| HS Code | 715495 |
| Material Type | Castable plastic |
| Compatible Systems | SLA systems |
| Color | Purple |
| Liquid Density | 1.13 g/cm³ at 25°C (typical) |
| Liquid Viscosity | 250 cps at 30°C (typical) |
| Critical Exposure | 11 mJ/cm² (typical) |
| Penetration Depth | 0.13 mm (typical) |
| Tensile Strength | 45 MPa (typical) |
| Tensile Modulus | 2400 MPa (typical) |
| Elongation At Break | 8% (typical) |
| Flexural Strength | 75 MPa (typical) |
| Flexural Modulus | 2500 MPa (typical) |
| Hardness | 80 Shore D (typical) |
| Heat Deflection Temperature | 55°C (typical) |
| Coefficient Of Thermal Expansion | 80 µm/m·°C (typical) |
| Ash Content | <0.1% (typical) |
| Burnout | Clean burnout |
| Primary Application | Investment casting patterns |
As an accredited 3D Systems VisiJet FTX Cast Plastic for SLA Systems factory, we enforce strict quality protocols—every batch undergoes rigorous testing to ensure consistent efficacy and safety standards.
| Packing | Single-unit packaging: sealed, labeled 2 kg amber plastic bottle with secure cap, safely boxed for shipping and storage. |
| Container Loading (20′ FCL) | 20′ FCL container loading for 3D Systems VisiJet FTX Cast Plastic for SLA Systems; palletized, shrink-wrapped, and secured for transport. |
| Shipping | 3D Systems VisiJet FTX Cast Plastic is generally not regulated for transport under DOT, IATA, or IMDG when shipped in its solid form. Use original sealed packaging, keep away from heat, and include the SDS. No UN number, hazard class, or packing group is assigned. Always verify with the current SDS. |
| Storage | Store 3D Systems VisiJet FTX Cast Plastic in its original, tightly sealed container in a cool, dry, well-ventilated area. Keep away from heat, flames, sunlight, and strong oxidizers. Maintain the manufacturer’s recommended temperature, protect from freezing, and keep containers upright. Segregate from food, drink, and incompatible materials. Inspect for leaks and follow the SDS and local regulations. |
| Shelf Life | Shelf life is 12 months from date of manufacture when stored unopened at 15–25°C in the original container. |
Charging the as-supplied resin at 100 wt% without reactive dilution is the default condition for jewellery investment casting; on-site addition of wax, monomer, or plasticizer is avoided because retained isopropanol at 1–2 wt% after the cleaning step can shift cure depth and alter the subsequent pyrolysis exotherm. The resin is processed at 25–35 µm layer thickness, washed in 99.9% isopropanol for 45–60 s at 22±2 °C, and UV post-cured for 30–60 min under 365–405 nm lamps. Final precious-metal articles are governed by ISO 11426:2021 for gold fineness and, where nickel white gold is supplied to the European market, by EN 1811:2023 with a nickel migration limit of 0.5 µg/cm²/week under REACH Annex XVII Entry 27. After post-cure, the pattern is assembled on a wax sprue at 90–110 °C and invested in a gypsum-bonded mould mixed at 38–40 mL water per 100 g powder. Burnout proceeds at 2 °C/min to 300 °C, holds for 60 min, then ramps at 4 °C/min to 650–700 °C with a 2–3 h soak to oxidize residual carbon; ramps above 5 °C/min in the 250–400 °C window have produced shell cracking on filigree sections in centrifugal casting machines operating at 350–500 rpm. Batch-to-batch viscosity drift above 10% from the certificate value is treated as a reject condition because build parameters are not altered without revalidation. Terminal cast forms include single-piece rings, hollow pendants, brooch elements, and replacement cast components for antique jewellery repair.
In dental fixed prosthodontics, the printed pattern is a sacrificial body whose burnout behaviour inside phosphate-bonded investment determines final marginal fit. The resin is used at 100 wt% undiluted; the laboratory-controlled mixture is the investment powder-to-liquid ratio, typically 200 g phosphate-bonded powder to 44–48 mL special liquid, and the pattern itself must contain less than 0.1 wt% residual isopropanol before investing. Compliance is anchored to ISO 13485:2016, clause 7.5.6 for validated casting processes, ISO 22674:2016 for cast metal framework alloys, and ISO 10993-1:2018 Annex A for biological evaluation of the finished metal substructure. The digital workflow uses an intraoral scan and CAD-defined cement gap of 40–60 µm; patterns are printed at 25–35 µm layer thickness with support contacts placed on non-marginal surfaces. After 45 min UV post-cure, wax sprues of 3.0–3.5 mm diameter are attached. The invested ring is ramped at 3 °C/min to 300 °C, held 60 min, then ramped at 5 °C/min to 800 °C and held 60 min. Casting is carried out in an induction centrifugal unit with Co-Cr metal at 1,380–1,450 °C; marginal openings of ≤80 µm are verified on the final metal framework. Terminal products include posterior crown copings, three-unit anterior bridge frameworks, implant bar frameworks, and removable partial denture clasp assemblies.
