Heygears resin reminders

I will be trying out resins for different uses and to, hopefully, find the most appropriate for each type of object that I create.

To help with this, I want to remind myself of the results. I am new to resin printing and these are my experiences and opinions.

PARP10

Described by Heygears as "rapid prototyping".

My Experience:

Surface: Smooth and crisp.

Detail: Very good. Sharp corners.

Toughness: I can drop the models on the floor and for the most part there is no sign of damage, however, thin detail parts are easy to break off.

Flex: Negligible. It'll break if bent.

Ease of use: Very easy. No additional thought needed just position and use auto-supports.

Minimum cure time: 5 minutes.

Heat processing: None

Processing: Miniatures typically need about 10 mins curing and no heat.

I would use this for: Miniatures, non-stressed components and decorative pieces.

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PAU10

Described by Heygears as "ABS-like".

My Experience:

Surface: Slightly soft.

Detail: Moderate. Slight curves on corners.

Toughness: I can drop the parts on the floor with no sign of damage.

Flex: Some. Tricky to break. Bends a bit first.

Ease of use: I've had a few misshaped results. At the moment I'm putting this down to stretch caused by suction as the print pulls away from the release film. The larger the surface area or the more leverage on long thin objects, the more pronounced the issue. I've had to reposition parts to have less leverage and hollow them out more.
For most of my projects, until I know how to use it better, this resin is more trouble than it's worth.

Minimum cure time: 10 minutes but most parts need longer.

Heat processing: For improved performance, up to an hour at 46C.

Processing: For larger thicker models up to 30 mins cure time and optionally an hour of heat. I also find that parts often need to be turned upside down and the curing run again for about 15 mins.

I would use this for: Component cases and small functional parts.

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PAF10

Described by Heygears as "flexible production (PVC-like)".

My Experience:

Surface: Slightly soft.

Detail: Good, sharp corners but a tendency for them to scuff.

Toughness: I can drop the parts on the floor with no sign of damage. Thin parts can break off but they tolerate careless handling better than more brittle resins.

Flex: Lots. Very thin parts sometimes curl slightly.

Ease of use: So far it's been easy. Support marks are more visible than harder resins but they are easy to cut or sand off. I've grown to like this resin and I think I will use it a lot.
For larger models I have noticed a tendency to warp. Some flat surface are not flat, they curve towards one edge. For long thin parts they may twist after printing and over time.
For most miniatures, this if not usually noticeable, but can be an issue with vehicles.

Minimum cure time: 20 minutes.

Heat processing: None.

Processing: Easy. I have only needed to use cure and I'm pleased with the surface finish. I find about 30 minutes cure time is enough for most parts.

I would use this for: Miniatures and functional parts. I was a little sceptical about how this would work with small parts, but once cured, the flex is just right to avoid small parts breaking off easily, yet rigid enough to paint.
I am still deciding how best to print vehicles, or if I should use a different resin for them.

This is currently what I use for all my prints. I'm trying to stick with one resin to avoid the clean up time and mess of swapping resins.

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My 3D print area in Feb 2025

Subjective

The above statements are a bit vague and very subjective. I will adjust them over time as I gain more experience, but they should be viewed only as a rough guide.

Drop Test

My very simple test is to drop the model from about a metre above ground onto a concrete or similar floor. Repeated a couple of times. For most of what I print, I want them to survive careless handling, but I don't need industrial strength.

Curing Times

I use the Heygears cure unit. I find that sending the model to the cure unit is an unnecessary step, especially as I rarely remember to turn on the cure unit in advance. I've sent a couple of test models, to gauge the times, then for most of my prints I manually set a cure time from the dial on the front of the machine.

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Updated: April 2025 and August 2026

I've had more experience and used resin on many more projects so I've revised some of my conclusions.

How things change in under 18 months. The picture in the original article shows not only my very old Ultimaker FDM printer but my previous wash setup for the resin.

My 3D print area in August 2026

That is what the space looks like now, in August 2026.

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