How to Use X-Wax the Castable Resin for Jewelry Based on Real Casting Wax
X-Wax. Complete Guide to Printing and Casting the Castable Resin for Jewelry Based on Real Casting Wax.
About a month has passed since the official presentation of the new X-Wax, a revolutionary castable resin for 3D printing, and we have gathered enough feedback to compile a comprehensive guide to its use, answering the most common questions.
The result of years of meticulous research and an incessant drive for innovation, X-Wax introduces a true paradigm shift in lost-wax casting for jewelry. This castable resin boasts a world first: it's the very first specifically designed for both LCD and DLP 3D printers that contains real wax, with an unprecedented total content of 80%. For this reason, its use differs slightly from traditional resins.
PRE-PRINT PROCEDURE
BlueCast X-Wax is fully compatible with the new generation of monochromatic LCD and DLP printers. It's optimized for both 405nm and 385nm UV light, ensuring maximum performance with any 3D printer.
On the product page, via the link https://www.bluecast.info/x-wax-castable-resin, you can download the available print profiles. As it's a new product, the list of compatible printers is continuously updated and expanded.
Due to its high wax content, this castable resin for jewelry can solidify inside the bottle or the print vat. The optimal operating temperature is between 25°C and 35°C. A printer with an integrated heating system can improve the user experience, but it's not mandatory if the resin is correctly pre-heated.
There are several ways to heat the resin bottle upon arrival. One of the most common is to immerse it in an ultrasonic cleaner for 10 minutes at 45°C, or use a bottle warmer. Alternatively, it's always possible to use a microwave oven (700W – full bottle – lid closed – 45 seconds. If the product quantity decreases, microwave pre-heating times should be shortened accordingly). If the resin solidifies in the print vat of a 3D printer without heating, it can easily be returned to a liquid state using a hairdryer.
Before pouring the resin into the print vat, it's good practice to vigorously shake the bottle for about 1 minute to ensure optimal mixing and let the product rest for an additional minute before starting the print, to eliminate any air bubbles.
To date, from a consolidated sample of over 1000 users, we have noticed that most printing problems, in addition to possibly inadequate model support, are caused by the use of vat films that are too thick and not suitable for castable resins for jewelry. A film that is too thick makes peeling between layers difficult, causing failures, cracks, or poor layer adhesion. If you don't have an adequate film, you can reduce the lifting and retract speeds. It's suggested to use PFA or FEP films with a thickness of 127 microns or less to maximize the resolution of modern 3D printers. The vat film is a negligible cost consumable and should be replaced regularly every two bottles of resin printed.
Within the profiles folder accessible from the product page, there is also a guide to creating and optimizing print profiles for X-Wax and to supporting all castable resins for jewelry.
It's always important to remember the need for accurate printer calibration. While new devices automatically perform Z-axis homing, they don't calibrate platform rotation. For platform calibration, refer to the instructions provided by the printer manufacturer.
It's advisable that the printer you use is located in an environment with temperatures between 18/20°C and 45°C. As mentioned, the optimal operating range is between 25°C and 35°C. For printers with integrated heating, it's recommended to set the temperature to 30°C. Higher temperatures, for air heaters, can lead to foam creation and excessive airflow within the print chamber.
Should you notice any anomalous wax thickening, it's always possible to heat and filter the resin to restore it to its optimal state.
The practical use of X-Wax has nonetheless demonstrated that good practices for using a normal castable resin, if applied diligently, are more than sufficient.
For model support, as with other BlueCast products, it's recommended to use a spherical contact point to ensure that the model's surface isn't damaged during removal.
MODEL CLEANING AND WASHING
For cleaning, both isopropyl alcohol (IPA) and ethyl alcohol can be used effectively. The recommended protocol includes a first immersion in alcohol for 5 minutes, followed by compressed air drying, then a second wash in clean alcohol for 3 minutes, again followed by air drying. As a final step, especially for platinum or white gold castings, it's recommended to spray completely new alcohol on the models and blow with compressed air one last time.
