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GET THE ANSWERS YOU NEED TO START RIGHT
This FAQ is your resource for advanced 3D Printing solutions, whether you are a researcher, product developer, or automation specialist. We address how Silicone 3D Printing ensures process repeatability for ultra-tight tolerances and biocompatibility. Learn to precisely realize microfluidics, custom surgical guides, and durable robotic grippers, efficiently moving your projects from concept to final component.
Our equipment has made significant contributions in robotics, medical, and bioengineering fields. Our LinkedIn page shares the latest printing examples weekly. You are welcome to follow San Draw for any updates!
Common consumables include nozzles, printing films, and tubing. We recommend replacing them according to the suggested maintenance schedule.
Yes. A 3–4 hour online session, printed manuals, and step-by-step tutorial videos.
Less than 1%, similar to molded silicone parts.
One-year warranty plus:
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A 2–3 hour online installation and operation tutorial
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A WhatsApp group for support
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Detailed YouTube training videos
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A user manual
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Users can place the order directly in the WhatsApp group, and we will ship via FedEx with a 3–5 day delivery time.
We recommend using San Draw’s consumables to ensure print quality.We deliver our silicone 3D printers worldwide.
We offer free file evaluations and live video demonstrations to help you get started. Our team can also arrange a consultation with a specialist to discuss your specific requirements and introduce our solutions in detail.
If you need to verify equipment and model performance, we provide sample testing and prototyping services, along with a corresponding quote for the testing process.
Others
We provide both one-part silicone and two-part silicone for silicone 3D printing.
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One-part silicone cures at room temperature within 24 hours.
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Two-part silicone requires heat curing in an oven (a household one can work).
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We offer silicones with hardness from shore A 18 to 70.
San Draw silicone is 100% pure, ISO10993 biocompatible, resistant to –50°C to 250°C, chemically stable, non-yellowing, and mechanically robust.
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Our two-part silicones can last for 3-6 months. To keep the silicone in good condition, we suggest storing the silicone in a place that is not directly exposed to moisture and sunlight.
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The shelf life of one-part silicone is 1-2 months. It is recommended to avoid placing it in excessively humid or exposed to sunlight to prevent a shortened expiration period.
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Most silicone materials used in commercial 3D printing are not true silicone. They are typically UV-curable resins, hybrid elastomers, or “silicone-like” materials that only mimic the softness of silicone. These alternatives tend to tear easily and may become brittle or discolored over time.
San Draw uses 100% pure silicone, which provides several critical advantages:
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Superior mechanical and chemical stability
Pure silicone maintains its elasticity and structural integrity even under demanding conditions. It withstands extreme temperatures, exposure to oils and chemicals, and long-term UV or ozone exposure without degrading.
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Long-lasting elasticity and durability
Our printed silicone parts retain flexibility for years. Unlike silicone-like resins that harden, crack, or deteriorate with repeated bending or environmental exposure, pure silicone resists fatigue and maintains consistent performance.
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Authentic silicone properties
Because our material is real silicone rather than a resin blend, it exhibits the full range of silicone characteristics, including high elasticity, biocompatibility, thermal stability, and resistance to yellowing or brittleness. This makes it suitable for functional, load-bearing, or long-term applications.
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Broad suitability for advanced applications
The robustness of pure silicone enables reliable use in soft robotics, medical devices, wearable pneumatic systems, seals and gaskets, functional prototypes, and other applications that demand stable, long-term material performance.
San Draw emphasizes pure silicone because it ensures that the printed parts deliver the true performance, reliability, and longevity expected from silicone materials, rather than the limited durability of silicone-like substitutes.-
Water-soluble support material is a type of support that can be quickly dissolved and washed away using clean water. It is soap-based in nature.
Because silicone remains in a liquid or semi-liquid state during 3D printing, it is far more prone to deformation or collapse when printing overhangs, angled surfaces, internal cavities, or thin-walled structures. This makes support materials essential for stabilizing soft materials throughout the printing process.
The key advantages of water-soluble support material include:
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Easily removed with water—no chemical solvents required
Removal is fast, safe, and more environmentally friendly.
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Enables complex, highly detailed, and fully enclosed silicone structures
It is particularly suitable for air chambers, pneumatic grippers, high-precision surfaces, irregular geometries, and any parts with internal channels or sealed cavities.
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Designed specifically for soft-material printing
Traditional methods struggle to print soft materials with complex shapes. Water-soluble support material prevents collapse and makes soft-material additive manufacturing reliable and feasible.
