{"id":164234,"date":"2022-01-05T10:19:15","date_gmt":"2022-01-05T02:19:15","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/facfox.com\/docs\/?post_type=kb&p=164234"},"modified":"2022-08-12T16:46:54","modified_gmt":"2022-08-12T08:46:54","slug":"water-washable-resin-best-brands-of-2021","status":"publish","type":"kb","link":"https:\/\/facfox.com\/docs\/kb\/water-washable-resin-best-brands-of-2021","title":{"rendered":"Water-Washable Resin: Best Brands of 2021"},"content":{"rendered":"

Water-washable resins enable you to rinse your 3D printed parts with tap water instead of alcohol. Read on and find out the best options!<\/p>\n

A More User-Friendly Option<\/h3>\n
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Instead of using alcohol, you can rinse your parts with water (Source: All3DP)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Resin 3D printing<\/a>\u00a0is capable of producing exceptionally detailed parts. However, it\u2019s not all that glorious when it comes to\u00a0post-processing resin parts<\/a>.<\/p>\n

Resin 3D printing has always been a bit messy since liquid chemicals are involved in the process. In that respect, it\u2019s never been much of a user-friendly 3D printing technique.<\/p>\n

After printing, but before the curing process, parts need to be cleared of residual liquid resin left on their surface. That\u2019s usually done with isopropyl alcohol (IPA). IPA is the best and most popular cleaning solvent, but in case you can\u2019t find it, tripropylene glycol methyl ether (TPM) also works.<\/p>\n

When dealing with chemicals such as alcohol, one must take safety into account, as alcohol is flammable and can cause harm to one\u2019s skin. Wouldn\u2019t it be nice if we could just use water instead? This question was how the idea for water-washable resins was born.<\/p>\n

The exact formulations of water-washable resins are obviously kept a secret by manufacturers. However, what sets water-washable resins apart from a regular resin is that a certain percentage of a water-soluble ingredient is added to the mixture, enabling the resin to be rinsed with tap water.<\/p>\n

In this article, we\u2019ve pulled together a list of the best options for water-washable resins. But first, let\u2019s talk a bit more about how these types of resin compare to regular resin as well as safety.<\/p>\n

Part Performance<\/h3>\n
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A plastic cleaning jar with an inner basket is a handy accessory (Source: Uncle Jessy via YouTube)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

The differences between the formulations of regular and water-washable resins result in different mechanical properties of parts. Because all water-washable resins contain a water-soluble ingredient, printed parts will have a certain level of sensitivity to water. This makes them impractical for use in wet environments.<\/p>\n

Furthermore, parts made with water-washable resins are generally more likely to crack because water can get absorbed within certain areas. In time, that area can \u201cswell\u201d, forming a crack. This issue is present with water-washable resins from various manufacturers, though you can avoid it by trying to design or slice your parts with different parameters, such as thicker walls.<\/p>\n

Overall, parts made with regular resin tend to show greater long-term stability.<\/p>\n

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Safety<\/h3>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n
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Always wear gloves when handling uncured resin, both regular and water-washable (Source: MatterHackers)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n
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After rinsing your 3D printed parts with water, the residual water will contain substances from the resin, which can harm the environment. Instead of throwing that water down the drain, leave it exposed to either sunlight or UV-light for at least half an hour, depending on the intensity of the sun.<\/p>\n

This is a very important step as resin can hurt aquatic life if it ends up in the seas via your drain. Anycubic even stated that\u00a0they won\u2019t be making a water-washable resin<\/a>\u00a0since it\u2019s very harmful for the environment when uncured. However, this isn\u2019t completely true since there\u2019s no significant harm done if you\u00a0dispose of resin correctly<\/a>.<\/p>\n

By letting the residual water (with bits of resin in it) sit in the sun, you\u2019ll enable the formation of solid resin particles, which can then be extracted from the water with a filter. When that\u2019s done, dispose of the (cleaned) water and throw the filtered resin (plastic) particles in a corresponding bin.<\/p>\n

As always when handling resins, we strongly suggest that you use protection. Specifically, gloves are a must, and glasses are optional. This applies to water-washable resins as well. Being water-washable doesn\u2019t mean you can touch uncured parts without gloves!<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

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Elegoo<\/span><\/h3>\n
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You don’t have to have a Elegoo printer to use these resins (Source: Elegoo)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n
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Elegoo\u2019s water washable resin is surely among the most popular. It\u2019s compatible with the majority of resin 3D printers and comes in a variety of colors.<\/p>\n

If 1,000 grams of resin is too much for your needs, there\u2019s a 500-gram size, too. Once the cap is opened, you\u2019ll notice that its smell is present but bearable.<\/p>\n

Many people have had positive experiences with this resin. The level of detail is comparable to Elegoo\u2019s regular resins, so that\u2019s a good sign. This resin produces smooth surfaces with a bit of a\u00a0\u201crubbery\u201d feel<\/a>.<\/p>\n

If you go ahead and print with it, you\u2019ll notice that the parts are just a tad\u00a0more brittle<\/a>\u00a0than those made with regular resin.\u00a0Once you print your parts, we recommend taking a toothbrush to\u00a0brush the residual resin away<\/a>\u00a0while the part is in a water bath.<\/p>\n

Overall, we\u2019d say that this resin has a good price-quality ratio. Its main downside is that models tend to be a bit brittle.<\/p>\n