Alongside our FDM farm we have recently started SLA resin 3D printing. It is a different technology with different strengths: instead of molten plastic from a nozzle it cures liquid resin with UV light, layer by layer, at a few hundredths of a millimetre per layer. The result is a surface with no visible layers and detail FDM cannot reach: facial features, buttons on a coat, chains and scales on a figure a few centimetres tall. In this article we explain how resin 3D printing works, where it wins and where it loses, and why we started with tabletop miniatures and models. Industrial uses of resin get their own articles later.
The photos in this article come from a real customer order: a set of game figures only 8 to 12 cm tall, printed in resin and airbrushed in the colours of the individual players. The customer was very happy with the result, and that is what prompted us to present resin in more detail.
How SLA resin 3D printing works
SLA (stereolithography) builds a part from a liquid photopolymer, the resin, which hardens under UV light. The printer has a vat of resin with a transparent bottom and a build platform above it. Below the vat a UV source shines through a mask that lets light through only where the layer should form. The platform lifts by one layer height, resin flows in and the next layer is exposed. Most current resin printers, ours included, form the mask with a monochrome LCD panel, which is why they are called MSLA.
Two properties follow from the principle, and the rest of the article rests on them. First, resolution: the layer height is typically 0.05 mm and can go below 0.03 mm, with tens of microns in the plane, so layers are invisible to the eye and edges stay crisp. Second, time: the panel exposes a whole layer at once, so the print time of resin 3D printing depends only on the height of the model, not on how many pieces sit on the plate. Twenty miniatures side by side take as long as one.
The work does not end with the print. The part is coated in uncured resin, so it is washed in isopropyl alcohol, the supports are removed and finally it is post-cured under UV light to reach its final hardness and stability. That manual work is part of every resin job and appears in the price as finishing per piece.
Advantages of resin 3D printing: detail, smooth surface, a whole plate at once
- Detail FDM cannot deliver. An FDM nozzle is 0.4 mm; in SLA printing the mask pixels of tens of microns decide. A miniature's face, text a millimetre tall or a fine relief come out legible.
- No layer lines. A resin part needs no sanding or filling; after post-curing it is ready for primer and paint.
- Accuracy down to ±0.05 mm. We hold ±0.2 mm as standard and down to ±0.05 mm on the resin printer on request.
- Print time independent of quantity. A full plate of miniatures takes as long as a single one, so sets and small runs price well.
- Coloured resin. Resins come in colours too, so a simple figure can leave the printer already in its player's colour. The riders in the photo below, however, were airbrushed, which gives a richer, uniform shade.
- Special resins. Transparent, tough and flexible resins exist. If a part has to do more than stand on a game board, tell us what it is for.
Disadvantages of SLA printing and where FDM is better
The other side, honestly. Resin 3D printing does not replace FDM, it complements it for a different class of jobs.
- Brittleness. Standard resin is hard but more brittle than PETG or nylon. A thin sword blade or spear tip can snap in a fall from the table. The fix is a tough resin, or slightly thickening the thin parts.
- Heat. Standard resin does not tolerate higher temperatures. For a part in a car in the sun or next to a machine, ASA, PC or nylon from FDM is the better choice.
- UV and time. Resin in direct sunlight keeps curing, yellows and goes brittle. A varnish or coating protects it; on miniatures the paint itself does.
- Size. The build volume of a resin printer is smaller than on large FDM machines. Bigger models are printed in parts and bonded.
- Manual work. Washing, supports and post-curing cost time on every piece, which is why finishing is charged per piece.
- Price per gram. Resin costs more per gram than PLA or PETG. A miniature, however, weighs a few grams, so on small parts it is not the deciding item.
- Not for food, not for toddlers. Cured resin is safe to handle, but standard resin is not suitable for food contact or as a toy for small children.
SLA vs FDM: when to choose resin
| SLA printing (resin) | FDM printing | |
|---|---|---|
| Layer height | 0.03–0.05 mm | 0.12–0.30 mm |
| Detail and edges | very fine, crisp | limited by the 0.4 mm nozzle |
| Surface | smooth, no layers | visible layers |
| Strength and toughness | lower, standard resin is more brittle | higher (PETG, PA, PA-CF) |
| Heat resistance | low | by material, PC up to 110 °C |
| Part size | smaller, larger in sections | from tiny to large parts |
| Print time | by height, not quantity | grows with every piece |
| Manual finishing | washing, supports, post-cure | support removal |
| Best for | miniatures, models, cosmetic prototypes, small precise parts | functional parts, jigs, production runs |
A simple rule: if the part has to withstand something, FDM. If it has to show something, SLA. If you are not sure, tell us what the part is for and we will choose the technology together.
