— SLA · MATERIAL
Resin (SLA)
Best detail, mandatory wash & cure.
UV-cured photopolymer. SLA / DLP / mSLA printers cure liquid resin layer by layer with a screen or laser. Highest detail of any hobby printing process — features down to 25μm.
— Specs
The numbers your slicer cares about.
Density
1.10 g/cm³
Nozzle temp
n/a
Bed temp
n/a
Price
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— Use cases
When Resin (SLA) is the right call.
Best for
- Miniatures (D&D, Warhammer, anatomical)
- Jewellery prototypes — fine detail beats lost-wax
- Dental and medical models (with biocompatible resin)
- Anything where 50μm beats 200μm layers
Avoid for
- Functional parts under stress — most resins are brittle
- Outdoor use — UV continues to cure and embrittle the part
- Children's toys (unwashed resin is a skin irritant)
- Large bulky models — supports + post-processing eat hours
— Honest assessment
Pros & cons, no marketing.
Pros
- Industry-best detail — 25–50μm features routine
- Glass-smooth surfaces straight off the printer
- Specialty resins exist: flexible, castable, dental, transparent
- Print bed often the same size as a phone screen — small but mighty
Cons
- Mandatory wash (IPA bath) + UV cure post-processing
- Resin is toxic and skin-irritating uncured — gloves + ventilation
- Most general resins become brittle after full cure
- Failed prints leave a mess; Z-axis stuck-FEP recoveries are tedious
— Print tips
What we'd tell a friend printing this.
- 1Always wear nitrile gloves and work in a ventilated area
- 2Wash 5–10 minutes in fresh IPA, then UV cure 5–15 minutes
- 3Tilt the model 30–45° on the build plate for fewer support marks
- 4Drain holes are required for hollow models (vacuum cup effect)
— Try this material