14 Jul 3D printer: resin or filament?
Please note: English is not my first language 🙂
What are the different 3D printing technologies available to the public?
For a few years now, 3D printing technologies have been democratized. They take place in more and more homes allowing everyone to produce their own miniatures, decorations or various objects.
There are two main technologies: FDM (Fused Deposition Modeling) and SLA (StereoLithography Apparatus).
FDM technology is based on the deposition of molten filament layer by layer. A nozzle that can move around the plane deposits filament where the software (called a slicer) tells it to deposit it. Once a layer is finished, the board is lowered one notch to make room for the next layer. The cohesion between the layers is ensured by the heat of the nozzle which softens the previous layer.
The SLA technology is based on the curing of liquid resin layer by layer. The liquid resin is placed in a tank with a transparent bottom. Under this bottom is arranged a high definition screen emitting in ultraviolet. The printing plate moves closer to the screen leaving a thin layer of resin that can be cured and thus adhere to the plate. Each layer is created in the same way, with the patterns displayed on the screen.
What are the advantages and disadvantages of the two technologies?
Each of the two technologies has advantages and disadvantages. None of them are prohibitive and we will come back in separate articles to address these disadvantages.
FDM technology
+ Technology is not expensive, both in terms of printer and raw material
+ Does not require any particular precaution of use
+ The printers often have large printing volumes
+ If the model is suitable, nearly no post-processing required
– Adjustments of the printing plate
– Printing times can be long
– Some models can be complicated to print
Resin printing with Ender 3 creality :
SLA technology
+ Better print definition
+ Can print almost any miniature
+ Printing five figures at the same time will take as long as printing one
– The use of resin requires a well ventilated environment
– Cleaning of supports requires more attention
– Resin cleaning required on the minature
– Reduced printing volumes
Resin printing with Elegoo mars :
What to choose?
Both technologies have their advantages and disadvantages. Our miniatures that carry the logo ”Printing without support” have been optimized for printing in FDM. With the settings provided, you will be able to make prints of similar quality to a resin print! With an FDM printer it will also be possible to print any size of terrain.
The SLA printer will allow you to print all kinds of miniatures with a satisfactory quality and a minimum of effort (except for cleaning).
We are tempted to say that the two technologies are complementary but if this is your first time with 3D printing, try the FDM technology which is much more versatile, so you can use it for your games but also for other projects (decoration, DIY etc.).
La Louve 3D’s unsupported models are perfect for getting started with 3D printing because they are designed to make your life easier. So don’t hesitate to get started!