As technology continues to advance, the upgrades to equipment and devices marketed to the public are inevitable. Although the initial hype for 3D printers may have subsided due to high costs and changing market trends, resin 3D printers have had a significant impact on various industries, transforming the lives of many.
Resin 3D printers utilize UV light, typically from a laser or LED, to cure and solidify light-sensitive liquid resin. The process involves layer-by-layer curing of the resin, resulting in the creation of intricate and refined 3D models. This differs from FDM printers, which use melted plastic or filament to produce their outputs.
What Are the Advantages of Using a Resin 3D Printer?
The advantages of using resin 3D printers are numerous. They offer high levels of detail in their 3D models, resulting in precise and delicate designs. The solidification of each layer by UV light makes the final products strong and durable compared to FDM printers' heated nozzle approach.
Resin 3D printers have versatile applications, particularly with resins designed for medical and dental purposes. They can also produce spare parts with smooth finishes, making them suitable for prototyping in manufacturing, automotive, and aerospace industries. With the ability to deliver high-definition 3D models, resin printers are accessible for a wide range of purposes.
Here are the best resin 3D printers of 2023:
1 Creality HALOT-MAGE PRO
Overview
In 2014, Creality was founded as a global pioneer in 3D printing and has since set industry standards. The company boasts four brands of 3D printers, namely Creality, Ender, HALOT, and Sermoon, each iteration of their products being more advanced than the previous. Creality's commitment to innovation ensures the maintenance of high-quality products in its portfolio.
Beyond technological advancements, Creality also places importance on its social responsibilities. In 2021, the company offered support to Robatica Espacial in Brazil, assisting 250 schools in the country. Additionally, Creality aided disabled groups in Tanzania by using their machines to produce medical braces.
The HALOT-MAGE PRO is one of Creality's innovative products, currently available at a discounted price of $539.10. It stands out as an exceptional resin 3D printer with hyper-speed 8K resin printing capabilities and smart features. The company's research and development team's goal is to make 3D printing more accessible to the public, particularly by offering the HALOT-MAGE PRO as an affordable option.
Features
The key features of the HALOT-MAGE PRO include:
170mm/h Printing Speed
The HALOT-MAGE PRO is 3-5 times faster than the average resin 3D printer, capable of achieving a maximum printing speed of 170mm/h and a regular printing speed of 70mm/h. This performance surpasses most resin 3D printers in the market.
Agile Dynax Motion System
The 3D printer's agile Dynax motion system ensures stability during printing, automatically lifting or lowering the build plate in just 1.2 seconds. The system's dual linear rails and close-loop motor minimize vibrations and wobbling of the Z-axis.
Self-developed Algorithms
The HALOT-MAGE PRO contains self-developed algorithms that increase the motor speed to 100mm/s. Coupled with the support-adding algorithm of the HALOT BOX, the printer securely holds the model while performing at high speeds.
10.3" 8K LCD
Equipped with a 10.3-inch LCD, the HALOT-MAGE PRO provides ample space to build large models, up to 228x128x230mm in size. The printer offers 29.7μm XY resolution, resulting in 8K quality prints, an improvement over regular 4K printers.
Integral Light Source 3.0
The HALOT-MAGE PRO utilizes light efficiently during the printing process. With 8000μw/cm² light intensity and 90%+ light uniformity, it ensures a smooth finish without compromising the accuracy of the 3D design.
Smart Air Purifier
The 3D printer includes a smart air purifier that efficiently absorbs resin odors, preventing strong odors typically associated with resin 3D printers. The replaceable activated carbon filter purifies the air, providing a cleaner working environment.
Smart Resin Pump
The HALOT-MAGE PRO features a smart resin pump that can automatically refill or recover 1 liter of resin within 30 minutes, eliminating the need for manual refills and reducing the likelihood of resin stains or splashes.
Powerful CPU and HALOT OS
Equipped with a powerful CPU and HALOT OS, the printer ensures smooth printing operations, synchronizing data and commands from PCs, phones, or the Creality Cloud.
Flip Lid
The 3D printer's flip-lid design allows for easy one-handed operation and is designed to block 99.89% of ambient UV light, preventing ocular damage.
HALOT BOX
Upon purchase, the HALOT-MAGE PRO comes with the HALOT BOX slicer software, providing users with VIP access for one year. This software streamlines the workflow and includes presets essential for creating or refining 3D models.
With its impressive features, high speed, and high-definition printing capabilities, the HALOT-MAGE PRO is a game-changer in the 3D printing industry. Creality continues to uphold its commitment to innovation and social responsibility, making 3D printing more accessible and affordable to users worldwide.
2 Anycubic Photon M3
Overview
The Anycubic Photon M3 offers enough room to print larger models than other resin 3D printers. It provides effortless print removal and 4K+ quality for $239. It weighs 15.4 lbs or 7kg and has a maximum printing speed of 50mm/hr. It's not the fastest in the market, yet it still qualifies as one of the best resin 3D printers, given its affordability and functionality.
Features
The Anycubic Photon M3 is built with a 7.6-inch high-quality monochrome screen that allows a print volume as large as 180x163.9x102.44mm. It's large enough to contain three liters of milk inside. It can produce 3D models with high dimensional accuracy and intricate detailing with a 4096 x 2560 pixels resolution.
