DFM for 3D Printing: A Practical Design Guide
Wall thickness, tolerances, supports, and hole sizing rules for printable parts.
Read the ArticleClear V5 3D Printing Material
Stereolithography (SLA) · General Purpose Resins
Transparent, water-resistant resin that polishes to near-optical clarity.
What Is Clear V5?
Clear V5 is Formlabs' transparent general-purpose resin, producing water-resistant parts that polish to near-optical clarity. With 60 MPa tensile and 2,750 MPa flex modulus, it delivers real mechanical performance alongside its optical properties - suitable for light pipes, flow visualization, and transparent prototype housings.
Formlabs Clear Resin V5, printed with Stereolithography (SLA). Every order is reviewed by our engineering team - no minimum order quantity.
When to choose Clear V5
Choose Clear V5 when your part must be transparent or translucent. It is the only Formlabs resin that polishes to near-optical clarity, making it the default for light pipes, flow-visualization channels, transparent housings, and any application where seeing through the material is a functional requirement.
Clear V5 is mechanically comparable to Grey V5 - 60 MPa tensile vs 62 MPa - so it is not sacrificing strength for transparency. It costs less than industrial SLA WaterShed ($$ vs $$$$) and runs on the Form 4, meaning faster turnaround for parts under 200 mm. For larger transparent parts, WaterShed on industrial SLA is still the correct choice.
If you do not need transparency, Grey V5 is the simpler default - no post-polishing required for a professional finish. If your clear part must also survive impact or repeated assembly, consider whether Tough 2000's toughness matters more than optical purity.
Material Properties
Representative values - process- and orientation-dependent. Full technical datasheet available on request.
Process
Stereolithography (SLA)
Tensile strength
60 MPa
Elongation at break
8%
Flexural strength
105 MPa
Flexural modulus
2,750 MPa
Heat deflection (HDT)
74 °C @ 0.45 MPa
Density
1.18 g/cm³
Max build size
200 × 125 × 210 mm (Form 4)
Min wall thickness
0.3 mm
Resolution / layer
25–100 µm
Relative cost
$$ (1 = lowest, 4 = highest)
Design Guidelines
Plan features to print reliably and assemble cleanly in Clear V5. Need DFM help?
Min wall
0.3 mm - uniform walls improve clarity
Min feature
0.2 mm - at 25 µm layer height
Clarity
Polish required - sand + clear coat for transparency
Max size
200 × 125 × 210 mm - Form 4 build volume
Dimensional tolerances
Typical tolerance on the Form 4 is ±0.1 mm or ±0.1%. For optical-quality surfaces, polishing removes 0.05–0.1 mm of material. Specify which surfaces need optical clarity at quoting so we can orient supports to non-optical faces and minimize post-processing on critical surfaces.
Printing notes
Clear V5 prints on the Form 4 at 25–100 µm layer height. After printing, parts are washed in IPA for 10–15 minutes. Post-cure at 60 °C for 30 minutes under 405 nm UV light. Support placement is critical - contact points leave marks that affect clarity. We orient clear parts to place supports on non-optical surfaces. Achieving full optical transparency requires wet-sanding through 400, 800, 1200, and 2000 grit, followed by a clear coat. As-printed parts are translucent and suitable for diffuser and light-guide applications without polishing.
How Clear V5 Compares
Clear V5 alongside related materials.
| Clear V5 | Grey V5 | Clear V5 | Tough 2000 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Tensile strength | 60 MPa | 62 MPa | 60 MPa | 42 MPa |
| Heat deflection (HDT) | 74 °C @ 0.45 MPa | 71 °C @ 0.45 MPa | 74 °C @ 0.45 MPa | 54 °C @ 0.45 MPa |
| Flexural modulus | 2,750 MPa | 2,750 MPa | 2,750 MPa | 1,500 MPa |
| Elongation | 8% | 13% | 8% | 79% |
| Density | 1.18 g/cm³ | 1.18 g/cm³ | 1.18 g/cm³ | 1.15 g/cm³ |
| Relative cost | $$ | $$ | $$ | $$$ |
When to Use Clear V5
Where Clear V5 fits, where it doesn't, and what to use instead.
Light-pipe and LED-housing prototypes
Polished Clear V5 transmits and guides 405 nm+ wavelengths through wall sections up to 10 mm thick, enabling functional illumination-uniformity testing before injection-mold tooling.