| Segment | Primary shell system | Pyrolysis ramp | Peak hold | Reference standard |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jewellery | Gypsum-bonded | 2 °C/min to 300 °C, then 4 °C/min to 650–700 °C | 2–3 h | EN 1811:2023, REACH Annex XVII Entry 27 |
| Dental fixed prostheses | Phosphate-bonded | 3 °C/min to 300 °C, then 5 °C/min to 800 °C | 60 min | ISO 22674:2016, ISO 13485:2016, ISO 10993-1:2018 |
| Aerospace turbine components | Ceramic shell | 1.5 °C/min to 550 °C, then 3 °C/min to 1,000–1,050 °C | 4 h | ASTM E192-15, AS 9100D |
| Medical Co-Cr-Mo castings | Alumina-strengthened ceramic shell | 2 °C/min to 300 °C, then 5 °C/min to 900 °C | 3 h | ASTM F75-18, ISO 5832-4:2014, ISO 10993-5:2009 |
| Industrial stainless castings | Ceramic shell | 2 °C/min to 600 °C, then 5 °C/min to 1,000 °C | 2 h | ASTM A487/A487M-21, ASTM A351/A351M-18 |
For turbine blade patterns with trailing-edge thickness below 1.0 mm, the dominant rejection driver is not green-part tensile failure but residual ash after shell burnout. The resin is loaded at 100 wt% without dilution; in production lines the pattern surface is coated with a zircon-based facecoat slurry whose binder-to-refractory weight ratio is set at 1:3, a shell variable independent of the photopolymer composition. Aerospace cast component inspection is governed by ASTM E192-15 for investment castings, AS 9100D for quality management, and liquid penetrant inspection according to ASTM E1417/E1417M-21. Patterns are printed at 16–25 µm layer thickness depending on airfoil surface finish requirements, and linear compensation for alloy-specific solidification shrinkage is established by first article inspection; typical compensation factors fall between 0.4% and 0.8% for small nickel-base castings. After washing and 60 min UV post-cure, the pattern cluster is dipped in a prime slurry with 100 mesh zircon stucco, followed by 30/50 mesh back-up coats. Shell drying occurs at 24±2 °C and 50±5% RH for 24 h; pattern melt-out is conducted in a steam autoclave at 150–160 °C and 5.5–6.0 bar, typically 12–15 min for small clusters. Burnout uses a gas-fired furnace ramp of 1.5 °C/min to 550 °C, a 2 h hold, then 3 °C/min to 1,000–1,050 °C with a 4 h hold to reduce carbon. Vacuum induction melting of nickel-base superalloy then fills the preheated shell at 1,450–1,550 °C. Terminal parts include high-pressure turbine blades, nozzle guide vanes, and small integrally cast impellers.
Published data for this specific resin in implant casting is limited; however, sacrificial patterns are used in cobalt-chromium-molybdenum workflows where final metal compliance governs. The resin is charged undiluted at 100 wt%; reactive diluents are not permitted in validated medical device processes because they alter pyrolysis residue and can shift carbon pick-up. If a pattern-wetting agent is applied to suppress facecoat bubble adhesion, it is diluted at 0.05–0.10 wt% in deionized water, and the pattern must be dried to constant mass before investment. Final cast materials are specified to ASTM F75-18 and ISO 5832-4:2014 for Co-Cr-Mo casting alloys; the manufacturing route is controlled under ISO 13485:2016, clause 7.5.6, and the finished implant preform is evaluated for cytotoxicity and sensitization according to ISO 10993-5:2009 and ISO 10993-10:2021. Patterns are printed at 25 µm layer thickness, washed, and UV post-cured for 60 min; they are assembled on wax trees for ceramic shell processing with a prime slurry viscosity of 25–35 s measured by Zahn cup #4. Burnout is ramped at 2 °C/min to 300 °C, held 2 h, then raised at 5 °C/min to 900 °C and held 3 h; a hold temperature below 850 °C is avoided because residual carbon above 0.05 wt% in the cast metal is a known rejection criterion for carbide morphology and corrosion resistance. Casting is performed in a vacuum induction furnace at 1,450–1,500 °C. Terminal products include tibial tray preforms, hinged knee component bodies, and dental implant bar patterns.
