
Formlabs
Formlabs has announced the addition of two new resins to its 3D printing materials line-up.
The desktop stereolithography leader is introducing Color Resin V5, a first-of-its-kind material for customised colour formulations, and True Cast Resin for printing detailed casting patterns.
Color Resin V5, designed for use with its most recent Form 4 hardware series, gives users the option to order custom-coloured resins which can be manufactured to order in the space of a week in volumes as low as one litre. Per a post from Formlabs, the resin can deliver ‘everything from nuanced neutrals to saturated, bold colours’ for applications such as colour-coded jigs and fixtures, prototypes, and end-use parts. In terms of quality, the mechanical properties of Color Resin V5 are said to match Formlabs’ General Purpose Resins for its Form 4 Series, with a small amount of variability depending on the colour ordered.
Currently only available in the USA, though Formlabs says it plans to expand to other regions in the near future, Color Resin V5 can be ordered using Hex codes or RGB profiles which will be applied to match the requested colour with the closest achievable shade. Each order of Color Resin V5 comes with a customised Formlabs Print Settings (FPS) file.

Formlabs
True Cast Resin, meanwhile, can be used for creating intricate casting patterns up to 5mm thick. The wax-filled material is said to have been engineered based on user feedback to deliver precision casting of complex medium to heavy jewellery and engineering components when used with the Form 4. Formlabs says True Cast Resin integrates effortlessly into a wide range of burnout schedules with low thermal expansion, minimal shrinkage, and 0.03% ash content to ensure clean burnout and consistency.
Formlabs is supporting both material introductions with updates to its PreForm print preparation software. Users can set up parts and select which faces to add texture to with Face Selection Mode, or use Part Color Coding to improve tracking and visibility in a packed build. There’s also a new, reduced support setting option which can minimise supports by 30% on select materials, while the PreForm support tool has been completely redesigned with Preset Profiles, Placement Parameters, and Structural Parameters to enable more control of SLA surfaces.
Back in March, Formlabs launched a second generation curing system and Tough 1500 Resin aimed at levelling up 3D printing with injection moulding. The company says its updated Form Cure is able to post-cure parts printed in general purpose resins in 60 seconds or under 15 minutes for engineering-grade resins. Tough 1500 Resin, launched alongside, is a functional resin said to rival the mechanical properties of injection moulded plastics like polypropylene.