Building on their patented clear resin technology, leading rapid prototyping
resin innovator DSM Somos® has announced the commercial availability of
WaterClear® Ultra, a highly clear, colorless stereolithography (SL)
resin. In color comparison testing, WaterClear Ultra has been shown to be the
clearest SL resin available on the market today.
Using a colorimeter (an instrument used to measure the amount of color and
light able to pass through plastic), percent light transmission values were
compared between WaterClear Ultra and various plastic samples, including a
competitive polycarbonate-like SL resin and two commonly used clear
engineering plastics: polycarbonate and acrylic. Transmission data showed
WaterClear Ultra closely mirrored the behavior of the high clarity acrylic and
demonstrated higher clarity than the commercial grade polycarbonate sheet (See
graph to the right).
“Clear SL resins are in growing demand,” says Somos Marketing Manager Eva
Montgomery. “Simply put, they translate into better looking prototype lenses,
packaging materials, and more.”
In the automotive sector, beta test feedback on WaterClear Ultra includes
assessments that the resin’s clarity resembles that of milled acrylic in both
thin and thick sections. Shawn Zindroski, President of Added Fabrication
Studio Morpheus
Prototypes, LLC (Torrance, Ca), states, “In the past, clear SLA materials
had a green or blue tint, or even appeared hazy. Now, with WaterClear Ultra,
not only do the parts come out of the SLA machine with phenomenal clarity and
excellent side walls, but in secondary finishing WaterClear Ultra sands and
takes automotive clear coats extremely well.”
He continues, “Also in the past, headlight lenses and inner lenses needed to
be made out of milled acrylic, but with WaterClear Ultra we can now make them
via the stereolithography process. This reduces the turnaround time for my
clients and opens the door for more clear part applications.”
Martin Colombo, Rapid Prototyping Manager of
Accelerated Technologies Inc., states, “WaterClear Ultra parts are so
clear, they can be used right off the machine in many cases— saving finishing
time and cost for my customers.”
WaterClear Ultra is now commercially available through DSM Somos directly, as
well as through exclusive Somos distribution channels.
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