Technologies

Resin 3D Printing

Check out the relevant products

01 Industrial 3D Printers

02 Professional 3D Printers

What is Resin 3D Printing?

Resin printers make parts from liquid resin that hardens under UV light. Resin printers build parts in layers, similar to filament printers, but they do so by exposing each layer to a pattern of UV light to solidify the resin where it is needed. DLP (Digital Light Processing) and SLA (Stereolithography) are two typical types of resin printers you will see. Some of the newer types of resin printers are from Nexa3D®, which uses LSPc® (Lubricant Sublayer Photo-curing) technology, and Inkbit Vista™, which uses VCJ (Vision-Controlled Jetting) technology.

Digital Light Processing Technology (DLP)

The light source used in DLP is UV light from a projector, and the UV light source remains stationary while curing the entire resin layer at once. With DLP 3D printers, the operator can usually control the intensity of the UV light source and thus its effect on the resin.

Stereolithography Technology (SLA)

The light source used in SLA is a UV laser beam that moves from point to point and traces the geometry. With SLA, the intensity of the laser beam usually cannot be adjusted, so you have to change the laser light completely for different plastic effects.

LSPc®Technology (Lubricant Sublayer Photo-curing)

LSPc® technology starts with a uniform light source. Using a UV light array and a high contrast mask responsible for projecting the 3D slices onto the tray where the photopolymerization process takes place layer by layer, a uniform, distortion-free image is created in all areas of the build plate, ensuring part-to-part uniformity and accuracy.

VCJ Technology (Vision-Controlled Jetting)

With advanced inkjet technology that applies the resin layer by layer and Vison-Controlled Jetting (VCJ) technology that creates a topographic map of each layer after application, the scan data from each layer is used in conjunction with the geometry of the initial part to create the next layer. Real-time dynamic layer generation ensures that parts are produced quickly and accurately every time.

No delay

High level of detail

High surface finish

Typical process of Resin 3D Printing

1. Preparation of print data

The first step involves preparing the print data with a selected CAD or 3D printer software. Subsequently, the prepared data is transferred to the 3D printer and processed.

2. Print

After a brief check of the correct print settings, the printing process begins and the 3D printer can run unattended until completion. For printers with cartridge system, the refilling of material is fully automated.

3. Removal of the build platform

Once the printing process is complete, the component can be removed from the build chamber. Depending on the geometry, the components are now removed from the build platform. Frequently, however, the components also remain on the build plate until they have been washed and hardened.

4. Wash

The components are then briefly washed in a solvent. In this step, the excess resin is removed from the surface.

5. Cure

The materials do not reach the maximum degree of polymerization due to the pressure. Therefore, the components are post-cured after washing. Hardening takes place in a UV oven to achieve the highest possible strength and stability.

6. Support removal

In the final step, the support structures are removed. Here, the component can also be mechanically reworked. The parts can be painted very well.

Advantages and disadvantages of Resin 3D Printing

  • Highest surface quality
  • Complex components possible
  • High manufacturing accuracy
  • Transparent components possible
  • No visible layers
  • Short printing times
  • Many process steps
  • Supports necessary
  • Cleaning / Reworking

Applications

Aerospace

Resin-printed components are lightweight with good mechanical properties - even with temperature fluctuations. Due to the stability and wear resistance, resin prints are popular in the aerospace industry.

Automotive

The lightweight and resilient materials can save weight and promotes lower fuel consumption in the automotive industry. The application of resin 3D printing processes are therefore widely used.

Sports and Leisure

In the sports and leisure segment, resin components are used for the construction and repair of boats, sailors and boards. Manufacturers from the sports shoe sector are also increasingly working with resin-based 3D printers.

Dental

Dental acrylics enable dental laboratories and practice labs to rapidly fabricate biocompatible surgical guides, splints, fixed guides, models and full dentures.

Medical

Resin 3D printing in the medical industry can be used to print organ models and usable casts and splints. These could also be helpful in patient education and preoperative planning for surgeons.

Tooling

Integrate Resin 3D printed rapid tooling into your design process to accelerate product development, iterate faster and bring better products to market. Before you move to mass production, you can use rapid tooling to confirm your design and material selection.

Industrial Resin 3D Printers

Inkbit

Vista™

The Inkbit Vista™ printing system is designed for mass production of 3D printed polymer components. It utilizes Vision-Controlled Jetting (VCJ) technology, which provides high-resolution print quality and allows users to print high-volume parts with high precision and dimensional accuracy.

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Stratasys®

Neo®800

Large format SLA printer that produces large volume parts with excellent surface finish, accuracy and detail. The SLA printer produces parts with excellent surface finish on the 800 × 800 × 600 mm build platform. Produce extremely large parts or build countless parts in one print run to save time and costs.

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Stratasys®

Neo®450s

The Stratasys® Neo®450s, with a build volume of 450 x 450 x 400 mm, is up to 40% faster than Stratasys® Neo®450e and offers standard and high-definition build modes. The SLA printer is ideal for users who need high-definition parts for their applications. The Stratasys® Neo®450s variable laser beam technology allows you to quickly produce SD parts or produce HD parts with fine resolution and intricate, small details.

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Stratasys®

Neo®450e

An affordable industrial SLA printer that can produce small to medium sized parts with consistent accuracy and repeatability. Produce complex prototypes, tooling or master models with industrial quality.

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Nexa3D®

NXE 400Pro-LAN

With an exceptional build capacity of 17 liters, the Nexa3D® NXE 400Pro photopolymer 3D printer delivers unmatched throughput at the highest build speed in its class, without sacrificing precision or process reliability. The Nexa3D® NXE 400Pro industrial 3D printer's proprietary LSPc® (Lubricant Sublayer Photo-curing) technology offers a smoother surface, higher precision and greater tolerances compared to SLA 3D printing.

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Nexa3D®

NXD 200Pro-LAN

The Nexa3D® NXD 200Pro is the ideal 3D printer for high-throughput dental applications. 275 x 155 x 200 mm, a record-breaking build volume of 8.5 l and patented LSPc® technology. This comprehensive 3D printer is perfect for printing surgical guides, custom impression trays, splints, dental models and much more.

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Nexa3D®

XiP Pro

The Nexa3D® XiP Pro is the next generation of industrial resin 3D printers and delivers the highest throughput with low operating costs, as well as the largest build volume and fastest print speed in its class. The unmatched productivity of the XiP Pro enables you to produce functional prototypes and end-use parts at unprecedented production conditions.

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Professional Desktop Resin 3D Printers

Nexa3D®

XiP

The Nexa3D® XiP is an ultra-fast desktop plastic 3D printer with a build capacity of 4.8L and a small, compact footprint. The Nexa3D® XiP mSLA 3D printer is compatible with a wide range of general purpose and elastomer materials thanks to an open material platform that provides flexibility and easy material access.

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Advice

Our team of experts will be happy to support you in choosing the right 3D printing technology and in selecting the right 3D printing system.

Our application team also advises you on the choice of materials. Among other things, we can provide cost and time calculations as well as sample parts. In our showroom we have the possibility to validate the project together with you!

Marc-Oliver Heißler Account Manager