Castable resins are special formulations designed for lost-wax casting: the resin master print is immersed in plaster or wax, and the mold is heated in a furnace to completely burn off the resin without residue, leaving a void into which molten metal (gold, silver, brass, bronze) is poured. They are the reference material for 3D jewelry and the production of small series of metal objects.
When to use a castable resin
- Jewelry: rings, earrings, necklaces, bracelets in gold/silver/platinum.
- Dental: crowns, bridges, restorations (with specific dental castable resins).
- Precision mechanical components: small series of high-detail metal parts.
- Replicas and restoration: production of metal parts from digital models.
- Awards and medals: creation of unique personalized pieces.
Technical characteristics
- Wavelength: 405 nm.
- Combustion: residue under 0.05% by weight (zero ash) — crucial for mold quality.
- Resolution: optimized for details under 50 μm.
- Burnout: typical furnace cycle: slow ramp up to 720-750 °C, hold for 1-2 hours.
- Mechanical strength: secondary — the goal is detail, not print durability.
Castable workflow
- Print the master in castable resin.
- Brief post-curing (the resin must remain "soft" enough not to break).
- Place in the casting flask and pour plaster/wax/refractory.
- Flask firing (burnout): the resin burns completely.
- Pour molten metal into the empty mold.
- Extraction, cleaning, polishing of the jewelry.
Brands you can find on Strato3D
Castable resins from Elegoo, Anycubic, eSUN PLA-Cast, Siraya Tech Tenacious Castable and other jewelry references.
Frequently asked questions
Are special printers needed? No, any 405 nm LCD/MSLA. For maximum detail, 8K or 12K are ideal.
Do they burn without residue? Specific castable formulations do. Standard resins NO — do not use regular resin for casting.
Can I cast them in gold/silver? Yes, they are compatible with any low-melting point metal (below 1100 °C). For steel and ferrous alloys, a different workflow (sand casting) is needed.
Is dental the same? No, dental applications require certified resins (Class II medical device), such as Forward AM Ultracur3D DM or BASF DentaCAST.