlling where and when the resin gets exposed to UV light it is possible to print plastic parts. Same as any other 3D printing technology, the parts are printed layer by layer.

Practical difference between SLA and FDM is that SLA almost always requires the use of printed support structures. These serve the function of holding the parts in place during printing.

In addition to printing process itself, all parts require post processing to remove excess material and supports, and to cure the parts.

Although resin printing is more involved process than FDM, it can produce incredibly detailed parts. It is perfect for things like verifying designs for injection moulding, printing miniatures or prototypes that need to mimic injection moulded parts.

Material choice for resin printing is somewhat limited as it needs to be in a form of UV sensitive resin.

Pros

Can print parts with incredible detail
No layer lines
Great for prototyping for injection moulded designs

Cons

All parts require post processing
Supports are generally required which results in some surface damage
Resins and solvents used require special handling
Standard plastics cannot be used
Limited colour options
Parts are not as durable and impact resistant as some thermoplastics.
Limited UV resistance.

Available resins

We stock resins for different use cases.

Prototyping resins are a great cost effective option for most parts. It provides excellent print details and great looking parts.

For more functional parts we also stock production resins which increase the durability and scratch resistance of the parts.

We can also provide parts printed using specialist resins like flexibles, flame retardant and ESD.

Resin printed part with incredible detail

Resin printed part with very small details

Resin Print Size

Maximum build size is 320X180X290mm