Somos® Element™

Somos® Element™ for High-Precision Investment Casting Patterns

Technical Overview

Somos® Element™ is an antimony-free stereolithography photopolymer specifically formulated to improve the quality and repeatability of 3D printed investment casting patterns. The material is engineered for an exceptionally clean burnout cycle, leaving a near-suitable void in the ceramic mold. Its key differentiator is the minimal (<0.005%) ash residue, which is lightweight and easily removed, streamlining the casting workflow and eliminating a common source of casting defects.

Casting Performance and Part Quality

The primary performance benefit of Somos® Element™ is its contribution to flawless final metal parts. The material's high dimensional stability ensures that patterns remain accurate during handling, shipping, and storage. Combined with good green strength, this reduces the risk of breakage before the shell is built. The result is a more reliable casting process with significantly lower rates of rework and reduced time spent on mold preparation and post-casting cleanup.

Design and Processing Considerations

This material is ideal for producing patterns with complex geometries, fine features, and rapid-drain designs that optimize casting efficiency. As an SLA material, it produces parts with a smooth surface finish, which translates directly to the final casted metal part. Support structures are built from the same material and must be carefully removed during post-processing to ensure pattern accuracy. The material’s low viscosity also facilitates quick part draining and straightforward cleaning.

Lifecycle: Production Tooling

Somos® Element™ is a production-focused material used to create sacrificial patterns, which are a critical tool in the investment casting manufacturing process. It enables the direct production of tooling from a CAD file, bypassing traditional tool-making steps to accelerate the delivery of specified, end-use metal components for a wide range of industrial applications.