Should I use resin or filament (FDM) for my project?

Choose resin for the small detailed parts these comments describe, and choose a PLA row when the part is a filament print. Detail, miniatures, strength, and gears are the FDM pages. Resin stays outside the catalog.

The filament rows

PolyLite PLA lists 190–230 °C (374–446 °F), a bed of 25–60 °C (77–140 °F), and 40–60 mm/s. Prusament PLA lists 205–225 °C (401–437 °F) and 40–60 °C (104–140 °F) in the Open Filament Database. The Jet Black page lists 215 °C (419 °F) and 50–60 °C (122–140 °F). ELEGOO PLA lists 190–230 °C (374–446 °F) and 35–65 °C (95–149 °F). PLA is the hub. There is no resin material page.

Where the comments pick resin

r/functionalprint 1b4t3xi needs small parts that keep their detail, including a dental crown, for lost wax, preferably well under £1000. A score-2 comment says SLA is the path if you buy the printer, and otherwise send the file out for industrial SLA or Polyjet. Another score-2 comment says a consumer resin printer should do it and that Formlabs has a guide somewhere. The guide is not linked. A score-2 comment says you also need a wash and cure setup. £1000 and a later $350 photon example are the comments.

r/3Dprinting ru62xj asks whether resin or FDM fits the pictured part. The score-16 comment says resin. The score-4 comment says resin formulas differ, some stronger and some more flexible. A score-1 comment says FDM can do it and will need more post-processing. A score-1 comment says resin is weaker than FDM plastic and is still enough for those keycaps, because the force is compression. Another score-1 comment says the stem, not the cap, is the weak point.

r/3Dprinting t78bsa is a resin gear photo. A score-6 comment says standard resin is brittle and that the print used an engineering resin. The score-62 comment is a joke. Gears is the FDM gear thread, where the worn part was PETG.

A deal, and the cleanup

r/3Dprinting 1d4il5d is a QIDI X-Smart 3 and an Elegoo Mars 4 Max, with filament and resin, for $240. The score-52 comment says that is a good deal. The score-24 comment asks if it was a marketplace listing. The post does not compare a finished part from each process. $240 is the post.

r/3Dprinting 11bokbj is a new Creality Halot. The plate bolts sit in the resin. The score-7 comment says that is normal, says buy gloves, ventilate, and hang the plate so resin drips into the vat. A score-3 comment says add drain holes. A score-2 comment asks whether a wash and cure station was part of the purchase. That is the work resin adds after the print.

Questions