About the importance of following 3Dresyns Instructions for Use "IFU"

Following 3Dresyns Instructions for Use "IFU" for printing our 3D resins is crucial for achieving good printing results. Cutting corners and failing to follow our IFU as recommended may end up in negative results. As example, let us analyse the results obtained in this publication: Fabrication of Compliant and Transparent Hollow Cerebral Vascular Phantoms for In Vitro Studies Using 3D Printing and Spin–Dip Coating:

These negative findings are due to the fact that our IFU for printing and postprocessing sacrificial resins were not followed. Unfortunately, this negative unjustified judgement blames our 3D resin, ignoring the importance of following our printing and postprocessing IFU.  Clearly speaking, the reported "poor performance and inconsistency of the results" were not reponsibility of the resin itselt but to the printing and postprocessing protocol used by the authors of the mentioned paper, which ignored and did not follow 3Dresyns IFU: IFU for water soluble sacrificial 3D printed resins.

Unfortunately, the authors of this paper besides not following our IFU, nor requested any technical support to overcome their negative results, but permitted themselves to publish that they "believe that this was entirely related to the poor performance of the water-soluble resin and not to the 3D printing technique". This sort of conclusions based on "beliefs" are defamatory and non-scientific. They do not comply with any non defamation & non disparagement policies.

Clearly speaking, 3D resins need to be printed and post processed in accordance to 3Dresyns protocols without any cutting corners, without reinventing the wheel, to ensure optimum results. 

In this second example: Comparison of mechanical properties of 3-dimensional printed and thermoformed orthodontic aligners our 3Dresyn OD-Clear TF was compared with other products for making aligners. The results of the authors indicate that our resin was whitish, non transparent (as shown on Figure 1). Our resin also gave poor mechanical results with the tested conditions.

Unfortunately, here again, our IFU for getting printing aligners were not followed. As reported in the mentioned paper:

"After printing, the samples were removed from the printing platform and washed for 30 minutes in 99% isopropyl alcohol in Wash and Cure Machine"

It is crucial to acknowledge that we do not recommend using alcohols since they decrease the clarity and mechanical strength of most 3D prints as clearly indicated in our IFU for ultra gloss and transparency.

Here again, not following our IFU ended up in negative clarity and mechanical performance since washing the prints with alcohol for 30 minutes destroyed the clarity and mechanical properties of the 3D printed aligners.

Fortunately, the authors of the mentioned paper stated:

"In this study, 99% isopropyl alcohol was used to wash the OD-Clear TF aligners. It is certainly conceivable that the alcohol wash degraded the mechanical properties and impacted the clarity (Fig 1). The authors would like to note that 3DResyns no longer recommends washing aligners with isopropyl alcohol because of hazy and fragile prints but rather suggests a specific wash solution." and "Postprocessing conditions during manufacturing third-party 3D printed orthodontic aligners can negatively impact performance and clarity."

Conclusions

3Dresyns has designed detailed scientific printing and postprocessing protocols to help its customers to get optimum results. It is very important to follow our IFU exactly as written, without cutting corners, without reinventing the wheel, to ensure maximum printing quality.

Note: before publishing any results related to 3Dresyns follow our IFU and comply with our legal terms, permission to publish and non defamation & non disparagement policies.