Formlabs Draft Resin V2: Faster, Higher‑Resolution SLA Prototyping

A dropout drilling fixture printed in Draft Resin showcases the material’s precision and speed.

Since its launch in 2019, Draft Resin has become a staple for rapid prototyping, combining high accuracy with a streamlined workflow that cuts print initiation, support removal, wash, and cure times.

In October 2023, Formlabs released Draft Resin V2—an upgraded formulation that delivers faster print times, finer layers, and a cleaner odor profile, all while preserving the material’s low cost and high performance.

Ideal Applications

• Initial prototypes
• Same‑day design iterations
• Live 3D‑printing demos
• High‑throughput production runs
• Large part fabrication

Albatross Bikes Tests Draft Resin V2

Albatross Bikes, a leading manufacturer of performance bicycles, recently evaluated Draft Resin V2 to support their engineering sample workflow.

Their goals were:

• Expanded layer options beyond the original 300‑µm setting.
• Easier support removal.
• Elimination of the noticeable odor that plagued Draft Resin V1.
• A neutral grey tone that matches typical prototype aesthetics.

Draft Resin V2 now supports 200‑µm and 100‑µm layers—compared to the single 300‑µm option of V1. The higher resolution reduces impact curves and edge artifacts, allowing designers to achieve a more realistic look‑and‑feel in prototype parts. Remarkably, 200‑µm prints match the speed of V1’s 300‑µm layer, making V2 the fastest 200‑µm resin for SLA machines.

“The thinnest walls that we were able to consistently produce with Draft Resin V2 were down to 0.6 mm in thickness for some relatively well‑supported sections of the model. This is in contrast to Draft Resin V1 where we were only confident in being able to print down to 1 mm wall thicknesses to preserve the dimensional quality of the models we were printing.”

Will Hilgenberg, Founder, Albatross Bikes

With V2’s finer layers, Albatross Bikes reported less time spent on part orientation and post‑processing. The improved support touchpoints meant fewer sanding sessions and a cleaner finish. The odor issue was also resolved—allowing the printer to remain in the main office without relocation.

Advice for Engineers Using Draft Resin

“Draft Resin is a product that has seen use at our company. It fits the niche between FDM and SLA.”

Will Hilgenberg

Engineers traditionally use FDM for quick concept prototypes and SLA for higher‑fidelity models. Draft Resin bridges this gap: it enables the same machine to produce early prototypes up to 10× faster than comparable FDM parts, and to switch seamlessly to Standard or Engineering Resins for detailed functional models.

For example, a standard‑sized jig that takes roughly five hours to print on the Form 3 or Form 2 with standard resin can be completed in just 1 hour 20 minutes using Draft Resin V2—an improvement of 73%. This acceleration frees up design time for iterative testing and refinement.

Test Draft Resin V2 for Yourself

Draft Resin V2 brings three key enhancements:

• Improved surface finish with 200‑µm and 100‑µm layers, maintaining the same rapid speed as the 300‑µm V1.
• A new professional‑grade grey color for polished presentation models.
• Optimized support touchpoints and reduced wash/cure times thanks to Formlabs’ LFS technology.

These upgrades make rapid prototyping with Formlabs SLA printers easier and more efficient than ever. Share your Draft Resin projects on social media and tag @Formlabs to showcase your innovation.