Detailed guidelines to select the right 3D resin for your needs
Guidelines to select the right 3D resin for your needs
Selecting the appropriate 3D printing resin requires understanding the application requirements, the intended workflow and the level of performance optimization needed. In photopolymer additive manufacturing, material behavior is the result of an integrated system rather than the liquid resin alone.
3Dresyns® materials are designed as multivariable photopolymer systems. The selection process therefore focuses on choosing the most suitable system and configuration, rather than searching for a single fixed material with absolute properties.
Define the application requirements
The first step in resin selection is to clearly define the intended application. This includes understanding whether the printed part is intended for visual, functional, sacrificial or regulated use, as well as whether it will be used as a prototype, a functional component or part of an indirect manufacturing process.
Key considerations may include mechanical behavior, thermal resistance, surface quality, dimensional accuracy, optical appearance, chemical resistance or biocompatibility, depending on the application domain.
Consider the level of material complexity
3Dresyns offers both uni-functional and multifunctional resin systems. Uni-functional systems are designed for applications where simplicity, cost efficiency and predictable behavior are priorities. Multifunctional systems enable broader performance envelopes and greater configurability, allowing trade-offs between properties to be optimized.
Choosing the appropriate level of material complexity helps balance performance requirements with workflow simplicity and reproducibility.
Evaluate printer technology and workflow
Printer technology and processing conditions play a critical role in final part performance. Factors such as SLA, DLP or LCD technology, exposure strategy, layer thickness, orientation, washing procedure and post-curing conditions all influence material behavior.
Resin selection should therefore consider printer compatibility and the ability to implement qualified workflows as defined in the Instructions for Use.
Interpret material properties correctly
Reported mechanical, thermal or functional properties represent typical performance obtained under reference configurations and qualified workflows. They should be interpreted as representative responses rather than intrinsic material constants independent of processing conditions.
Comparing materials solely on individual numerical values without considering workflow and application context may lead to suboptimal selection decisions.
Consider versions and configurations
Within a given resin system, different versions or configurations may be available to optimize viscosity, printing speed, surface quality or other performance aspects.
Selecting the appropriate configuration is often as important as selecting the resin system itself, particularly for multifunctional materials.
Validate through application-oriented testing
Whenever possible, resin selection should be validated through application-oriented testing under conditions representative of the intended use case. This includes printing, post-processing and evaluating parts using the same workflow that will be applied in production.
Such validation helps confirm that the selected material system and configuration meet the required performance and reliability criteria.
Governing principle
Selecting the right 3D resin means selecting the appropriate material system, version and workflow combination. Material properties are typical responses obtained under reference configurations and qualified workflows, not absolute guarantees independent of processing variables.
This principle supports informed, realistic and application-driven material selection across the 3Dresyns portfolio.