Clear
also Transparent Resin, Clear Resin
Clear Resin is a UV/405 nm-curable (meth)acrylate photopolymer for SLA and DLP printing, supplied under GB/T 35022 and formulated for optical clarity once the surface is sanded, polished or clear-coated.
Clear grades and fills
Clear is supplied in 3 conditions, soft to hard.
Compare all 3 grades and fillsHide
| Grade · open for datasheet | Best for | Yield MPa | Tensile MPa | Elong. % | Hardness |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
washed but not UV post-cured | Only relevant for form/fit checks or parts to be bonded before cure — green strength and heat resistance are much lower and creep is significant. | — | 38 | 12 | 70 Shore D |
low-haze, index-controlled clear resin for light-guiding parts | Pick when the part must transmit or guide light (lenses, light pipes, flow cells) and will be sanded/polished or vapour-clear-coated. | — | 60 | 7 | 79 Shore D |
HALS/UV-absorber stabilized clear resin, reduced yellowing | Use for parts with sunlight or lamp exposure where colour stability over months matters; slightly lower initial clarity and marginally softer cure. | — | 62 | 7.5 | 78 Shore D |
Supply forms, finishes and certifications
Ways Clear is supplied — form, process route, surface or paperwork — without a datasheet of their own. The property values above apply.
| Option | What it is | Type |
|---|---|---|
Biocompatible | Biocompatible / Class VI | Certification |
StandardDefault | General-purpose clear photopolymer, washed and UV post-cured | Standard supply |
What is Clear?
Clear Resin is a UV/405 nm-curable (meth)acrylate photopolymer for SLA and DLP printing, supplied under GB/T 35022 and formulated for optical clarity once the surface is sanded, polished or clear-coated. It is chosen for light-transmitting and see-through parts printed at 25–100 µm layers, with 65 MPa tensile strength, 6.5% elongation, 2.8 GPa modulus and Shore D 80 in the standard condition, plus Optical Grade, UV Resistant, As-Printed and Biocompatible variants. Limits are a maximum service temperature near 55 °C, notch sensitivity, and yellowing under sunlight unless a UV-blocking topcoat is used; for hot or load-bearing transparent tooling use High Temp Resin instead. Clear has a density of 1.19 g/cm³ (0.043 lb/in³), heavier than 53% of polymer grades. Its glass-transition temperature is 65°C (149 °F). Clear has a yield strength of 52 MPa (7.54 ksi) and a tensile strength of 65 MPa (9.43 ksi) — stronger than 56% of polymer grades. Elongation at break is 6.5% and the elastic modulus is 2.8 GPa (0.406 Msi).
What is Clear used for?
- Optical prototypes
- Light pipes
- LED diffusers and lens covers
- Fluidic and microfluidic test channels
- Sight glasses and inspection windows
- Transparent demonstration housings
- Master patterns for silicone moulds
Advantages
- Polishes to a fine finish — 85/100, better than 92% of polymer grades
Limitations
- Limited formability — 5/100, worse than 95% of polymer grades
- Limited service temperature — 55°C (131 °F), worse than 91% of polymer grades
- Low fracture toughness — 0.9 MPa·√m (0.819 ksi·√in), worse than 90% of polymer grades
- Difficult to weld — 5/100, worse than 89% of polymer grades
- Needs corrosion protection — 65/100, worse than 86% of polymer grades
Clear properties
Typical room-temperature values in the Standard condition; bars are the position among polymer grades.
Physical6
Clear has a density of 1.19 g/cm³ (0.043 lb/in³), heavier than 53% of polymer grades. Its glass-transition temperature is 65°C (149 °F).
Mechanical14
Clear has a yield strength of 52 MPa (7.54 ksi) and a tensile strength of 65 MPa (9.43 ksi) — stronger than 56% of polymer grades. Elongation at break is 6.5% and the elastic modulus is 2.8 GPa (0.406 Msi).
Thermal11
Clear is rated for continuous service to 55°C (131 °F). It conducts heat at 0.2 W/m·K (0.116 BTU/hr·ft·°F), worse than 56% of polymer grades. Thermal expansion is 110 µm/m·K (61.1 µin/in·°F).
Electrical5
Clear is an electrical insulator with a dielectric strength of 15 kV/mm (381 V/mil) and a resistivity of 1×10¹² Ω·m.
Chemical & Environmental3
Corrosion resistance is good (65/100), worse than 86% of polymer grades. UV resistance is poor.
Sustainability3
Producing a kilogram of Clear takes about 110 MJ of energy and emits 5.5 kg of CO₂ — more than 64% of polymer grades. Typical recycled content is 0%.
Manufacturability4
Clear's machinability is fair (45/100, worse than 78% of polymer grades); weldability not recommended (5/100); formability not recommended (5/100).
Common Calculations5
Values are nominal handbook figures for design screening. Certified mill or lot data ships with every FabDigit order on request.
Strength versus weight in the polymer family
Yield strength against density for every polymer grade FabDigit runs. Clear is highlighted; hover a dot for its name, or open the interactive family chart.
Working with Clear
Is Clear easy to machine?
Drill and mill with sharp carbide, high speed, light feed and air cooling; the crosslinked resin is notch-sensitive and will craze or chip if heated or clamped hard.
Can Clear be welded?
Thermoset — cannot be heat welded; join with UV-cure acrylate adhesive, cyanoacrylate or a drop of the same resin cured under a 405 nm lamp.
Can Clear be formed, bent or molded?
