Choosing Ceramic-Filled SLA Materials for Superior 3D Printing Results

What is Stereolithography, and Why Should You Use it?

Stereolithography, otherwise known as SLA, is a powerful 3D printing technology that produces highly accurate, high-resolution parts perfect for product development, rapid prototyping, concept models, and injection mold design verification. This additive manufacturing process focuses an ultraviolet (UV) light on a vat of photopolymer resin, producing a higher resolution print when compared to many other 3D printing technologies. SLA allows customers to print parts with fine details and smooth surface finishes, and it’s a fantastic manufacturing solution when you are looking to print parts with crisp, clean features and tight tolerances. In addition, SLA prints do not suffer from fine detail limitations inherent in other 3D printing processes like Fusion Deposition Modeling.

Xometry offers 2 ceramic-filled materials for 3D printing; SLA Somos® PerFORM and Accura® Bluestone™. Both materials will create a highly stiff structure with a smooth stone surface finish when 3D printed. This process, combined with the use of ceramic-filled materials, produces parts that are extremely CAD accurate when compared to most additive processes. Ceramic-filled SLA parts are best used in devices and prototypes that require thermal stability over a range of temperatures. In addition, ceramic-filled SLA materials are typically useful in others applications including mounted fixtures and optical devices where high accuracy and stability are paramount.

If you are looking for a material with the highest level of stiffness, along with solid heat and abrasion resistance and excellent chemical resistance, consider using Accura® Bluestone™. On the other hand, if you are looking for a material that is faster to build, easier to post-process clean, possesses superior sidewall quality, and provides unmatched detail resolution, you may want to consider using  Somos® PerFORM material. It is the ideal material for creating strong, stiff parts with excellent high heat resistance, including wind tunnel models for aerospace and automotive applications, as well as rapid tooling for an injection molding project