Note:
The following instructions and settings have been validated for the Form 3 and Form 3B using Model Resin V3. To ensure consistent fitment on these printers, perform a Fit Tuning Test.
Model Resin V2 application guides:
Model Resin prints at 50 microns and 100 microns.
Note:
To learn more about the performance or specific material properties of Model Resin, please refer to the Safety Data Sheet (SDS) and Technical Data Sheet (TDS). Always consult the SDS as the primary source of information to understand safety and handling of Formlabs materials.
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Workflow overview
Scan
In order to plan the treatment and design the model, use an intraoral scanner to scan the patient’s dentition directly or a desktop optical scanner on a PVS impression.
Design
Use a dental CAD software package to process and design the model before printing. Choose a software that has open STL/OBJ/3MF file export and that aids in designing the types of models that you prefer. The exact design steps vary for each software package, so contact the software provider for details on generating a model from patient scans.
Follow these basic steps within your CAD software to design and prepare models for printing:
Design settings for restorative dental models
Using the correct dental CAD settings and parameters to generate restorative dental models is critical. Perform a Fit Tuning Test to ensure accuracy for each material and layer thickness.
Validated dental CAD software materials settings and libraries
Designing in 3shape
In the Model menu, select Formlabs Model as the material.
Additional offsets are available in the CAD settings dropdown:
In the Model menu, select the first, third, and fourth thumbnails to enable removable die models, solid models, and individual working dies.
Note:
Solid die models with working dies are recommended for their fixed abutment position in contact and occlusion checks.
Designing in exocad
When designing the model, use the Model Type preset to select the appropriate model type.
Note:
Solid Model with extra dies is recommended for its fixed abutment position in contact and occlusion checks.
Go to Plateless Model Design > Settings and select Formlabs - Form 3B nov21 as the preset printer.
In the Presets dropdown menu, select the preferred fitment:
Preparing the model in PreForm
Step 1: Open a scan in PreForm
After saving your scans as an STL/OBJ/3MF file, open the files by clicking File > Open in the menu bar.
Step 2: Material and print settings
In the printer menu, select Model as the resin type, and select Model V3 as the subtype.
The 100 micron layer thickness is highly accurate and prints twice as fast as 50 microns print settings. Both settings meet the application accuracy requirements.
Step 3: Orientation and supports
Orient arches or models directly on the build platform.
Click Select Base... and select the flat surface of the model. The model rotates so that the selected face is parallel with the build platform, ensuring maximum contact.
Position the arches so the anterior teeth are facing the center of the build volume, perpendicular to the mixer.
Select the dies and click Auto-Generate Selected in the support menu. Confirm or edit the generated support touch point locations.
Overlap the support rafts for the dies and position them centrally on the build platform.
Printing
Step 1: Shake the cartridge and check the tank
For best results, maintain a dedicated resin tank for Model Resin. Before beginning a print with Model Resin, shake the resin cartridge and stir the resin in the tank. This ensures the pigment is properly mixed.
Step 2: Check the resin tank
Form 2
For the best printing results, use Resin Tank LT and replace the tank when it reaches the end of its lifetime.
Note:
Fit tuning has not been validated for use with the Form 2.
Step 3: Send to the printer
Once all models are properly configured in PreForm, save the FORM file, choose a print job name, and send the print job to the printer.
Step 4: Confirm print
Confirm the uploaded print job on your printer’s touchscreen to start the print.
Finishing
When removing flat parts from the build platform, consider using the flush cutters included in the Finish Kit to release the model at its corner edge. Use the part removal tool to release parts with a chamfered edge and the scraper to detach dies from the build platform.
The Form Wash agitates the solvent bath and removes parts from the bath after a set time. Wash parts according to the support article Form Wash time settings.
If applicable, remove support structures, then use a file or a handpiece to sand support touchpoints. Remove any small skirt-like features that print on the base of the part with a file or a rotating handpiece. A large skirt may block the insertion of the die.
Adjustments in post-processing
If the die is fitting just slightly too tight, spray a fine powder, such as indicating spray or titanium oxide spray, below the margin to lubricate the surface slightly and improve the fit. Quickcheck and Occlude are common brands. Fine powder spray is recommended to lubricate dies with a tight fit, but it is not necessary if the models fit as expected.
Post-curing requirements
Refer to the support article Form Cure time and temperature settings for post-curing recommendations.
Additional resources
