Material extrusion like fused deposition modeling (FDM) is the most popular polymer 3D printing technology, but resins are resonating among consumers. Resin-based techniques, like stereolithography (SLA), used to only appear in dental labs, engineering departments, and manufacturing facilities thanks to their higher cost. Now that these machines are more affordable , more casual users are considering SLA, raising questions about their safety.

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Unlike FDM, resin printers use photosensitive liquids to print, hardening these materials with UV light. While these liquid resins can create highly detailed prints, they may present more potential health risks than filaments. This toxicity may scare some users away, but resin printing can be potentially safe if you follow the right steps. What Potential Risks Do Resins Pose? The word “toxic” can be frightening, but by the definitions created by the Occupational Safety and Health Administration, any substance that’s suspected of causing injury or illness under some conditions is “toxic.” Under that definition, a lot of everyday materials are potentially toxic, including some perfumes and mattress foams. So, what are the specific hazards with printing resins? The leading risk with photopolymer resins is that they can irritate your skin if they come into contact with it. […]

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