Formlabs announces Castable Wax Resin

#1

Formlabs is pleased to announce that Castable Wax Resin, the newest addition to our library of Jewelry Resins for 3D printing, is now shipping! This wax-filled material is designed for reliable direct investment casting with zero ash content and clean burnout. Printed parts are suitable for both custom try-ons and final production.

We’ve been working with beautiful and complex jewelry designs (including the LACE collection by Jenny Wu featured in the link above) to bring you reliable burnout and casting instructions. A detailed tutorial can be found below.

Let us know what you think, and we’re happy to share more information!

#2

Any news about this material working on F1+ or update to Preform?

#3

no funny video!?!?!?!?!

#4

Sorry there’s no funny video this time! I’ll send your feedback to our design team :wink:

This resin was developed for the Form 2 printer. The newest release of Preform, which supports Castable Wax, can be downloaded here:

#5

Given the wax nature and behavior… does that mean the “small part” rule has been expanded or removed? Is this suitable for more than jewelry now? Maybe a more industrial use?

I have great interest in being able to cast aluminum for prototyping die-cast parts.

#6

I think I’ll buy a new machine if that’s possible with parts that use the full build volume.

#7

I bought a whole leader of the old castable- but this looks a lot more like what I need…

any way you would trade me?

#8

Same here, if this works for larger parts I will buy another couple of Form2’s!

Anyone’s form formlabs able to confirm or deny if we can use this for larger parts?

#9

Hello! That’s a great question.

In terms of total possible size for the printed parts(while still getting nice results), the limits are roughly equivalent to our previous Castable offerings.

#10

We were told it should be able to make good castings of parts the size of about a fist.

#11

Exciting! The previous castable resin was basically useless for us so I’m excited to see how compatible this will be with the average casting house.

#12

Thanks for making that clear ! I’m sure you guys are aware that there is a market there, with professionals, artisans and artists all having a use for this. Plus it would make the Form2 that much more capable of producing real functional parts :wink: Can’t wait to see what comes next with the new LT tank’s new capabilities !

#13

Hello, what is the shrinkage of this resin in the time since printing?

#14

Before I purchased my Form 2, I made sure that castable resin was available for the printer.

No where did it say on any of your product pages that the castable resin was only useful for jewelry sized prints, so I assumed that I could use the entire print volume. How I was wrong!

Which means that I have a $4,000 paper weight collecting dust. Most disappointing and truthfully I feel a bit ripped off.

Sad to see that still no progress has been made with this new formulation. Looks like the dust will continue piling up.

#15

Has there been any attempt during your internal testing to use this new resin on any printer other than the Form 2?

I am always on the search for good castable resins regardless of the printer or company.

#16

Where did you find the max build vollume. I can’t seem to find it.

#17

HI Formlabs folk, Whats the shrinkage on the new resin? does it shrink if kept for a few days or does it have to be invested and cast immediately? Does it expand in the plaster and damage the mould like the original castable resin does? Can you cast thicker parts with it without mould damage? say 4mm thick and over?

Thanks

#18

@MAREK_WIELICKI, Since Castable Wax does not require a post-curing step, the parts won’t experience any shrinking after printing. They can be used as-printed (and of course after washing).

@Hillzzz, to address your question about the shelf life of a printed part, Castable Wax prints are pretty robust! You can print a part, then cast it a few days or even weeks later.

#19

NO shrinkage and robust - sounds great!

#20

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Always great to get new castable resin options, and the elimination of post-curing will be of benefit to our production process.

I’m curious if the recommended burnout schedule remains the same (i.e. 14 hours)

-JD
Lab Partners Jewelry
(pic for attention)