NEW
Welcome to the new eSUN website! • Now in beta. Your feedback helps us make it better.
Feedback →
eSUN Wiki
Wiki Menu
esun wiki Industry Knowledge Material Knowledge Photopolymer Materials Transparent Resin

Transparent Resin

What is Transparent Resin?

Transparent Resin (acrylic-like resin) is a photosensitive polymer that maintains high light transmittance and a low yellowing index after UV curing. It belongs to the SLA/LCD/DLP vat photopolymerization family of 3D printing materials. Its defining characteristic is a cured texture that closely resembles acrylic and glass, making it suitable for transparent housings, light-guiding elements, and structural assembly verification prototypes.

Transparent resins typically employ low-chroma monomers and aliphatic urethane acrylate oligomers to minimize yellowing caused by UV curing at the formulation level. Light transmittance in the visible spectrum generally exceeds 90%, with a refractive index of approximately 1.49-1.52, approaching the optical performance of ordinary glass. Unlike standard resins, which may appear slightly yellow or translucent after curing, transparent resins are engineered for extreme clarity and color neutrality.

High Transmittance

Light transmittance in the visible spectrum typically exceeds 90%, with a cured clarity close to glass and acrylic.

Low Yellowing Index

Formulated with low-chroma monomers and aliphatic urethane acrylate oligomers to control post-cure yellowing.

Glass-Like Refractive Index

Refractive index of approximately 1.49-1.52, approaching ordinary glass for light-guiding and optical display applications.

Post-Processing Enhancement

Sanding, polishing, and UV clear-coat spraying can achieve optical-grade transparency, further improving clarity.

Why Transparent Resin for 3D Printing?

01Extreme Clarity

Post-cure transmittance exceeds 90%, with a texture rivaling acrylic and glass, ideal for transparent housings and concept prototypes.

02Yellowing Resistance

Low-chroma formulation keeps the yellowing index low after UV curing, maintaining clarity over extended use.

03High Toughness and Impact Resistance

Unlike brittle optical plastics, transparent resin combines toughness with clarity, making it suitable for structural assembly verification.

04High Detail Fidelity

Vat photopolymerization produces extremely fine layer lines and smooth surfaces, with crisp internal and edge details on transparent parts.

05Post-Processing Enhancement

Sanding, polishing, and UV clear-coat spraying can achieve optical-grade transparency, further elevating clarity.

06Efficient Design Verification

Quickly prints transparent housings, fluid channels, and concept parts for assembly verification and visual validation.

07Integrated Optical Function

Can produce lenses, light-guiding elements, and lampshades with genuine optical function, expanding functional validation scenarios.

eSUN and Transparent Resin: Material Innovation

eSUN (Esun Industrial Co., Ltd.) continues to invest in photosensitive resin R&D, addressing the industry challenge of "clear but not yellow, clear but not brittle" in transparent printing with an acrylic-like transparent resin that balances high transmittance, yellowing resistance, and high toughness.

Formulation Innovation: Low-Yellowing System The core challenge of transparent resin lies in yellowing resistance. eSUN selects low-chroma monomers and aliphatic urethane acrylate oligomers to reduce yellowing reactions during UV curing at the formulation source, ensuring that cured models maintain high transmittance and color neutrality across the visible spectrum.
High Toughness and Impact Resistance Conventional transparent resins often suffer from brittleness and cracking. eSUN's acrylic-like resin enhances toughness while preserving high transmittance, with excellent internal light transmission. It is suitable for structural assembly verification and transparent appearance concept prototypes, delivering parts that are not only "clear to see" but also "reliable to use."
Optimized Post-Processing Workflow To address the impact of surface layer lines on transparency in 3D-printed parts, eSUN recommends a standardized post-processing workflow: progressive sanding and polishing with 400-grit, 600-grit, then 800-grit sandpaper, followed by spraying an anti-UV high-transmission clear coat or soaking in transparent resin and post-curing. This achieves optimal transparency approaching optical-grade clarity.
Product Positioning eSUN's transparent resin is classified as an engineering-grade photosensitive resin, suitable for mechanical components, molds, toys, automotive, and electrical and electronic parts. It produces room-temperature transparent parts with a texture rivaling acrylic and glass.

Pros and Cons of Transparent Resin

Pros

High Transparency

Transmittance above 90%, with a texture rivaling acrylic and glass.

Yellowing Resistance

Low-chroma formulation keeps the post-cure yellowing index low.

High Toughness

Combines transparency with impact resistance for assembly verification.

Crisp Details

Fine layer lines and clear internal and edge details on transparent parts.

Post-Processable

Sanding, polishing, and UV clear coat can achieve optical-grade transparency.

Cons

Characteristic Description Impact
Light Sensitive Prolonged light exposure may cause yellowing or property changes Must be stored away from light; not suitable for long-term direct strong light exposure
Complex Post-Processing Requires progressive sanding, polishing, and UV clear-coat spraying for optimal transparency High process requirements increase production time and labor costs
Limited Yellowing Resistance Yellowing control under long-term UV exposure is a core challenge and cannot be fully eliminated Transparency gradually declines in long-term outdoor or high-UV environments
Requires Specialized Equipment Needs a vat photopolymerization printer and UV post-curing equipment Equipment and consumable costs are higher than FDM processes
Limited Heat Resistance Photosensitive resins generally have lower heat resistance than engineering thermoplastics Not suitable for high-temperature environments or load-bearing heated parts

Transparent Resin-Derived Materials by eSUN

PM200 (ePLA Pro Resin) Acrylic-Like Resin

PM200 is eSUN's acrylic-like transparent resin, featuring high transmittance and yellowing resistance for room-temperature transparent parts with a texture rivaling acrylic and glass. Clarity improves further after sanding, polishing, or UV clear-coat spraying. The material offers high toughness and impact resistance with excellent internal light transmission, making it suitable for structural assembly verification and transparent appearance concept prototypes.

