ETEC (EnvisionTEC) ETEC Easy Cast 2.0 Light curing resin is a 405 nm digital light processing photopolymer formulated for sacrificial pattern production in direct investment casting. It is used in jewelry, dental, micro-casting, and short-run engineering casting workflows where the pattern must be removed by thermal decomposition rather than melt-flow extraction. The resin is supplied as a liquid photopolymer in batch-coded containers, with viscosity and density certificates issued against the production lot. Processing is specified for DLP platforms operating at 405 nm, with layer thicknesses commonly set between 25 µm and 100 µm. The product is distinct from general-purpose 405 nm engineering resins because its cured green-state network is formulated for controlled burnout inside gypsum-bonded or ceramic-shell investments, not for long-term load-bearing service.

Manufacturer-published uncured liquid data indicate a viscosity of 150–250 mPa·s at 25 °C under ASTM D2196-20 and a density of 1.05–1.10 g/cm³ under ASTM D1475-13. Cured coupon testing according to ASTM D638-14 Type IV specimens places tensile modulus between 1.0 GPa and 1.5 GPa and elongation at break between 5% and 12%. Shore D hardness under ASTM D2240-15 is reported in the 75–85 range. Residual ash after 800 °C air burnout, determined by thermogravimetric analysis in accordance with ASTM E1131-20, is specified below 0.1 wt%. Batch certificates should be checked before production because viscosity and reactivity drift between lots in high-throughput dispensing systems.

How does Easy Cast 2.0 behave during thermal burnout?

Thermal removal of Easy Cast 2.0 follows a thermo-oxidative decomposition route rather than a melting and liquid draining route. The pattern remains solid through the initial flask ramp until the polymer backbone begins to degrade. This absence of a melt-flow phase means that sprue channels and vents do not function as wax drainage paths; they function as gas escape routes and as oxygen access channels. Burnout kilns equipped with active air exchange and programmable ramp profiles are required. In gypsum-bonded investment molds, steam evolution from the mold and volatile decomposition products overlap between 100 °C and 300 °C. Ramp rates through the 150–300 °C interval are typically controlled at 2–3 °C/min to prevent pressure-driven shell cracking. Kiln air exchange of approximately 1–2 volume turnovers per minute is necessary to sustain oxidation and prevent carbon accumulation inside the cavity. Inadequate oxygen supply at peak decomposition produces a black carbon film on the investment face; this film is associated with incomplete filling of thin geometries and increased porosity in cast surfaces.

Independent published kinetic data for Easy Cast 2.0 across multiple investment types is limited. Supplier product literature identifies a low-ash formulation, but the actual decomposition onset temperature shifts with heating rate, oxygen partial pressure, and flask mass. Production-scale burnout cycles used on rack-loaded kilns with 30–50 flask positions therefore require validation trials with instrumented thermocouples placed inside sacrificial flasks. After burnout and mold cooling, loose ash is removed with filtered compressed air or a water rinse before the mold is preheated to casting temperature. Residue remaining in blind cavities is a rejection risk because it can react with molten alloys and generate gas porosity.

Pattern printing for Easy Cast 2.0 requires exposure dose tuning against the specific projector intensity. A nine-coupon calibration grid printed at 50 µm slice thickness is used to establish layer exposure times, typically between 4.0 s and 8.0 s on DLP systems delivering 25–45 mW/cm² at the build plane. These values are machine-specific and must not be transferred across different projector calibrations. Green-state linear shrinkage after post-curing is anisotropic along the build axis, and dimensional compensation is applied by adjusting z-offset support parameters. Thin shank sections below 0.6 mm are more sensitive to overexposure bloom; underexposure causes layer delamination during support removal. Build platforms with temperature-controlled resin trays reduce viscosity drift and improve layer repeatability across sequential prints.

Viscosity and green-state mechanical properties

The uncured viscosity of Easy Cast 2.0 is deliberately low enough to allow rapid recoating in closed resin trays without producing persistent air bubbles in fine filigree channels. The following property profile is compiled from supplier-published data and standard test methods. The values are representative production-lot targets, not absolute design allowables for load-bearing service.

The green-state mechanical profile is set by the need to survive investment slurry coating without tearing fine positive features. The tensile modulus is sufficient for spruing, support removal, and light handling, but the cured material is not a substitute for structural or functional photopolymers. Surface hardness is high enough to maintain smooth pattern finish under repeated slurry immersion, while elongation above 5% reduces brittle fracture during support clipping. Batch moisture absorption in humid environments can lower green-state hardness; uncured resin stored at relative humidity above 60% should be conditioned and dried according to the manufacturer’s handling instructions before use.

Solvent cleaning of Easy Cast 2.0 patterns is performed in 99.9% isopropanol within 2–10 min of build completion. Immersion beyond 10 min is not recommended for walls below 0.5 mm because solvent diffusion causes edge softening and dimensional drift. A two-stage ultrasonic cleaning sequence at 35–40 kHz for 120 s per stage removes uncured resin from microcavities. Air-knife drying follows the second rinse. Post-curing in a UV chamber emitting 365–405 nm at 20–40 mW/cm² for 30–60 min stabilizes green-state strength before investment. Post-cure chambers without oxygen-controlled atmospheres are acceptable; exposures above 60 min produce surface yellowing without meaningful strength gain. The patterns are incompatible with aggressive ester- or ketone-containing solvent primers, which can craze thin sections.

When ceramic shell slurry contact demands low pattern expansion

Ceramic shell investment systems introduce a process conflict between pattern expansion and shell fracture. Cured Easy Cast 2.0 has a higher linear coefficient of thermal expansion than the surrounding investment during the low-temperature phase of burnout. If the ramp through 25–150 °C is too fast, the pattern expands before the shell develops sufficient porosity, generating tensile stress at the shell inner wall. Production lines using ceramic-shell slurries therefore apply a low-temperature ramp of less than 2 °C/min through this interval. The same constraint applies to patterns with thick cross-sections above 5 mm, which accumulate more thermal expansion force than filigree geometries.

Compared with conventional injection wax, Easy Cast 2.0 does not melt and drain from the shell before the shell reaches peak temperature. This difference eliminates wax-injection defects such as sink marks and flow-line shading in the pattern, but it increases the importance of direct oxygen contact during burnout. In ceramic-shell systems with narrow sprue openings, supplemental vent holes or shell perforations are required to supply oxygen to the pattern cavity. A sealed shell with insufficient vent area produces incomplete burnout at the pattern center, leaving carbonaceous residue that is difficult to remove after preheating. Published comparative data for this specific resin in ceramic-shell foundries is limited; shell porosity, slurry particle size distribution, and flask size dominate the allowable ramp rates.

Relative to general-purpose 405 nm photopolymers, Easy Cast 2.0 is not engineered for high-modulus functional use. Its network formulation avoids inorganic fillers that would persist through burnout and create ceramic shell contamination. Relative to conventional wax, the photosensitive resin allows direct digital production of hollow or lattice pattern structures that are difficult to injection-mold, but the printing process introduces layer-based anisotropic shrinkage and requires strict solvent handling controls. The following comparison summarizes the operating distinctions relevant to casting departments.

In casting departments that run multiple pattern materials, the transition from wax to Easy Cast 2.0 requires an adjustment of flask venting and oxygen supply. Operators should not apply wax burnout ramps without modification, because the absence of a melt-phase drainage window changes the gas evolution profile inside the mold. For thin-wall castings with cross-sections below 0.4 mm, lower resin viscosity reduces the risk of pattern bridging during printing, but the same geometry requires extended solvent drying to prevent residual isopropanol from flashing during burnout.