3D printed miniatures for tabletop and board games
Tabletop miniatures are the ideal discipline for resin 3D printing. The riders in the photo stand 8 to 12 cm tall, and a typical board game or RPG miniature only 28 to 32 mm. On that footprint it carries a face, a weapon, straps and the texture of its base, details measured in fractions of a millimetre. FDM would merge all of it into one lump; resin renders it. We print from your STL files: your own designs, files from miniature creators (you look after the print licence) or a replacement for a lost piece from a favourite game.
What we usually deal with on miniatures:
- A set in player colours. The six riders in the photo are one game and six colours, applied with an airbrush. To save money you can choose a coloured resin and leave the figures unpainted.
- Thin parts. Blades, spears, banners and antennae should be at least 1 mm thick. If the model is thinner, we can slightly thicken it after checking with you.
- Bases. We print the figure and base in one piece, or the base separately, whichever your game needs.
- Larger models. Big monsters, busts and terrain are printed in sections and bonded.
- Runs. From one piece to hundreds. A plate full of miniatures prints in the same time as a single one, and from 10 pieces the price per piece drops.
Priming and miniature painting on request
If you do not want to paint yourself, you do not have to. By arrangement we also provide priming and miniature painting, from a simple tabletop standard to more detailed work. The riders in the photo are an example: each was airbrushed in its player's colour. We agree the scope and price up front based on the number of pieces and the look you want. It is easiest to agree over a photo or picture of the result you have in mind, so send it along with your enquiry.
Where else resin 3D printing fits
Miniatures are the most visible use, not the only one. The same properties of SLA printing, detail and a smooth surface, are useful elsewhere:
- Cosmetic prototypes of small products: housings, controls, connectors, jewellery. The prototype looks like a finished moulding, not a printed part.
- Master patterns for silicone moulds and casting.
- Architecture and scale modelling: building details, small-scale model parts.
- Collectible figures and busts in larger scales.
- Small precise parts for industry: jigs with fine features, transparent parts, replacements for small components. Those get their own articles.
How to prepare a model for SLA printing
The same rules as for FDM apply, described in detail in how to prepare a 3D model for printing. A few things are specific to resin:
- Walls at least 1 mm; details from about 0.3 mm show, below that they get lost.
- We hollow large solid models. It saves resin and money. We add the drain holes ourselves.
- Orientation and supports are our job. Send a clean model without supports and we orient it so the supports stay off the visible surfaces.
- Tell us the scale. For a miniature, a height in millimetres or the game's scale is enough; we rescale the model.
How much does resin 3D printing cost
Resin is a separate material in the 3D printing calculator. The price is built the same way as for FDM: material by weight, machine time, finishing per piece (washing, supports, post-cure) and a one-off order preparation. We break the price down in detail in how much does 3D printing cost. From 10 pieces the price per piece drops by 15 %, from 25 pieces by 25 %.
Our intent is simple: SLA printing should be affordable for a hobby project, a gaming club or a small studio, not only for industry. That is why resin sits in the calculator under the same rules as every other material, and you see an indicative price the moment you upload the model, with no waiting for a quote.
Frequently asked questions about resin 3D printing
What is SLA printing and how does it differ from FDM?
SLA printing cures liquid resin with UV light in layers of 0.03 to 0.05 mm; FDM lays down molten plastic through a nozzle in layers of 0.12 to 0.30 mm. SLA gives finer detail and a smooth surface, FDM gives stronger, more heat-resistant parts.
Are resin miniatures brittle?
Standard resin is harder and more brittle than PETG. It survives normal play; thin blades and tips are sensitive to falls. A tough resin or slightly thicker thin parts help, and we are happy to discuss both.
What scale do you print miniatures in?
From gaming 28 to 32 mm to larger collectible pieces; the figures pictured in this article are 8 to 12 cm tall. We rescale the model to the height you specify and print large models in sections.
Can I send my own STL from the internet?
Yes, we print from your STL, 3MF or OBJ files. With paid models from miniature creators, check that the licence allows printing; for personal use that is the norm, for resale it is not.
Do you paint miniatures?
By arrangement, yes, including priming; the riders pictured in this article were airbrushed. We set the scope and price up front based on the number of pieces and the level of painting you want.
How much does one miniature cost to print?
It depends on size, weight and finishing. A miniature weighs a few grams, so the larger share of the price is manual finishing and order preparation, and that spreads out across a set. The calculator shows an indicative price as soon as you upload the model.
Is cured resin safe?
After washing and post-curing the part is stable and safe to handle. Standard resin is not suitable for food contact or as a toy for small children.
Do you print technical parts in resin as well?
Yes: small precise parts, jigs and cosmetic prototypes. Industrial uses of SLA printing get their own articles.
Have a finished model? Upload it to the calculator, pick the Resin SLA material and you see an indicative price right away. No model yet? Tell us what you want printed and we will take your resin 3D printing from the model to a painted miniature.