Materials Overview
Carbon resins are the raw materials from which parts are built using Digital Light Synthesis™. These curable liquid polymers are shaped using a series of projected UV light images. All parts printed on a Carbon printer have isotropic material properties due to Carbon's patented CLIP technology.
Click a link below to go to a specific material group:
Valuable information is available as printable handouts to be used in your production facility:
Current resin pricing is available from Carbon Resin Price Lists (login required).
Safety data sheets and other compliance-related documentation (ROHS, REACH, etc.) for all Carbon resins can be found at https://www.carbon3d.com/stewardship.
These materials are single component formulations. They are typically best suited for prototyping or specialized applications, and are used extensively in oral health.
Characteristics
- Single component
- Poured directly into the cassette
- Reusable
- Printed parts are cured using UV light only
- Optional color mixing
Mechanical Properties
- Lower mechanical strength & abrasion resistance
These materials consist of two components, part A and part B. They are packaged separately and must be combined and properly mixed before being dispensed into the printer cassette for printing.
See Resin Mixing and Dispensing for more information on mixing options and processes.
The mixed resin has a defined pot life or working time, generally 8 hours. Please refer to the material protocol sheet for the exact pot life for the material in question.
Characteristics:
- Dual component resins - Part A & B
- Part A & B mixed at the time of dispensing
- Limited lifetime (pot life) for use once mixed
- Dual Cure - Printed parts are cured in an oven to achieve ultimate mechanical properties
Mechanical Properties:
- Strong and abrasion-resistant
Carbon resins are unique due to their dual cure process. The first cure occurs during printing, where DLP projection of UV light sets the liquid resin into a solid shape. This initial UV cure creates a "green state" part, which is solid enough to be handled, cleaned, and prepared for further processing.
The second cure, known as the thermal cure or bake, involves a precise thermal process performed in a convection oven. During this step, the material undergoes extensive cross-linking, transforming into a highly durable, engineering-grade material.
Selecting an appropriate material is a critical component of the part's success. This selection process can be complex and confusing. The following information offers some guidance.
In some cases, there may already be a thermoplastic that is commonly used for the part in question. To provide a better understanding of how Carbon materials compare to some common thermoplastics, please consult the document below.
This table compares Carbon materials to common thermoplastics such as ABS and TPU.
See the blog on Carbon's website for more information about how Carbon's materials compare to thermoplastics.
Another way to approach materials selection is to review the application's critical performance needs.
- What material type best suits the needs of the application?
- Rigid
- Elastomer
- What temperature resistance is required?
- What chemical resistance is needed?
- Is biocompatibility a concern?
- What mechanical performance is needed?
- Strength
- Impact
Consult the documents below to help find answers to these questions.
More in-depth information can be found on each material's TDS (technical datasheet), available on the website.
This table lists the properties of all Carbon materials in one place. Great reference for engineers and designers!
This online table shows the chemical compatibility for most of Carbon's materials.
