From CAD to Wax: How MJP 3D Printing Is Transforming Jewelry Manufacturing

A new piece of jewelry can begin with just a few lines in a CAD software. But before it becomes a piece made of gold, silver, or another precious metal, that design still has to go through an essential step: becoming a physical model precise enough to be integrated into the casting process.

And this is where things get interesting.

What happens when a design is particularly complex? When a customer requests a customization? When several variations of the same model need to be produced? Or when a model needs to be manufactured quickly without creating new tooling?

Additive manufacturing offers a direct answer: produce the wax model directly from the digital file.

This is precisely the application for which 3D Systems’ MultiJet Printing (MJP) solutions have been developed. By combining a printer designed for jewelry models, dedicated wax materials, and 3D Sprint preparation software, the workflow can move directly from digital design to a model intended for the lost-wax casting process.

In jewelry manufacturing, a few fractions of a millimeter can make a significant difference.

A model may contain fine details, sharp edges, organic shapes, or complex geometries. For the final result to remain faithful to the original design, the wax model must reproduce these characteristics accurately.

The ProJet MJP 2500W Plus was specifically developed to produce wax casting patterns for jewelry applications. It uses VisiJet 100% wax materials designed to produce models faithful to the CAD design, with sharp edges and precise detail definition. 3D Systems also indicates that certain materials are designed to melt like traditional casting waxes and burn out without ash residue.

The MJP 300W Plus offers several print modes designed to meet different production requirements. Its Premium ZHD mode uses an 8 μm layer thickness, while the QHD and XHD modes use 14.1 μm and 16 μm layer thicknesses, respectively. The system’s stated typical dimensional accuracy is ±0.0508 mm per 25.4 mm of part dimension.

The MJP 300W Plus also offers a QHD mode with a stated resolution of 2,400 × 1,800 × 1,800 dpi. These different print modes make it possible to adapt the process to the desired balance between detail, surface quality, and productivity.

The goal is therefore not simply to produce a model that resembles the original design. It is to reproduce the characteristics of the digital model as accurately as possible before integrating it into the casting process.

The answer lies in the workflow.

When a model is produced using traditional methods, several intermediate steps may be required. Depending on the application, creating a master model and a mold may also be part of the process.

3D wax printing offers a different approach: the digital file becomes the direct starting point for manufacturing the physical model.

CAD model → digital preparation → wax printing → lost-wax casting → final metal part

This approach makes it possible to produce a physical model directly from the digital design. A modification made to the CAD file can then be prepared for a new print without necessarily having to recreate a master model or mold for every variation.

This can be particularly interesting for customized jewelry, small production runs, and designs requiring multiple iterations.

Additive manufacturing does not replace every traditional jewelry manufacturing method. Instead, it offers another way to produce certain models when customization, geometric complexity, or process flexibility are priorities.

A precision 3D printer can only produce data that has been properly prepared for manufacturing.

This is why software plays an essential role in the workflow.

3D Sprint is 3D Systems’ additive manufacturing preparation and production management software. It is used to prepare digital data and organize models for compatible systems.

In jewelry applications, the preparation capabilities go beyond simply positioning models on a build platform. On the MJP 300W Plus, sprues and runners can be accessed through the Strut function, facilitating the addition of structures required to prepare certain parts for casting. The software also includes the Surface Enhance function, designed to improve certain surfaces depending on the needs of the model.

The result is a more cohesive workflow:

CAD design → preparation in 3D Sprint → MJP printing → wax model → casting

Digital preparation therefore becomes an integral part of the manufacturing process. The final result depends not only on the printer, but also on how the model is prepared for production.

Not every jewelry model requires the same balance between resolution, speed, and productivity.

This is why the MJP 300W Plus offers multiple print modes.

The XHD mode is designed to balance speed and quality for the production of larger batches.

The Premium ZHD mode, with an 8 μm layer thickness, is designed to produce highly detailed models, particularly for upward-facing surfaces.

The QHD mode offers a resolution of 2,400 × 1,800 × 1,800 dpi according to 3D Systems’ specifications.

This flexibility makes it possible to adapt the process to the model being produced. A highly detailed part may require a different priority than a production run consisting of a large number of models.

The best configuration is therefore not necessarily the one that maximizes resolution alone. The appropriate mode should be selected based on the required level of detail, geometry, and production volume.

Jewelry is an industry where customization plays an important role.

A model may need to be modified to meet a customer’s requirements. A collection may require several sizes or variations. A new design may need to be tested before being introduced into larger-scale production.

In these situations, digital manufacturing offers significant flexibility.

The design can be modified in the CAD file. The new file can then be prepared and printed.

The ability to move quickly between the physical model and the digital model reduces the distance between design and production.

The development process becomes more flexible: a design can be tested, modified, and reproduced as the project evolves.

One of the best ways to understand the value of a workflow is to look at what happens in a real production environment.

Narsakka, a Finnish jewelry company, integrated a 3D Systems wax 3D printing solution to produce models intended for casting.

According to the case study published by 3D Systems, Narsakka can produce 60 to 100 wax models in just four hours, helping reduce production lead times from several weeks to a few days.

The company uses the ProJet MJP 2500W with VisiJet M2 CAST material. The workflow also uses soluble and fusible support materials, allowing batch support removal and quick access to models ready for casting.

The case study also highlights another advantage of a digital workflow: flexibility. Narsakka uses the solution for both larger production batches and more specialized custom jewelry production.

According to 3D Systems, the company also eliminated the need for master models and rubber molds in its process and reported a 100% success rate for the parts produced as part of the case study. These results should naturally be understood within the specific context of Narsakka’s application and production process, but they clearly illustrate the potential of an integrated digital workflow.

Not all 3D printing technologies are designed to meet the same requirements.

For the production of jewelry models, several factors must be considered simultaneously:

• accuracy;

• the ability to reproduce fine details;

• surface quality;

• the material being used;

• compatibility with the casting process;

• production speed;

• the amount of post-processing required.

This is where 3D Systems’ approach becomes particularly interesting. The solution is not limited to a printer.

It combines an MJP technology designed for jewelry models, wax materials compatible with the casting process, and a software environment that enables files to be prepared for manufacturing.

For a jewelry manufacturer, this means evaluating the solution as a complete workflow rather than comparing only the resolution or speed of a machine.

Additive manufacturing does not change the creativity at the heart of jewelry making.

It changes how certain designs can be transformed into physical models.

A complex model can be prepared digitally. A customization can be integrated into the CAD file. Multiple variations can be produced. A wax model can then be integrated into the casting process.

For jewelry professionals in Montreal and across Quebec, MJP 3D printing offers a way to further integrate digital manufacturing into an existing workflow.

The question is not simply whether a 3D printer can produce a wax model.

The real question is:

What could you produce if your digital design could become a precise, repeatable casting pattern directly integrated into your production process?

With its MJP solutions, VisiJet wax materials, and 3D Sprint software, 3D Systems offers an integrated approach to bringing digital design closer to jewelry manufacturing.

From CAD to wax. From wax to metal. And from a digital idea to a real piece.