Formlabs, a leading 3D printing company, announced Castable Wax 40 Resin at CES 2021. The resin is the 30th proprietary resin to be added to Formlabs material library, and the 12th in the last year. The introduction of Castable Wax 40 Resin further demonstrates that the next era of 3D printing won’t be driven by hardware, but by materials. End-use products are only as good as the materials that make them, and the materials that Formlabs develops represent 3D printing’s role as a driving force of innovative, custom consumer products across industries.

With the launch of Castable Wax 40 Resin, it’s easy for jewelers to go digital. The resin produces results similar to blue carving wax, the traditional material used in lost wax casting. They achieved this by developing a 40% wax-filled material capable of supporting traditional casting conditions. Castable Wax 40 Resin provides jewelers with more versatility and design freedom than traditional processes, while digitizing their workflow for greater efficiency.

“The advancements happening in material science are providing the 3D printing industry with a new level of utility and versatility,” said Dávid Lakatos, Chief Product Officer at Formlabs. “When revolutionary materials are combined with the unique structures 3D printers can create, the end products better meet the needs and expectations of consumers. With our rapidly growing array of materials, we are able to continually expand the list of industries that can benefit from 3D printing.”

Formlabs worked with GIA, the world’s foremost authority on diamonds, colored stones, and pearls, and Rio Grande, one of the largest jewelry findings, tools, and equipment suppliers in the world, to develop the qualities of Castable Wax 40 Resin that make it ideally suited for end-use jewelry.

Kathy Bui, Formlabs Engineering Vertical Lead, added: “Resins can be soft and stretchy, tough and sturdy, strong and rigid and they can also be biocompatible and FDA approved to be in contact with the skin or mucous membranes. At Formlabs, we’re always working on pushing the boundaries of what’s possible in additive manufacturing and materials are central to that. New materials unlock new applications, from everyday products like a pair of shoes used in a marathon to medical devices and surgical guides that assist in the operating room.”

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