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

These PLA rows list 190–230 °C (374–446 °F).

For the lost-wax dental part and the small detailed part, the comments say resin. Resin is not a filament in this catalog. The marketplace post is a used-printer deal, and the cleanup thread is the resin workflow after you choose it.

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

## The filament rows

[PolyLite PLA](/brand/polymaker/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](/brand/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](https://www.prusa3d.com/product/prusament-pla-jet-black-1kg/) lists 215 °C (419 °F) and 50–60 °C (122–140 °F). [ELEGOO PLA](/brand/elegoo/pla) lists 190–230 °C (374–446 °F) and 35–65 °C (95–149 °F). [PLA](/material/pla) is the hub. There is no resin material page.

## Where the comments pick resin

[r/functionalprint 1b4t3xi](https://www.reddit.com/r/functionalprint/comments/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](https://www.reddit.com/r/3Dprinting/comments/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](https://www.reddit.com/r/3Dprinting/comments/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](/answers/gears) is the FDM gear thread, where the worn part was PETG.

## A deal, and the cleanup

[r/3Dprinting 1d4il5d](https://www.reddit.com/r/3Dprinting/comments/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](https://www.reddit.com/r/3Dprinting/comments/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.

Updated 2026-10-18. Sources accessed 2026-10-18. Use case: Miniatures.

## Ranked filaments

| Rank | Filament | Nozzle | Bed | Price per kg |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | Polymaker Polylite PLA | 190–230 °C (374–446 °F) | 25–60 °C (77–140 °F) | — |
| 2 | Prusament PLA | 205–225 °C (401–437 °F) | 40–60 °C (104–140 °F) | — |
| 3 | ELEGOO PLA | 190–230 °C (374–446 °F) | 35–65 °C (95–149 °F) | — |

## What the community says

r/functionalprint 1b4t3xi wants small detailed parts, including a dental crown, for lost wax. The comments say SLA. One mentions a Formlabs guide without a link, and one mentions cleaning and curing. r/3Dprinting ru62xj asks resin or FDM for a small part. The top comment says resin. One comment says FDM works with more post-processing, and one says resin is weaker than FDM and still enough for keycaps. r/3Dprinting t78bsa is resin gears. A score-6 comment says standard resin is brittle. r/3Dprinting 11bokbj is a new resin printer with bolts sitting in the vat. r/3Dprinting 1d4il5d is a marketplace bundle of a filament printer and a resin printer.

## Sources

- [Polymaker PolyLite PLA](https://shop.polymaker.com/products/polylite-pla) (manufacturer)
- [Prusament PLA Jet Black](https://www.prusa3d.com/product/prusament-pla-jet-black-1kg/) (manufacturer)
- [ELEGOO PLA 1.75 mm](https://us.elegoo.com/products/pla-filament-1-75mm-colored-1kg) (manufacturer)
- [Community source, r/3Dprinting t78bsa](https://www.reddit.com/r/3Dprinting/comments/t78bsa/) (reddit)
- [Community source, r/3Dprinting 1d4il5d](https://www.reddit.com/r/3Dprinting/comments/1d4il5d/) (reddit)
- [Community source, r/functionalprint 1b4t3xi](https://www.reddit.com/r/functionalprint/comments/1b4t3xi/) (reddit)
- [Community source, r/3Dprinting 11bokbj](https://www.reddit.com/r/3Dprinting/comments/11bokbj/) (reddit)
- [Community source, r/3Dprinting ru62xj](https://www.reddit.com/r/3Dprinting/comments/ru62xj/) (reddit)

HTML: https://filamentfacts.com/answers/resin_vs_fdm