In summary, water-soluble support material is a key technology that significantly enhances the print quality and geometric complexity achievable with silicone 3D printing, enabling the direct fabrication of soft robotic components, pneumatic mechanisms, and precision elastic structures that were previously difficult to manufacture.-
The water-soluble support material itself does not undergo a curing reaction. However, it is designed to withstand the heat-curing process alongside silicone.
The process is as follows:
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Heating: Once printing is complete, carefully remove the object from the printing plate and place it directly into the oven.
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Simultaneous Curing: The support material remains stable while the silicone cures.
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Removal: After the silicone has fully cured, the support material can be easily dissolved and washed away with water.
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About Silicone
FAM (Fluid Additive Manufacturing) is San Draw’s patented silicone 3D printing technology. The main differences between FAM and FDM are in the printing material and the extruder system.
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FDM: Uses a continuous thermoplastic filament. The filament is fed from a large spool through a moving, heated extruder head and deposited layer by layer to form the object.
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FAM: Uses liquid silicone rubber. The silicone is fed through a motor-driven screw and deposited by a moving nozzle, enabling precise, high-resolution printing of flexible materials.
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San Draw silicone 3D printers offer high precision, with accuracy ranging from ±0.02 mm to ±0.04 mm depending on the model. For a 10 cm printed test specimen, the dimensional tolerance is approximately ±0.1 mm. Please refer to the product catalog for detailed specifications.
FAM uses a robust and precise stepper motor to drive the extrusion system instead of pneumatic components. This reduces the risk of air entering the silicone and lowers both equipment and maintenance costs.
Printability depends on wall thickness, hole sizes, overhang angles, and geometry. We recommend sending STP files for free evaluation.
Common limitations include:
1. Inability to print bristle-like structures
2. Extremely fine surface details may not be fully reproduced.Any layer thickness above 0.1 mm is supported.
We typically use 0.3–0.4 mm nozzles, with larger options available upon request.
Build volume varies by model and nozzle configuration:
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S053: X200 × Y150 × Z100 mm
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S180:
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One-nozzle: X210 × Y200 × Z100 mm
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Dual-nozzle: X150 × Y200 × Z100 mm
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S300:
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One-nozzle: X235 × Y270 × Z150 mm
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Dual-nozzle: X175 × Y270 × Z150 mm
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S400:
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One-nozzle: X235 × Y270 × Z150 mm
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Dual-nozzle: X175 × Y270 × Z150 mm
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Yes. Any gel-like materials are printable.
Supported alternatives include silicone with added powders, third-party silicones, ceramic gels, food gels, conductive gels, hydrogels, and polyurethane (PU).
We use Cura with a dedicated plugin.
Via USB cable or SD card.
San Draw proprietary silicone has excellent stacking performance, though some geometries still require support materials.
We recommend starting with S180 model, as S180 is a mid-sized, professional 3D printer that perfectly balances performance and cost-effectiveness.
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Size Suitability: Its mid-sized build volume meets most object requirements in academic and industrial settings.
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Material Versatility: The Dual Nozzle system supports water-soluble materials, maximizing design complexity and freedom.
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High Value: Highly competitive pricing offers exceptional value for organizations with budget considerations.
For those with a more flexible budget, we recommend S400 model.
It is a more advanced, large-format model capable of printing with two types of two-part silicones OR using two-part silicone equip with water-soluble support material.
You are welcome to contact us and share your files for evaluation so we can recommend the silicone 3D printer that best fits your project.
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Medium-sized models (S053, S180): The key difference is the number of nozzles.
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S053: Single-nozzle printer.
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S180: Dual-nozzle printer that supports water-soluble support material.
Large-sized models (S300, S400): Both are dual-nozzle printers.
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S300: Equipped with 3 material cartridges (a larger version of the S180).
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S400: Equipped with 4 material cartridges, supporting two sets of two-part silicones with different hardness levels.
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A 2-to-1 mixer blends Part A and Part B at a 1:1 ratio. Mixers are consumables and should be replaced periodically.
No. Our printers don't have heating systems on the build platform or the nozzle. All printing and silicone deposition are carried out at room temperature.
The silicone material is specially developed by San Draw, making it resistant to collapsing, clogging and highly suitable for 3D printing processes.
Remove the part and cure it in a household oven.
Our equipment is designed for standard indoor office environments. The entire printing process operates at room temperature, as neither the print head nor the platform requires a heating element. Consequently, the process does not produce any gas or odor, leaving no residue behind.
