CLEAR CAST 3D PRINTING
Formlabs Clear Cast is a transparent SLA resin that does two jobs. Printed on our Form 4 at layers down to 0.025mm, it produces water-clear parts — light pipes, lenses, display cases and packaging prototypes — that polish to near-glass clarity. It is also a purpose-built investment casting resin: extremely low thermal expansion, under 0.2% ash, antimony-free, so patterns burn out cleanly for foundry casting in any metal. Quotable instantly online.
WHEN CLEAR CAST IS THE RIGHT MATERIAL
- Clear end-use and display parts — light pipes, lens prototypes, display cases, liquid-flow visualisation. Polishes to near-optical clarity.
- Investment casting patterns — clean burnout with under 0.2% ash, no trace heavy metals, antimony-free. Compatible with any metal or shelling system.
- Larger casting patterns — Formlabs recommends it for geometries over 3mm thick, where wax-filled resins struggle.
- Accurate patterns — ±0.15% of the design (min ±0.05mm) per the Formlabs tolerance data.
WHEN CLEAR CAST IS THE WRONG MATERIAL
- Fine jewellery filigree — for ultrafine wire and delicate patterns, Castable Wax (20% wax-filled) is the better casting resin. Both are quotable online.
- Tough functional parts — 6% elongation means it's stiff but brittle. Use Tough 1500 or Tough 2000 for parts that get handled or flexed.
- Hot environments — heat deflection is 73°C at 0.45 MPa. Use High Temp for tooling or thermal applications.
- Outdoor parts — like all clear resins it will yellow with prolonged UV exposure. Use ASA for weather-exposed parts.
TECHNICAL DATA
| Property | Value | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Ultimate tensile strength | 65 MPa | Formlabs TDS, post-cured |
| Tensile modulus | 2.8 GPa | Stiff, glassy material |
| Flexural modulus | 2.2 GPa | Formlabs TDS |
| Elongation at break | 6% | Brittle — not for flexing parts |
| Heat deflection temp | 73°C @ 0.45 MPa | 58°C @ 1.8 MPa |
| Thermal expansion | 94.8 μm/m/°C | Class-leading low — reliable casting shells |
| Ash content | <0.20% | Clean burnout; antimony-free, no trace heavy metals |
| Layer height | 0.025–0.1mm | 25 µm minimum |
| Build volume | 200×125×210mm | Formlabs Form 4 |
| Post-processing | Wash + post-cure included | Polishing available on request for optical parts |
PRICING
Quoted instantly online. Clear Cast is a special-order resin — we order it in for your job and the quote tool shows the exact surcharge and any minimum before you pay anything.
GET YOUR CLEAR CAST QUOTE
Upload your STL, STEP, or mesh file to the quote tool. Price returns in seconds. Card, invoice (trade accounts) and bank-transfer payment accepted. Clear Cast is a special-order resin — we bring it in for your job, so allow a little longer than a stocked material. The quote shows any surcharge and minimum before you pay.