Resin or filament: which 3D printing technology to choose

In short

These are two different technologies, not two grades of one material. An FDM printer melts filament - 3D printing plastic in the form of a strand - and lays it down through the nozzle in layers of 0.1-0.2 mm. An LCD printer cures liquid photopolymer resin with a 405 nm ultraviolet screen, layer by layer at 0.02-0.05 mm. Everything else follows from that: resin wins on detail, filament wins on strength, size and simplicity of work.

Detail versus strength

A 0.02-0.05 mm layer means a miniature shows the folds of cloth and the features of a face - FDM simply cannot reproduce relief that fine, and its 0.1-0.2 mm layers are visible on a small figure without magnification.

In return, a resin part is more brittle than any filament: a thin wall snaps under light pressure, and in sunlight the part yellows and cracks over time. A housing, a bracket or a mechanism part is a job for plastic - it bends and carries load instead of shattering. ABS-like resin is tougher than standard resin, but it still does not replace filament.

The workflow

Filament is simple: spool, printer, part. Preparation comes down to drying a damp spool and dialing in the first layer - bed temperature and cooling are listed in each material guide, and an enclosure is only needed for some plastics.

Resin brings a whole support kit with it: nitrile gloves (liquid resin irritates skin, and sensitivity accumulates), ventilation, a 5-10 minute wash in alcohol or water, drying, then 2-5 minutes of curing under a UV lamp - only after that does the part reach full strength. None of it is difficult, but all of it repeats with every print.

The cost logic

With filament the spend is the weight of the part plus supports; the rest of the spool quietly waits for the next project. With resin the material itself is joined by alcohol, gloves and lamp time, and by volume a resin part comes out more expensive. That is why large objects are printed in plastic, and resin is kept for small parts where tenths of a millimetre decide.

What resin is for

Miniatures and figures, dental models, master patterns for jewellery casting, small technical parts. More in the resin guide.

What filament is for

Housings, brackets, mounts, mechanism parts, large scenery - everything that works under load or is simply big. The exact plastic depends on the task: PLA has the best detail among common filaments, and the short material helper narrows the choice down.

If you are choosing for miniatures

The direct answer: resin. Only resin shows facial features and folds of fabric on a small figure. If gloves, ventilation and washing do not fit your room, take PLA - that is a compromise on detail, not on the result; large terrain and scenery are filament work anyway.

Where to buy

Resins are on the resin page, filaments in the catalog. Pickup in Batumi the same day, courier around Batumi the next day, delivery across Georgia in 1-3 days; the terms are on the delivery and payment page. No printer yet? Our 3D printing service prints the model for you.