Using a colorimeter—an instrument used to measure the amount of color and light able to pass through plastic—light transmission values were compared between WaterClear Ultra and various plastic samples, including a competitive polycarbonate-like SL resin and acrylic. The data revealed that WaterClear Ultra closely mirrored the behavior of the high clarity acrylic.

WaterShed XC is a low viscosity liquid photopolymer that produces strong, water-resistant, ABS-like parts. Most importantly, parts created with WaterShed 11122 are nearly colorless, and look more like true, clear engineered plastic.

“WaterShed 11120 performs like ABS but looks more like glass with a slight green tint,” says Mike Primavera, president of New York-based Dynacept, a rapid prototyping service bureau.

Building on Somos’ patented clear resin technology, WaterShed XC has been formulated with the DSM Somos Oxetane Advantage™— an advanced chemistry platform that produces parts with water resistance and dimensional stability. WaterShed XC 11122 is now commercially available throughout the United States and Europe.

“WaterShed XC maintains all the great performance properties, but without the color. This makes it highly suited for parts such as lenses or clear covers for automotive, medical and consumer product applications. We see it as a huge improvement.” says Jason Morgan of Texas-based Harvest Technologies.

“WaterShed XC offers a substantial improvement over WaterShed 11120 in terms of aesthetics,” Morgan adds. “Without any degradation of the mechanical properties, you lose the green hue and gain the ability to produce practically crystal-clear parts. Being able to produce functional ABS-like SL parts with that level of optical clarity is a significant advancement.”

To find more information or a service bureau that is running the material, visit www.dsmsomos.com.