Vat photopolymerization only: resin 25–35 °C, 25–100 µm layers, then IPA wash (keep soak short to avoid clouding/swelling) and 30–60 min 405 nm post-cure at 60–80 °C for full properties; expect ~0.2–0.5% cure shrinkage and warping in thick solid sections.
Manufacturability
The process limits FabDigit's quote engine applies to Clear. Design inside these and the part quotes instantly; outside them it routes to an engineer.
Injection molding
| Mold shrinkage | — |
|---|---|
| Wall thickness | — – — |
| Recommended draft | — |
| Pre-drying | — |
3D printing
| Technologies | SLA |
|---|---|
| Layer height | 50 – 300 µmdefault 100 µm |
| Minimum wall / feature | 1 / 0.5 mm |
| Build envelope | 300 × 300 × 380 mm |
| Supports | Yes |
| Anisotropy | Moderate |
Clear chemical composition (wt %)
Limits by weight percent from the governing specification, written the way the spec states them — a single maximum for impurities, a range for alloying elements, and the base element as balance. Nominal is the typical mid-range value.
| Element | Spec limit (wt %) | Nominal |
|---|---|---|
| urethane acrylate / epoxy acrylate oligobackbone oligomer, sets stiffness and toughness | 30 – 60 | 45 |
| photoinitiator (TPO / BAPO / Irgacure ty385/405 nm absorbing | 0.5 – 4 | 2 |
| UV absorber / light blockercontrols cure depth; higher in UV-resistant grade with HALS | 0 – 1 | 0.2 |
| additives (defoamer, stabilizer, chain-t | 0.1 – 3 | 1 |
| acrylate / methacrylate reactive monomere.g. HDDA, TPGDA, IBOA — controls viscosity and Tg | ≥ 30 (balance) | — |
What surface finishes work on Clear?
For clarity wet-sand 400→3000 grit then polish with plastic compound, or apply a thin clear UV/acrylic coat; avoid acetone and prolonged IPA, and add a UV-blocking topcoat if the part sees sunlight.
Surface treatments FabDigit runs on polymer parts — pick them in the quote configurator or call them out on the drawing. Each links to its datasheet in the surface-finish library (thickness, specs, call-out, material verdicts).
Coating
Injection Molding Coating
Metallization / Functional
Coloring
Equivalent designations
Standards and trade names that resolve to Clear in FabDigit's catalog. Equivalence is nominal — check the exact specification when certification matters.
- Trade names
- Transparent ResinClear ResinClear SLA ResinOptically Clear Resin
- Similar grades
- GB/T 35022
How much does Clear cost?
Clear is a standard-cost polymer ($$), cheaper than about 82% of the materials FabDigit quotes. Part price depends far more on geometry, tolerance and quantity than on the raw stock — upload a CAD file for a live quote.
Clear — frequently asked
What is Clear used for?
Clear is typically used for optical prototypes, light pipes, LED diffusers and lens covers, fluidic and microfluidic test channels, sight glasses and inspection windows and transparent demonstration housings. In short: optically clear photopolymer.
What is the yield strength of Clear?
Clear has a typical yield strength of 52 MPa (7.54 ksi) and a tensile strength of 65 MPa (9.43 ksi) — stronger than 56% of polymer grades. Strength varies by condition: see the 3 listed tempers.
Is Clear easy to machine?
Reasonably — machinability is rated fair (45/100, worse than 78% of polymer grades). Drill and mill with sharp carbide, high speed, light feed and air cooling; the crosslinked resin is notch-sensitive and will craze or chip if heated or clamped hard.
Can Clear be welded?
Not readily — weldability is rated not recommended (5/100). Thermoset — cannot be heat welded; join with UV-cure acrylate adhesive, cyanoacrylate or a drop of the same resin cured under a 405 nm lamp.
What surface finishes work on Clear?
For clarity wet-sand 400→3000 grit then polish with plastic compound, or apply a thin clear UV/acrylic coat; avoid acetone and prolonged IPA, and add a UV-blocking topcoat if the part sees sunlight.
Can Clear be formed, bent or molded?
Vat photopolymerization only: resin 25–35 °C, 25–100 µm layers, then IPA wash (keep soak short to avoid clouding/swelling) and 30–60 min 405 nm post-cure at 60–80 °C for full properties; expect ~0.2–0.5% cure shrinkage and warping in thick solid sections.
What is the maximum service temperature of Clear?
Clear is rated for continuous use to about 55°C (131 °F), and briefly to 85°C. Strength falls off well before that limit — check the elevated-temperature data for load-bearing parts.
How much does Clear cost?
Clear is a standard-cost polymer ($$), cheaper than about 82% of the materials FabDigit quotes. Part price depends far more on geometry, tolerance and quantity than on the raw stock — upload a CAD file for a live quote.
Can FabDigit make parts in Clear?
Yes — Clear is available for injection molding and 3D printing with instant online pricing. Upload a STEP file to get a price and a DFM check.
Sources
- Clear Resin photopolymer technical data sheet (SLA/LFS) — Formlabs (2023)
- ASTM D638 / D790 / D256 / D648 test methods for plastics — ASTM International (2022)
- Photopolymers: Chemistry and Properties of UV-curable acrylate systems — Wiley / SpecialChem technical literature (2019)
Property data is compiled from published supplier and standards handbooks and normalised for comparison; hardness values on non-Brinell scales are converted approximately for charting only. Manufacturability limits are FabDigit quote-engine defaults and may be relaxed by engineering review. Nothing on this page is a certification — request mill certs, CoC or material test reports with your order.