The jewelry market is a competitive one, and more and more jewelers are turning to 3D printing to cast their pieces rather than crafting them by hand or using older techniques to create their casting molds. 3D printing is much faster than any other jewelry manufacturing method, and while the market is full of attractive options for jewelry 3D printers and jewelry casting resins, Formlabs has always been one of the leaders in this particular market – partially because of the time-tested quality of its printers, and partially because of the many material options it presents.
“Before bringing 3D printing in-house, I’ve outsourced waxes to be printed, only to discover I needed thicker or thinner dimensions in the first design,” said Andrew Goldstein, Vice President of Zina Sterling Silver. “I’m super excited about the new Castable Wax Resin, the detail was outstanding in the initial prints and the material was so much easier to invest and cast.”
“3D printing is an essential part of the jewelry making process for my jewelry line, LACE by Jenny Wu, because of the complex architectural forms that would be impossible to create by hand,” said designer Jenny Wu. “I was able to test out Castable Wax early with great results and I look forward to continuing to test out materials for future projects. I am excited to work with Formlabs to continue to push the boundaries of 3D printing materials for jewelry.”
Castable Wax Resin is 20% wax-filled and is suitable for a standard burnout schedule or a short eight-hour burnout schedule using strong investments. The resin does not require post-curing; just a quick isopropyl alcohol wash and the part is ready to go with no residual tackiness. The Standard Burnout Schedule is recommended for overnight cycles and for larger flasks and heavier geometries.
If you’re interested in Castable Wax Resin, you can download Formlabs’ Usage Guide, request a free sample part, or check out the company’s recommended casting houses to find a casting partner validated in casting Formlabs resins.
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[Images provided by Formlabs]