Jewelry 3D printers primarily use three categories of materials: casting wax, photosensitive resin, and precious metal powders, each suitable for different process stages and finished product requirements.
1. Casting Wax (for lost-wax casting)
This is currently the most mainstream choice in jewelry production. A high-precision wax model is 3D printed, followed by precious metal casting.
Red wax (e.g., VisiJet M2 CAST): Ultra-high precision, low shrinkage rate, completely burns after printing, leaving no ash residue, suitable for complex structures and large castings.
Flexible wax (e.g., Wax Jewel Red): Possesses a certain degree of elasticity, allowing printing of extremely thin surfaces (less than 0.3mm) or micro-fine metal meshes, reducing the risk of breakage.
High-temperature resistant wax (e.g., Wax Jewel Ruby): Suitable for high-temperature casting processes requiring pre-setting of gemstones, with high stability and resistance to deformation.
2. Photocurable Resins (for direct molding or indirect casting): Some desktop equipment uses photocurable resins to create models or master molds. This is a low-cost option suitable for prototyping and small-batch production.
High-Hardness Resins: Offer high surface smoothness, achieving a mirror-like finish without post-treatment. Suitable for casting materials such as gold and platinum.
Water-Soluble Support Resins: Highly compatible with the base material, automatically peeling off during cleaning to prevent damage to fine structures.
Castable Resins (e.g., Somos 1112): Specifically designed for casting, completely volatilizing during combustion, producing no carbon slag and ensuring the purity of the casting.
