Transparent resin
Models made out of transparent resin are constructed from a hardened liquid. The material is strong, hard, stiff, water resistant by nature, and of course, transparent. Transparent resin is suited for models needing a good, smooth, quality surface with a transparent look. Therefore, it’s ideal for demo models, accurate models and models with limited functionality. Freedom of design is limited because of the structure necessary to support your models during printing.
Material samples
Color
The color of the material is transparent, but not 100% water clear. When your model is solid with a thickness greater than 2 cm, the printed part has a bluish shine. For the normal transparent finish, the model is painted with colorless varnish. For transparent color finishes, pigment is added to the varnish.
- Transparent
- Transparent White, Black, Blue, Green, Yellow, Gray, Red, Orange, Brown
Typical use
This material can be used for models that need a transparent appearance or a nice smooth surface for demo models.
Technology
Stereolithography is used to build your design with this material. Starting from a 3D model, a model is built by cutting it into thin layers via specialized software. A support structure is created, where needed, in order to deal with overhangs and cavities.
The process takes place in a large tank, and begins when a layer of liquid polymer is spread over a platform. This machine then uses a computer controlled laser to draw the first layer onto the surface of a liquid polymer, which hardens where struck by the laser. The model is then lowered and the next layer is then drawn directly on top of the previous one. This is repeated until the model is finished. In this way, layer by layer, an object is “drawn” in the liquid by the beam, with the layers being consolidated throughout the process.
When the object is complete, it is raised out of the tank via the supporting platform – much like a submarine rising to the surface of the water – with the excess liquid flowing away. The supports are removed manually after the model is taken from the machine.
Additional information
- The transparency is not 100% water clear but lies between translucent and water clear. It is possible to simulate water clear transparency in special cases and upon special request.
- Transparent resin is great when it comes down to surface quality. The surface is smooth and the stair-stepping look that is typical for 3D printing is reduced by sandpapering it.
- Transparent resin models are painted with a shiny varnish to prevent discoloration from UV light.
