SLA / Resin (Vat): the route, the tolerances it holds, materials and design tips, with an indicative cost. One of 56 processes in the free finder.
AdditiveFamily
+/-0.05mmTypical tol.
5Route steps
27Parts in finder
SLA/resin printing cures liquid photopolymer layer by layer with light, giving fine detail and a smooth finish.
At a glance
When to use it, and when not
Best for
Detailed prototypes, dental and jewellery patterns, and smooth cosmetic models.
Watch for
Brittle resins, post-curing and washing steps, and UV sensitivity over time.
Step by step
The typical route
Raw material to finished part. Steps vary with material, volume and tolerance; this is the free route from the finder.
Slice
Slice and add supports.
Tooling Slicer Tolerance - Lead -
Print
Cure resin layer by layer.
Tooling SLA Tolerance - Lead -
Wash & cure
Wash off resin and UV post-cure.
Tooling - Tolerance - Lead -
Supports
Remove supports.
Tooling - Tolerance - Lead -
Inspect
Check detail and dimensions.
Tooling - Tolerance - Lead -
Precision
Tolerances it can hold
TYPICAL TOLERANCE IT CAN HOLD
Where this process typically lands. Tighter is possible with extra operations like grinding, at higher cost.
Materials
Materials it suits
Grade
Why it suits this
Standard resin
Smooth, detailed, brittle
Tough/ABS-like resin
More durable
Castable resin
Burns out clean
Design
Design tips
A few general pointers for SLA / Resin (Vat). The full, part-specific DFM list is in the dossier.
Thin unsupported spans.Thicken or add supports.
Trapped resin cavities.Add drain holes.
Cost
What it costs
Fine detail and smooth finish (resin); great for visual proto, dental, jewellery patterns. Parts can be brittle.
PER-PART COST vs VOLUME
Per-part cost drops as volume spreads tooling and setup over more parts. The exact figures for your part at your volume, in your currency, are in the dossier.
MODEL EST.
$21 to 35per part at 1 off
A rough ballpark only. The dossier gives should-cost at your exact volume and currency, with the full breakdown.
GET THE FULL DOSSIER
Everything you need to quote and source it
The free route above is yours. To actually put a number on this process and buy it well:
Should-cost at your exact volume in 12 currencies, with the material, processing, tooling and overhead breakdown
Who to source from, typical MOQ and lead time, and the exact RFQ checklist to send
A quote checker that tells you if a supplier quote is fair, and the red flags to watch
SistematikWork is a whole IE platform. Past the free finder, there are 41 ready Excel calculators, templates and CAD guides, each built from real coursework and checked against known values.
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SLA/resin printing cures liquid photopolymer layer by layer with light, giving fine detail and a smooth finish. The typical route is: Slice; Print; Wash & cure; Supports; Inspect. Detailed prototypes, dental and jewellery patterns, and smooth cosmetic models.
What does SLA / Resin (Vat) cost per part?
It depends on size, tolerance and volume. As a rough ballpark it starts around $21 to 35 per part at low volume and falls with quantity. The dossier gives should-cost at your exact volume and currency. Model estimates, not quotes.
What tolerance can SLA / Resin (Vat) hold?
Typically about +/-0.05 mm, tighter with extra finishing operations at higher cost.
What materials suit SLA / Resin (Vat)?
Common choices are Standard resin (Smooth, detailed, brittle); Tough/ABS-like resin (More durable); Castable resin (Burns out clean).
See the exact route and should-cost for your part
The free finder maps your part to its process and full route. Pro adds should-cost at your volume, sourcing and an RFQ draft.
