resin
Resin 3D printing: sharp detail, fixed price per size class
Resin 3D printing is our standard technique for anything with fine detail: miniatures, busts, pendants and small decorative pieces. An LCD screen cures liquid resin layer by layer, in layers of 0.05 mm. The price depends only on the height of your print: four size classes, from €23.95 per piece, up to 160 mm tall in one piece.
what it is
How resin printing works
In resin printing, also called SLA printing, a vat of liquid resin sits on an LCD screen. The screen exposes exactly the shape of each layer of your model; where light hits, the resin cures. The platform pulls the piece up out of the vat layer by layer. The result is a print with layers of 0.05 mm. The printer can also do 0.03 mm; online we print at 0.05 mm.
After that the piece is not finished yet. It is washed to remove loose resin, freed from supports and post-cured under UV light. Only then is it hard and dry. We do that for you: you receive a print you can use or paint right away.
detail and layer height
How much detail do you see?
A layer of 0.05 mm is not visible as steps to the naked eye; a layer of 0.16 mm on FDM is, especially on curves. On a face of a few millimetres that is the difference between a face and a blob. On a large flat wall it hardly matters.
| Technique | Layer height | What you see |
|---|---|---|
| Resin, standard | 0.05 mm | Faces, text and texture under a millimetre stay sharp. |
| Resin, finest layer of the printer | 0.03 mm | The printer can do it; online we print at 0.05 mm. |
| FDM, standard | 0.16 mm | Layer lines visible on curves; fine for terrain, enclosures and holders. |
strength
Strong enough to show, not to carry
Cured resin is hard and stiff, but more brittle than PETG or PLA. A figurine, a pendant or an unloaded enclosure holds up fine. A part that has to click, bend or carry load does not; FDM fits that better.
The weak spot is the thinnest spot. Below roughly half a millimetre a sword tip or a plume breaks when the supports come off. Make such parts a little thicker or lay them against the body. Years of direct sunlight can yellow resin slightly; indoors you hardly notice.
colour
Tinted or untinted
You pick one tint throughout the piece: teal, violet or magenta in tinted resin, or raw grey for painting yourself. Tinted and untinted cost the same. We do not do more colours in one print; we do separate parts, each in its own colour, that click together.
size and price
Four size classes, one fixed price per piece
The price of a resin print depends only on the height you order, including a base if there is one. Four classes, each with a fixed price per piece; tinted or raw grey makes no difference. This is the same table as at checkout.
| Class | Height | Price |
|---|---|---|
| S | 0 to 45 mm | €23.95 |
| M | 45 to 75 mm | €35.95 |
| L | 75 to 120 mm | €65.95 |
| XL | 120 to 160 mm | €124.95 |
In one piece we print up to 127 × 80 × 160 mm. Larger can be done in parts, with a joint you design yourself or our modeller makes.
All prices, including shipping and credits →or FDM after all
When FDM fits better
Larger than 127 × 80 × 160 mm, functional, or something that has to carry load: then FDM with filament is the better choice. Our FDM printer builds up to 250 × 250 × 250 mm in one piece. FDM in PLA or PETG we print on request only; online ordering is in resin for now. Upload your file and ask for a quote, and we look along.
Read the difference between resin and filament →finishing
What we already do, and what you can do yourself
Every resin print we wash, free from supports and post-cure under UV light. Support points we smooth where they are visible. So you do not get a piece straight from the vat, but a print that is ready to use.
You can go further yourself: sand with fine paper, a coat of primer and then acrylic paint. Raw grey is the best base for that.
for whom
What resin is meant for
- Resin miniatures of 28 to 32 mm for tabletop
- Busts and figures up to 160 mm tall
- Pendants and small decorative pieces
- Scale models and small parts of architectural models
- Enclosures and holders without load
- Prototypes where the shape is what matters
Upload your file
Upload an STL or 3MF and you see the measured size, the size class and the price right away. Then you pick your tint. This is our resin print service: printed in Wijchen, after you order.
To the 3D print servicequestions
Frequently asked questions about resin printing
- How does resin printing work?
- An LCD screen exposes the shape of your model layer by layer in a vat of liquid resin; where light hits, the resin cures. After printing the piece is washed, freed from supports and post-cured under UV light. Layers of 0.05 mm give the fine detail.
- Is resin brittle?
- More brittle than filament, yes. A figurine or a pendant holds up well; a part that has to click or carry load does not. Parts thinner than roughly half a millimetre break first.
- What is the difference between resin and filament?
- Resin cures liquid resin with light, in layers of 0.05 mm: fine and smooth, up to 127 × 80 × 160 mm. Filament (FDM) melts a thread of plastic, in layers of 0.16 mm: larger and stronger, up to 250 × 250 × 250 mm, with visible layer lines.
- How large can a resin print be?
- Up to 127 × 80 × 160 mm in one piece, so up to 160 mm tall. Larger can be done in parts.
- Does tinted resin cost more than untinted?
- No. The price depends only on the size class, from €23.95 per piece for the smallest.