Key Selling Points

High transparency, yellowing resistance, high toughness.

Product Category

Engineering-grade photosensitive resin.

Downstream Applications

Mechanical components, molds, toys, automotive, electrical and electronic parts.

Usage Precautions Shake the resin thoroughly before printing; maintain a support distance of at least 3-5mm; avoid prolonged light exposure; clean with high-concentration alcohol, then post-cure under a UV lamp for 1-2 minutes. If excessive UV exposure causes yellowing, leaving the model for a period of time will allow it to gradually return to a clearer state.
Post-Processing Best Practices First sand and polish progressively with 400-grit, 600-grit, then 800-grit sandpaper, then spray an anti-UV high-transmission clear coat or soak in transparent resin and post-cure. This achieves optimal transparency approaching optical-grade clarity.

Industry Applications

Industry Typical Applications Material Value
Optics and Lighting Lenses, light-guiding elements, lampshades, optical display parts. Refractive index close to glass and transmittance above 90% enable parts with genuine optical function.
Industrial Design and R&D Transparent housings, fluid visualization models, structural assembly verification prototypes, concept appearance parts. Rapidly validates transparent appearance and internal structure, shortening R&D cycles.
Automotive and Electronics Transparent structural parts, housing prototypes, electrical and electronic component assembly verification. High toughness and impact resistance combine transparency with structural function for engineering validation.
Architecture and Modeling Architectural model glass facades, transparent structure displays, landscape models. High-clarity texture reproduces glass effects, enhancing model presentation quality.
Art and Creative Design Artworks, decorative pieces, customized transparent parts. Transparent texture and detail fidelity support fine artistic creation.

eSUN Application Cases

Transparent Appearance Prototypes

PM200 is used to print transparent housings and appearance concept parts with an acrylic-like texture for design reviews and client presentations.

Structural Assembly Verification

The high toughness and impact resistance of PM200 enable structural assembly verification, allowing internal structures and assembly relationships to be observed.

Fluid Visualization Models

Transparent resin prints fluid channel models, enabling direct observation of internal flow for engineering validation and teaching demonstrations.

Base Material Comparison

Benchmark materials: Standard Resin, High-Strength Resin

Comparison Dimension Transparent Resin Standard Resin High-Strength Resin
Transmittance and Appearance Transmittance above 90%, texture rivaling acrylic and glass May appear slightly yellow or translucent after curing, with limited clarity Typically opaque or translucent, prioritizing mechanical performance
Yellowing Resistance Low-chroma formulation; yellowing resistance is a core advantage Yellowing is more noticeable, prone to discoloration over time Yellowing resistance not emphasized; focuses on toughness and strength
Mechanical Performance Combines transparency with high toughness and impact resistance for assembly verification General toughness, relatively brittle, suited for appearance validation Optimal impact resistance and strength, suited for load-bearing and functional parts
Typical Applications Transparent housings, light-guiding elements, assembly verification, artworks Appearance prototypes, detail display, mock-up samples Functional parts, jigs and fixtures, load-bearing structural parts, engineering validation
Post-Processing Difficulty Requires progressive sanding, polishing, and UV clear coat; high process requirements Simple post-processing, support removal only Post-processing mainly sanding and finishing; moderate difficulty
Core Advantage Transparent resin balances transmittance, yellowing resistance, and toughness, delivering parts that are both "clear to see" and "reliable to use." Combined with a standardized post-processing workflow, it achieves optical-grade transparency, making it the preferred vat photopolymerization material for transparent housings and light-guiding elements.

Transparent Resin Printing Tips

Warning Transparent resin is light-sensitive. Thoroughly shake the resin before printing to ensure uniformity; maintain a model-to-support distance of at least 3-5mm to facilitate post-processing removal; avoid prolonged light exposure to prevent property changes and yellowing. UV post-curing time must be strictly controlled, as excessive exposure may cause yellowing. If yellowing occurs, leaving the model for a period of time will allow it to gradually return to a clearer state.
Parameter / Operation Recommended Value Notes
Pre-Print Preparation Thoroughly shake the resin Ensures uniform composition and consistent transmittance
Support Distance ≥ 3-5mm Facilitates post-processing removal and avoids damaging transparent surfaces
Light Protection Avoid prolonged light exposure Prevents premature resin reaction and yellowing
Cleaning Method High-concentration alcohol Removes uncured resin residue from the surface
UV Post-Curing 1-2 minutes Excessive time causes yellowing; leaving the model can reverse it
Sanding and Polishing 400-grit → 600-grit → 800-grit Progressive sanding avoids deep scratches that affect transparency
Final Enhancement Spray anti-UV clear coat / soak in transparent resin and post-cure Achieves optimal transparency approaching optical-grade clarity

The above parameters are for reference only. Actual settings should be adjusted step by step based on printer model, light source power, and model geometry. This guide does not replace the official parameter sheet for specific product specifications.