For stainless steel pump and valve components produced through investment casting, shell facecoat compatibility with the photopolymer pattern determines whether the first slurry wets the pattern surface or entrains air at fillets and sealing faces. The resin remains at 100 wt% as-received; some foundries apply a pattern pre-rinse of 0.5 vol% non-ionic surfactant in deionized water, but that solution is a surface treatment and not a resin diluent. Pressure-containing castings are supplied to ASTM A487/A487M-21 for cast steel for pressure service or ASTM A351/A351M-18 for austenitic pressure-containing cast parts, with liquid penetrant testing according to ASTM E165/E165M-18. Patterns are built at 50 µm layer thickness for large bodies, with 25 µm layers reserved for sealing faces and threaded bosses; after 45–60 min UV post-cure, wax gates are attached and a primary zircon slurry is applied. Pattern removal occurs in an autoclave at 150–160 °C and 5–6 bar; burnout ramps at 2 °C/min to 600 °C, holds 2 h, then ramps at 5 °C/min to 1,000 °C with a 2 h hold. Stainless steel is poured at 1,550–1,600 °C into preheated shells. Terminal parts include valve bodies, pump casings, impellers, and sanitary fittings.
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Within the manufacturer’s casting-pattern portfolio, 3D Systems VisiJet FTX Cast Plastic for SLA Systems is described for selected stereolithography configurations where the build engine has been qualified for the material’s laser wavelength, recoater configuration, and temperature-control envelope. The product is a castable polymer/wax pattern resin rather than a structural SLA material; its primary function is to generate sacrificial patterns for investment casting of precious and ferrous alloys. The commercial identifier should be checked against the current 3D Systems material selection guide, because SDS revisions and printer qualification matrices may separate resin families across platform generations. Unless otherwise noted, the quantitative values in this description are typical supplier-reported values from current technical literature, not independent lot-release specifications.
Because the phrase “for SLA Systems” in the ordering description is not a substitution for printer qualification, users should confirm that the exact build engine, not merely the resin family, appears on the manufacturer’s current compatibility matrix. The material’s process window is narrow in comparison with unfilled SLA resins because the thermoplastic wax fraction can separate if the reservoir temperature is held above the recommended upper limit for extended periods. The resin is supplied in light-proof containers; cartridge size and packaging differ by platform generation.
The data below are reported as representative values for specimens built on a qualified platform and conditioned at 23 ± 2 °C and 50 ± 5 % relative humidity. The material exhibits a low elastic modulus, moderate elongation, and a softening range that is compatible with low-stress burnout in ceramic shells. Published data for this specific configuration is limited for some SLA platforms; where the supplier lists a range, process qualification should use the lower bound as the acceptance limit.
| Property | Typical value | Test method |
|---|---|---|
| Liquid density | 0.96 g/cm³ | ASTM D4052 |
| Tensile strength | 31 MPa | ASTM D638-14 |
| Tensile modulus | 1,100 MPa | ASTM D638-14 |
| Elongation at break | 12 % | ASTM D638-14 |
| Flexural strength | 45 MPa | ASTM D790-17 |
| Flexural modulus | 1,240 MPa | ASTM D790-17 |
| Notched Izod impact | 32 J/m | ASTM D256-10 |
| Softening point | 65 °C | Supplier method |
| Melt viscosity at 60 °C | 11 mPa·s | Rotational rheometry |
| Ash content | <0.02 wt% | ASTM E1131 |
Because the material contains a dispersed wax phase, the measured tensile and flexural values are sensitive to build orientation. Upright specimens may show lower elongation than flat specimens due to layer-boundary localisation. The ash content, measured by thermogravimetric analysis under ASTM E1131, is the critical specification for investment casters; a value above 0.02 wt% typically indicates incomplete burnout, mould residue, or contamination from support material residues. If the current revision of the supplier datasheet differs from the values above, the supplier datasheet governs.
For SLA-based production cells, build parameter qualification begins with the derivation of a working curve from a multi-exposure test coupon. The critical exposure and penetration depth are lot-dependent because filler settling and wax crystallisation alter the photosensitive response over storage. The recoater gap, blade speed, and build chamber temperature interact with the low melt viscosity of the unpolymerised wax fraction; resin-level defects and edge curl are observed when the chamber temperature falls below the softening range. Patterns grown at a layer thickness of 0.050 mm usually display lower stair-stepping and improved edge retention, but the build time increases relative to a 0.100 mm layer. On production-scale SLA cells with a recoater blade, filled resins of this class can increase recoater blade wear compared with unfilled resins; users should monitor blade edge condition and resin-level consistency.
