What is Stereolithography 3D Printing?
Stereolithography (SLA) is an industrial 3D printing process which offers the industries best precision and speed, with minimal need for support structures. Our SLA machines enables the production of intricate parts with tight tolerances, making it suitable for a range of demanding industries such as aerospace, automotive, robotics, consumer products and high quality visual prototypes. Its efficiency, high quality surface finish and versatility make SLA a valuable technology in both rapid prototyping and end-use manufacturing applications alike.
Forge Labs uses 3D System's industrial SLA machines which offer the largest build envelopes commercially available, able to produce parts up to 1500 mm (59 inches) in a single build. Layers are cured by ultraviolet laser through a process called vat photopolymerization to solidify the pattern layer by layer. Unlike desktop SLA machines, our parts are produced underneath the resin which dramatically reduces peeling forces. This allows for our parts to be produced with superior mechanical properties, surface finish and accuracy compared to inverted stereolithography.
Manufacturing using Stereolithography (SLA) 3D printing services is ideal for printing high detail prototypes, master patterns, tools, molds, dies, jigs, fixtures or any application where surface finish, accuracy and product aesthetics are critical.

59" x 30"
Max X/Y Build Volume
± 0.2
MM Part Tolerances
6
High Performance Materials
2-5 Day
Average Lead Time
Engineering Resins| Stereolithography

Accura Xtreme White 200
Exceptionally Strong & Durable
Accura Xtreme White (XTW) is an exceptionally tough, and highly accurate industrial grade resin for demanding applications. Accura XTW resin is highly versatile, making it ideal for a number of applications from concept models to functional assemblies that require high fatigue resistance such as snap fits & enclosures. The outstanding surface finish makes it also ideal for creating master patterns for both vacuum casting & molding.
Tensile Strength | 50 MPa |
Tensile Elongation | 20 % |
Flexural Strength | 79 MPa |
Impact Strength | 66 J/m |
Heat Deflection (@ 0.45 MPa) | 47 °C |

Accura Clearvue
General Purpose Transparent Parts
Accura ClearVue material is a ideal for models requiring high clarity. This transparent material that simulates the properties and appearance of Polycarbonate and ABS. This material is ideal for design validation, water flow testing, and packaging.
Tensile Strength | 53 MPa |
Tensile Elongation | 3-15 % |
Flexural Strength | 84 MPa |
Impact Strength | 67 J/m |
Heat Deflection (@ 0.45 MPa) | 51°C |

Accura 25
Polypropylene Like Material
Accura 25 simulates the both the material properties and aesthetics of molded Polypropylene. Accura 25 provides excellent surface finish, durability and elongation strength which allows 3D prints of highly accurate and attractive prototypes that test fit, form and function with outstanding accuracy and dimensional stability.
Tensile Strength | 58 MPa |
Tensile Elongation | 20 % |
Flexural Strength | 58 MPa |
Impact Strength | 22 J/m |
Heat Deflection | 63 °C |

Accura Bluestone
High Temperature Nano Composite
Accura Bluestone is a high temperature, ultra stiff nano composite ideal for the manufacturing of stable parts. With a post-cure heat deflection of 284°C @ 0.45 MPa, Accura Bluestone is one of the most thermally stable resins available.
Tensile Strength | 68 MPa |
Tensile Elongation | 2.4 % |
Flexural Strength | 154 MPa |
Impact Strength | 17 J/m |
Heat Deflection (Postcure) | 284°C @ 0.45 MPa |

Black Prototyping Resin
Rigid Black Resin
Forge Lab's prototyping resin simulates black ABS articles for functional prototyping and production parts in industrial grade resins. Offering both strength & rigidity for low demand applications where a smooth, black finsh is critical such as concept models and form and fit testing.
Tensile Strength | 45 MPa |
Tensile Elongation | 5 % |
Flexural Strength | 76 MPa |
Impact Strength | 47 J/m |
Heat Deflection (@ 0.45 MPa) | 54 °C |
Material Surface Finishes | Stereolithography
Standard
Support structures removed and defects sanded to a uniform finish
Standard Transparent
Support structures removed and part is clear coated to improve opacity
Design Guidelines | Stereolithography

Maximum Build Volume
1500 x 750 x 550 mm (59 x 30 x 22 in.)Stereolithography offers the largest build volume of any 3D Printing technology with a capacity of: 1500 x 750 x 550 mm (59 x 30 x 22 in.), and a standard layer thickness of 50-200 um depending on the size of your part. This makes SLA well-suited for producing large, complex parts or for batch production of smaller parts with exceptional accuracy and surface finish.

Tolerances
Stereolithography is capable of achieving very high levels of dimensional accuracy and precision, allowing for the production of parts with very tight tolerances. Generally, SLA printers can achieve tolerances of around +/- 0.2mm or better. Achieving high tolerances with SLA printing requires additional calibration and design attention. Factors such as part geometry, printing orientation, and support structures can all affect the final accuracy and precision of SLA printed parts.

Layer Height
25 - 100 Microns
Surface Finish
Uniform, SmoothOptimizing your designs for Stereolithography help keep manufacturing costs down. Price is primarily based upon the volume of resin consumed to manufacture your parts as well as the X, Y, & Z extents of your part which affect the run-time cost. Small, hollow parts are priced the most competitively in Stereolithography. It is important to keep your wall thickness and hollow out any dense sections of your part.
Why Use Stereolithography
Stereolithography (SLA) 3D printing offers high accuracy and precision, excellent surface finish, material versatility, the ability to create complex geometries, fast printing speed, high resolution, and cost-effectiveness for low to medium batch production. SLA enables the production of intricate parts with tight tolerances, making it suitable for industries such as aerospace and automotive. Its efficiency, versatility, and ability to produce high-quality prints make SLA a valuable technology in additive manufacturing.
Stereolithography is known for its versatility in material selection, supporting a wide range of resin formulations with different properties, such as rigid, flexible, or transparent materials. This diversity allows engineers and designers to choose the most suitable material for their specific application requirements. For instance, medical devices may require biocompatible resins, while functional prototypes may benefit from highly durable or heat-resistant materials. The material versatility of SLA broadens its applicability across various industries, facilitating the production of parts with tailored characteristics.
Case Studies | Stereolithography

How to paint & finish SLA 3D printed parts and give them a final product aesthetic.

How Forge Labs helped redesign & prototype and the new iconic Tim Horton's lid.

How Forge Labs creates ultra-high detail architectural models using Stereolithography.