This resin 3D printer also comes with an improved build plate. It's now a textured checkerboard pattern, which ensures improved adhesion and a higher print success rate than brushed metal build plates. While its printing speed is not the fastest in the market, it can print a 120mm high miniature in the span of 2.5 hours, which is significantly faster than the 3 hours of other competitive brands.
Clearly, print speed is not its main strength. However, the Anycubic Photon M3 can ensure a better surface finish, containing an LCD screen with 400:1 contrast, significantly higher than the 200:1, based on the test results conducted at Anycubic Lab. It also provides strong light energy that's essential to curing the resin through its LightTurbo matrix light source system, enabling fast 3D printing.
The Anycubic Photon M3 also comes with accessories like gloves, funnels, leveling paper, and free slicer software and is compatible with Windows and MacOS.
3 Elegoo Saturn 2
Overview
Saturn 2 is a large resin 3D printer from Elegoo with an 8K mono display and a build volume of 219x123x250mm. It runs on an open platform and supports various resin materials. Since its founding in 2015, Elegoo has become a leading brand in producing affordable and best resin 3D printers.
They're budget-friendly yet equally capable of producing high-quality 3D models. Currently sold at the discounted price of $349.99, anyone can consistently create quality prints quickly with the Elegoo Saturn 2.
Features
The Elegoo Saturn 2 contains a 10-inch LCD screen in 8K with an HD resolution of 768x4320, ensuring precision and accuracy in its prints. With the measurements of its build volume, it is 43% larger compared to its predecessor. It can also print faster with a cure time of only 1-3s per layer, enabling anyone to print multiple small 3D models in a single batch.
This large 3D printer is designed with scratch-resistant tempered glass with 9H hardness, enabling better light transmission and user protection. It contains a Fresnel lens, which emits a uniform light beam of 405nm from 48 highly integrated UV LED lights, ensuring a smooth surface finish and exceptional printing accuracy.
Elegoo Saturn 2 also promises a reliable printing performance through its double Z-axis linear railway, which enables a steadier and more precise motion. Moreover, its air filtration system can absorb most of the odor produced with its activated carbon air filter. It's undoubtedly one of the best resin 3D printers with an 8K display, sold for under $500.
4 Phrozen Sonic Mighty 8K
Overview
The Phrozen Sonic Mighty 8K strikes the ideal balance of compactness in size and high performance in mass-producing models with ultra-high 8K resolution. With its intuitive design, even first-time users can use this resin 3D printer. This product is the creation of Taiwanese 3D printing enthusiasts who founded Phrozen to create professional and consumer-friendly 3D printers for industrial, medical, and personal uses.
Features
Anyone can create large 3D models with a print volume of 21.8x12.3x 23.5cm of Phrozen Sonic Mighty 8K. Equipped with 28㎛ resolutions, users are guaranteed crisp and sharp designs printed effortlessly. It has a maximum printing speed of 70mm/hr and uses a Linear Projection LED module for its light source to cure resin efficiently, printing 4x faster than traditional 3D printers.
This resin 3D printer also comes with an easy-release build plate in a frosted design, which secures the attachment of the model as the printing occurs. It is also built with solid dual linear rails and a thick T-plate, which help stabilize the 3D printing process, reducing wobbling and preventing layer lines.
At $649.99, purchasing a Phrozen Sonic Mighty 8K package includes every accessory, tool, and user manual needed for operation except the resin. It supports WiFi connection besides Ethernet and USB and is compatible with third-party software like CHITUBOX, Lychee, and other slicers.
5 Prusa SL1S
Overview
Priced at $1999, the Prusa SL1S arrives fully assembled and comes with a free 0.5kg bottle of Prusament resin. It's an upgrade to the line of i3 machines released by Prusa, with an LCD panel for high-resolution and UV LED for curing resin efficiently and delivering a 3D model unparalleled in its level of detail.
This resin 3D printer has a 25% larger print area and prints 3x faster than the original SL1, reducing the exposure time to 1.4 seconds per layer. Together with its built-in tilt mechanism, it can print a 150mm tall object in three hours.
Features
The Prusa SL1S has a new 5.96" monochrome LCD with 2560x1620p resolution, ensuring excellent print quality at high printing speed. It can produce even more details due to the reworked optical system, allowing it to reach 1.4 second exposure time per layer when using the standard 405nm resins.
The main composition of the Prusa SL1S is heavy aluminum, which minimizes vibration and ensures a stable printing performance even with the creation of thin and highly detailed geometry. It also features a quick-release mechanism, which steadies the Z-axis calibration.
With the use of PrusaSlicer, anyone can easily enhance their 3D models with its clear and simple user interface and access over 180 tested and auto-updated profiles for filaments and resins. The SL1S also provides an on-screen wizard as a guide to ensure the whole setup process is accomplished without complications.
While it is quite expensive compared to other resin 3D printers, the Prusa SL1S is highly recommended for users interested in a high-end machine with streamlined software.
Conclusion
Overall, these five resin 3D printers display the best performance in their speed, resolution, and level of precision. All of them offer stability in their delivery. While some are faster than others, each has a unique selling point that empowers the rest of its features. Hence, choosing the best resin 3D printer comes down to the budget and purpose of the user. Based on the criterion of print quality alone, these top 5 resin 3D printers can print 3D models in high definition in varying degrees.
