Formlabs has launched a new resin today. Castable Wax Resin is suitable for direct investment casting and custom try-ons. It joins Castable Resin V2 and High-Temp Resin in the jewellery resin range.
Castable Wax Resin is engineered to print three-dimensional jewellery designs drawn in CAD accurately. It offers higher print quality than Castable Resin V2. The resin has zero ash content and offers a clean burnout with precious metals. It contains a 20% wax content which instantly melts and runs away when molten metal is poured into the mold.
The resin is optimised for printing jewellery and capturing the details that matter to jewellers. It’s been created to print accurate prong placement, filigree detailing, engravings, raised text and custom settings. It prints with both 25 micron and 50 micron layer height settings. A 50 micron setting offers the fastest print speeds.
Another feature of Castable Wax Resin is it’s suitable for a shorter burnout cycle than Castable V2. It doesn’t need a post-cure because the green strength is high enough to not need it.
In terms of true accuracy, Formlabs is confident Castable Wax Resin offers the same performance as their Standard Resins and better performance than Castable V2. So, if you are having any issues printing with Castable V2, Castable Wax Resin may be the answer. Feel free to experiment with it. Output quality should be higher.
The resin is compatible with a wide range of metals. It’s been tested with silver, 18K gold, and bronze with excellent results. It’s also suitable for platinum and palladium. You will need to do some experimentation to find the right settings for these materials. If you’re already casting with Castable V2, you may need to change to a short burnout cycle.
Importantly, Castable Wax Resin retains the smooth finish SLA technology is known for producing. Models are perfectly smooth and matte. They are beautiful in their own right and functional too. Designs printed with Castable Wax Resin are strong enough to handle and are suitable for customer try-ons. Jewellers can print designs in hours with their Form 2 and showcase them to customers the same day. Fast, efficient and effective.