Support structures should be sparse and have slightly rounded contact tips to reduce surface pitting during removal. After the build, the pattern is rinsed in the manufacturer-designated solvent. Solvent immersion longer than 60 s is not recommended because the wax fraction is partially soluble in the cleaning medium, which can create microporosity and shift pattern weight. Final handling hardness develops after cooling or a brief post-cure; over-cure is not desirable because it raises crosslink density in the non-wax fraction and can interfere with the initial melt-flow stage of burnout.
In investment-casting practice, VisiJet FTX Cast Plastic is formulated for standard lost-wax processing. The pattern softens before decomposition, which limits ceramic-shell stress during the early flask ramp. This behaviour is particularly important for thin sections below 0.4 mm that would otherwise crack the shell if the pattern expanded as a rigid solid. The following table gives a representative burnout window for wax-containing castable pattern resins in phosphate-bonded investments. The values are not universal and must be adjusted for flask diameter, pack density, and alloy pouring temperature.
| Process variable | Typical window | Control basis |
|---|---|---|
| Investment type | Phosphate-bonded / gypsum-bonded for low-temperature alloys | Foundry standard |
| Initial flask ramp | 2–5 °C/min to 150 °C | Pattern softening step |
| De-wax plateau | 30–60 min at 150–200 °C | Remove liquid wax fraction |
| Primary burnout ramp | 1–3 °C/min to 650–750 °C | Oxidise residual carbon |
| Final hold | 1–4 h | Furnace load-dependent |
| Atmosphere | Air / oxidising | Prevent carbon flake formation |
| Residual ash target | <0.02 wt% | ASTM E1131 |
Residual ash below 0.02 wt% is achievable only when the furnace atmosphere remains oxidising and the load is not packed too tightly. Carbon flake formation, sticking of the cast metal surface, and black specks in the mould cavity are typically caused by insufficient oxygen exchange rather than the resin alone. For continuous production, a furnace with a calibrated air inlet and a temperature recorder trace is used to demonstrate repeatability of the final hold segment. Pattern weight loss during burnout can be monitored by thermogravimetric analysis; the exact onset temperature of rapid mass loss is formulation-specific.
Compared with unfilled SLA casting resins such as 3D Systems Accura CastPro Free, VisiJet FTX Cast Plastic trades higher stiffness for a softer and more ductile response. The lower flexural modulus of approximately 1,240 MPa reduces shell cracking risk during initial heating, but it also makes large flat sections more prone to sag if the build platform is unloaded while the part is still above the softening range. Unfilled casting SLA resins typically exhibit higher tensile modulus and lower elongation; they may retain sharper edges but can show brittle failure during support removal for fine filigree. Standard engineering SLA resins with higher crosslink density are generally unsuitable as sacrificial patterns because clean burnout is not designed into their formulation and residual ash can exceed acceptable foundry limits.
Compared with injection-moulded foundry wax, the additively produced FTX pattern eliminates tooling lead time but may retain layer striations that require smoothing before high-gloss jewellery casting. For fine filigree jewellery patterns, the low elastic modulus is an advantage because it permits the pattern to relax slightly during shell drying without cracking. For larger industrial castings, the same compliance becomes a disadvantage because unsupported horizontal surfaces can creep. The geometry-dependent trade-off must be evaluated with bridge specimens and overhang coupons before production.
For dimensional tolerances tighter than ±0.3 %, a single global scale factor is insufficient. The resin lot’s working curve, build chamber temperature drift, and post-rinse solvent retention shift part dimensions independently. Flat plates longer than 50 mm are particularly sensitive to temperature drift greater than ±2 °C. Where the foundry cannot accept this tolerance, an empirical shrinkage model derived from batch-specific test coupons is used instead of the supplier’s nominal offset.
Because the material is supplied as a sacrificial casting pattern resin, it is not intended for load-bearing or functional end-use parts. Pattern storage at temperatures above 40 °C may cause dimensional relaxation. Exposure to ketone-based solvents, amine-containing cleaners, or long-chain glycol ethers may attack the wax fraction and must be avoided. Eu REACH, RoHS, and other restricted-substance compliance must be verified with the current safety data sheet and supplier declaration; this description does not assert global conformity. Biocompatibility, food-contact suitability, and USP Class VI status are not part of the standard product bulletin, and published data for these applications is limited. Foundries casting reactive metals must validate shell permeability and decomposition residues separately, because residue species that are acceptable for gold or stainless steel may be incompatible with titanium, magnesium, or aluminium-lithium alloys.
