SLA resin is targeted at high durability applications

04 July 2007

Materialise is the first service bureau in Europe to use DSM Somos’ latest DMX-SL100 resin on its stereolithography machines. The material, believed to be the industry’s first SLA resin targeted at high durability applications, produces very accurate parts with high feature detail and is creamy white in colour. The material has a high impact resistance similar to thermoplastics, and can be used to build tough, complex parts with a surface finish that is claimed to be superior to competing technologies.
According to Toon Roels, R&D manager at Materialise, which has used the new resin on an SLA 3500 machine at maximum dimensions of 350 x 350x 200mm, the DMX-SL parts showed high impact strength and resistance to breakage. They also proved rigid yet bendable, which is a novel combination for SLA resins. This property enables the material to be used in applications requiring, for example, a snap fit. Mr Roels says his company plans to continue with further tests on this resin because it sees great opportunities for it.