It's recommended to use alcohol with a concentration higher than 95% and to ensure that the formulation doesn't contain acetone. Acetone can compromise both the surface of 3D printed jewelry and the casting result.
For deeper cleaning, an ultrasonic cleaner can be used; however, caution is advised. If the surface of the printed parts appears pitted after ultrasonic washing, it indicates that the machine is too powerful. In such cases, cleaning by simple immersion is strongly recommended.
Before assembling the casting tree, it's important to thoroughly dry the 3D printed models for at least 20 minutes to ensure uniform drying and complete alcohol evaporation.
As mentioned, especially with printers equipped with an air heater, foam might form on the print platform. This material can be recovered and drained into the print vat using a silicone spatula.
Due to the high content of real wax, models printed with X-Wax are softer and more flexible than prints made with other castable resins. BlueCast offers a catalog of over 10 castable resins for jewelry. If the need is to print models with large surfaces and a thickness of less than 3 or 4 tenths of a millimeter, there are other more suitable products. Please note, this refers to surfaces and not to X-Wax's ability to print details and parts even smaller than 4 tenths of a millimeter. X-Wax was developed to work perfectly with 16K printers and even higher resolutions.
These are the physico-chemical characteristics of X-Wax resin. To make it more rigid after printing, a brief UV cure can increase its rigidity and hardness.
- Tensile Strength: 11 MPa
- Elastic Modulus: 170 MPa
- Elongation: 14%
- Temperature at 5% Weight Loss: 175°C
- TGA Test: 0.005% residue.
Thanks to its high wax content, X-Wax is particularly easy to solder to injection sprues. It's always recommended to sand the model at the point where you want to attach the sprue and to melt a drop of wax with a wax welder onto the identified area. This ensures perfect adhesion between the parts and prevents the formation of points where the investment can embed itself. Well-executed solders are fundamental to preventing investment inclusions in cast models.
The post-print procedure is very similar to that of X-One V2 resin, and customers already accustomed to it will not find substantial differences.
INVESTMENT PREPARATION AND BURNOUT CYCLES
Another great advantage of X-Wax is its full compatibility with traditional wax burnout cycles, offering exceptional operational flexibility. Users can choose from a wide range of burnout programs — from conventional to ultra-fast — based on specific production needs and available equipment. One of the most common questions is whether this castable resin can be mounted on the casting tree with wax models. The answer is affirmative: there is no contraindication to creating mixed trees.
Recommended Investments
X-Wax has undergone extensive compatibility tests with a wide range of commonly used casting investment materials. The best results have been obtained using the following investments:
- Plasticast, Optima Prestige, and SRS Classic and others with a water-to-powder ratio of 37:100
- X-Vest v2 with a water-to-powder ratio of 38:100
A crucial step for optimal results is to let the investment cylinder rest for 2 hours before starting the burnout cycle. Always remember to use distilled water to avoid compromising the investment's performance with harmful chemicals present in tap water.
It's also advisable to keep the water used at a temperature below 14°C to avoid accelerating the investment hardening process too much. It's also recommended not to use measuring cups, but to weigh water and powder before preparation.
For optimal investment mixing, you should start by pouring water into the mixer bell, gradually adding the powder. This is followed by rapid manual mixing (1-2 minutes) with a silicone spatula to eliminate lumps. Subsequently, the mixture is mixed under vacuum for 2-3 minutes in the mixer, using variable speed whips for homogeneity. The investment is then poured into the flask, still under vacuum, activating vibration only when fully filled. Vacuum vibration continues for 2-3 minutes.
If you opt for a manual mixer, add the powder to the water and perform a vacuum degassing cycle before mixing. This phase lasts a maximum of 2-3 minutes, always using the lowest speed to avoid incorporating air. It is not recommended to prepare less than 400-500 grams of investment with this method to prevent the manual mixer's whips from being too exposed and introducing an excessive amount of air into the mixture, accelerating its hardening. The use of boric acid is not recommended, as X-Wax castable resin is not subject to expansion during flask burnout.
