Formlabs Ceramic Resin

Ceramic resin is an experimental silica-filled photopolymer produced by Formlabs. It is an affordable 3D printing material aimed at making 3D printed ceramics accessible to the masses. It has been formulated to have sufficiently low viscosity for SLA 3D printing while maximizing the ceramic loading. 

After firing the part, the final ceramic piece will benefit from unique performance properties, such as high resistance to corrosion, wear and heat, and thermal and electrical insulation. Also, it will be chemically inert. Ceramic resin can be used to print complex models with a stone-like finish and intricate details that would be difficult to produce by hand. It allows producing ceramic objects for a variety of applications where fired part accuracy is not critical, including engineering research and design. It is ideal for both rapid prototyping and experimentation. Read on for a complete review.

For example, the generative design studio Nervous System chose the Ceramic Resin to fabricate a cellular tea set. Look at the final result.

Credit: @formlabs / Instagram

Specifications

• Resin features
• Colors
   

Resin features

The Ceramic resin supports 100- and 50-micron print resolutions. It is incompatible with the Rains Tank LT. Before printing with Ceramic Resin, you have to sand the Form 2 build platform to increase print adherence. Also, you should shake the resin cartridge and clear the bite valve. The cartridge contains 1L of Ceramic resin.

For proper 3D printing, you should follow the usage guidelines provided by the manufacturer. In this way, you will be able to produce accurate fired parts with a ceramic look and feel.

Credit: @formlabs / Instagram

Technical specs

According to the manufacturer's datasheet, green White Resin features:

• Ultimate Tensile Strength: 5.1 MPa
• Tensile Modulus: 1.03 GPa
• Elongation: 1.4 %
• Flexural Stress at Break: 10.27 MPa
• Flexural Modulus: 994.6 MPa
• Notched IZOD: 18.42 J/m
• Heat Deflection Temp. @ 164 psi: 74.7 °C
• Heat Deflection Temp. @ 66 psi: > 290 °C
• Cold Crushing Strength: 72.2 MPa
• Shear Modulus: 21.9 GPa
• Poisson’s Ration: 0.140
• Density: 1.9 g/cm3

Finishing

After printing, wash the prints in IPA and remove support structures. Wait until completely dry and then fire the parts in an actively ventilated kiln. When fired, the models shrink by around 15% in XY and 29% in Z. The final ceramic parts might be glazed if necessary.

Colors

Formlabs Ceramic resin is available in white.

For some resins, color availability might change. In case of any questions, please get in touch.