Consumer ProductsFluid-flow visualization models
Transparent walls at 0.3 mm minimum allow direct visual observation of fluid paths, mixing zones, and bubble formation inside printed channel geometry.
EngineeringTransparent enclosure prototypes
60 MPa tensile and 105 MPa flex strength let clear housings survive assembly with electronics, connectors, and internal brackets - not just visual mock-ups.
Consumer ProductsMicrofluidic and lab-on-chip prototypes
25 µm layer height resolves channels down to 0.3 mm width, and optical clarity allows observation of reagent flow, mixing, and reaction zones.
Medical DevicesArchitectural fenestration and glazing studies
Clear printed windows and curtain-wall elements at 1:20–1:50 scale simulate daylight transmission and facade transparency in presentation models.
ArchitectureStrengths
- Near-optical transparency when sanded and clear-coated - the only Formlabs resin that produces truly see-through parts
- 60 MPa tensile and 105 MPa flex strength - mechanically stronger than WaterShed (50 MPa) with equivalent optical capability
- $$ cost tier on the Form 4 vs $$$$ for industrial SLA WaterShed - same function at a fraction of the cost for parts under 200 mm
Keep in mind
- As-printed parts are translucent, not clear - achieving optical transparency requires wet-sanding through 800–2000 grit and clear coating, adding 1–2 days of post-processing
- 8% elongation is lower than Grey V5 (13%) - parts are more brittle under impact; use Tough 2000 if the clear part must also survive drops or assembly stress
- Yellows under prolonged UV exposure - apply UV-resistant clear coat and store away from direct sunlight; not for outdoor display
Finishes & Colors
Finishing options and in-stock colors for Clear V5.
Standard
Washed, post-cured; translucent as-printed surface.
Best for: Concept models, diffusers
Polished Clear
Wet-sanded through 2000 grit and clear-coated for optical transparency.
Best for: Lenses, light pipes, flow visualization
In-Stock Colors
Clear / Translucent
Custom colors and dyeing available on request. Contact us for options.
Clear V5 FAQ
As-printed, Clear V5 is translucent - you can see shapes and light through it but not fine detail. Full optical clarity requires wet-sanding through progressive grits (up to 2000) and applying a clear coat. The result approaches acrylic clarity for prototype validation.
Clear V5 runs on the Form 4 at $$ cost with faster turnaround for parts under 200 mm. WaterShed runs on industrial SLA at $$$$ but handles larger parts (380 mm³). Mechanically, Clear V5 is stronger (60 MPa vs 50 MPa). Both achieve near-optical clarity with post-polishing. Choose Clear V5 for cost and speed; WaterShed for size.
Clear V5 is used for prototype lenses and light-path validation. After polishing and clear-coating, it transmits light well enough for focal-point testing and illumination-uniformity studies. For production optics, injection-molded acrylic or polycarbonate is required.
Like all photopolymer resins, Clear V5 can yellow with prolonged UV exposure. Apply a UV-resistant clear coat and store parts away from direct sunlight to maintain clarity for months. Parts kept indoors under normal lighting remain clear indefinitely.
Clear V5 has good water resistance for a photopolymer - lower moisture absorption than many SLA resins. It is suitable for short-term fluid-contact prototyping and humid-environment display. It is not rated for sustained immersion or pressure applications.
The Form 4 holds ±0.1 mm or ±0.1% on Clear V5 parts. For polished optical surfaces, account for 0.05–0.1 mm material removal during sanding. Specify optical faces at quoting so we orient supports away from them.
Clear V5 has a 74 °C HDT at 0.45 MPa - better than WaterShed (50 °C) and Accura 25 (51 °C), but still not suitable for hot environments. For heat-resistant parts, use Rigid 10K (238 °C HDT) or move to FDM materials.
Clear V5 at 25 µm layer height resolves channels down to 0.3 mm width with optical transparency for flow observation. It is widely used for early-stage microfluidic and lab-on-chip prototypes. For production microfluidics, glass or injection-molded COC is standard.
Technical Documents
Related Articles
What Project Managers Need to Know About 3D Printer Resolution
How 3D printer resolution affects surface finish, part detail, and accuracy. What to consider when selecting the right resolution for prototypes or production.
Read the Article
- 700 Terminal Cir. Livermore, CA 94551
- info@simplemachining.com
- +1 925.344.6165