Recommended Burnout Cycles
- Recommended Cycle (Long):
- Phase 1: Ramp from 0°C to 150°C / Hold at 150°C for 2 hours
- Phase 2: Ramp from 150°C to 700°C / Hold at 700°C for 3 hours
- Then cool to casting temperature
- Standard Cycle:
- Phase 1: Ramp from 0°C to 150°C / Hold at 150°C for 2 hours
- Phase 2: Ramp from 150°C to 450°C / Hold at 450°C for 2 hours
- Phase 3: Ramp from 450°C to 700°C / Hold at 700°C for 3 hours
- Then cool to casting temperature
- Fast Cycle:
- Phase 1: Ramp from 0°C to 720°C / Hold at 720°C for 2 hours
- Then cool to casting temperature
It's not necessary to have a ventilated oven to ensure optimal combustion of X-Wax. If the available oven is static, as is good practice for wax-only trees, it's recommended to invert the flask (with the sprue base facing up) during the last hour of the burnout peak.
DIMENSIONAL ACCURACY
During the development phase, we focused on improving the dimensional accuracy of X-One V2 castable resin. In recent months, we have conducted various tests to observe the resin's reaction to varying washing times, from 2 to 15 minutes.
Models washed for 4-5 minutes maintained precise dimensions. Even very thin caps and micro-prongs showed accurate measurements. The longer the washing time, the more the models are washed away and the more they tend to absorb water from the investment. This phenomenon is more evident in lightweight models with minimal mass.
The percentage of water used in the investment also plays a key role in controlling expansion. A percentage of 40% amplifies the effect, while the most accurate dimensional results were achieved with a 36-37/100 ratio, which also ensured better investment performance.
If it's necessary to cast the 3D resins immediately after washing, as mentioned, it's good practice to perform a quick 5-minute UV cure to completely evaporate alcohol from the models and to make them more waterproof. Sometimes, however, dimensional errors are caused by the slicing programs themselves. For this reason, some software like Chitubox has introduced the option to precisely vary offsets and insets (tolerance compensation A/B) in the advanced options. Positive values if you want to enlarge section details, negative values if you want to decrease them.
COMMON QUESTIONS
What are the differences between X-One V2 and X-Wax?
X-One V2 is an excellent castable resin, based on wax polymers. X-Wax, on the other hand, is a product based on real casting wax. X-Wax is easier to melt and provides better print detail. X-One V2 simplifies the pre-print procedure.
What is the recommended storage temperature?
The recommended storage temperature for X-Wax castable resin is between 10 and 25 degrees Celsius.
What is the printing temperature?
The recommended printing temperature is between 25 and 35 degrees Celsius, but it's still possible to use this 3D resin in a temperature range between 18 and 45 degrees Celsius.
Minimum printable thicknesses?
The minimum printable thicknesses are 20 microns, although for hollow or very large surfaces it is advisable never to go below 40 microns. This is not a factor related to the resin's resolution but to its physical and mechanical properties.
Are models printed with X-Wax more resistant than models printed with wax deposition printers?
Yes, models printed with X-Wax are much more resistant than those printed in wax with traditional printers.
Why do print errors occur, such as marked lines on models or detachment from supports?
The reasons can be varied, but mainly they are due to the use of a low-quality or overly worn vat film. As previously seen, adequate support is also key to perfect prints.
Is UV post-curing necessary?
No, it's not necessary. It's only recommended if you want to prepare the casting tree and investment immediately after printing.
CONCLUSIONS
X-Wax stands out as a castable resin with transformative potential for the entire jewelry industry. Thanks to its exceptional performance and high real wax content, it enables direct 3D printing in a wax-like material using affordable printers in the $400-$500 price range, eliminating the need for initial investments often exceeding €30,000.
If you want to discover more you can take a look to the product page: X-Wax PRODUCT PAGE