Elastic Resin
Elastic Resin is a soft elastomeric SLA/DLP photopolymer in the Shore A 30–50 range, tuned for high elongation and energy return to approximate a silicone-like feel, and referenced to GB/T 35022.
Reference datasheet — Elastic Resin is not in the instant-quote catalog. Upload your part and an engineer will quote it in this grade or suggest the closest stocked equivalent.
Values for the A50 condition
Elastic Resin grades and fills
Elastic Resin is supplied in 6 conditions, soft to hard. A50 is the default FabDigit quotes; the values on this page are for it.
Compare all 6 grades and fillsHide
| Grade · open for datasheet | Best for | Yield MPa | Tensile MPa | Elong. % | Hardness |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Shore A 30 | Pick for the softest silicone feel — squeeze bulbs, soft pads and skin-like models where strength is secondary. | 2 | 220 | 6 Shore D | |
Shore A 40 | Intermediate softness for seals and wearables that need more support than A30 but stay pliable. | 2 | 190 | 9 Shore D | |
A50Default Shore A 50 | Default silicone-like grade: best balance of softness, elongation and tear for gaskets, grips and anatomical models. | 3 | 160 | 13 Shore D | |
True silicone (100% silicone) printable elastomer, Shore A 40 | Choose when real silicone chemistry is required — high-temperature service, low compression set, long-term elasticity rather than a silicone-like acrylate. | 4 | 260 | 40 Shore A | |
High-tear industrial elastomeric resin | Choose for functional seals, jigs and low-volume end-use rubber parts that must survive repeated flexing and demoulding. | 7 | 200 | 18 Shore D | |
Shore A 80 | Use when the part must be rubbery but load-bearing — hinges, bumpers, over-molded grips, TPU-like prototypes. | 9 | 120 | 30 Shore D |
Supply forms, finishes and certifications
Ways Elastic Resin is supplied — form, process route, surface or paperwork — without a datasheet of their own. The property values above apply.
| Option | What it is | Type |
|---|---|---|
CLR | Clear / translucent elastic grade | Surface finish |
BIO | Biocompatible / medical elastic grade | Certification |
What is Elastic Resin?
Elastic Resin is a soft elastomeric SLA/DLP photopolymer in the Shore A 30–50 range, tuned for high elongation and energy return to approximate a silicone-like feel, and referenced to GB/T 35022. It is chosen for printed cushions, seals and soft grips where cast silicone tooling is not justified; the default A50 condition gives 3.2 MPa tensile strength, 160% elongation, 0.0028 GPa modulus and service to 60 °C, with A30, A40, A80, HT, BIO, CLR and SIL40A variants on file. Practical limits are low tear strength, cure and post-cure shrinkage, IPA sensitivity and a machinability score of 12, so it is effectively unmachinable. Cast silicone or urethane remains the alternative for durable functional elastomer parts. Elastic Resin has a density of 1.12 g/cm³ (0.0405 lb/in³), lighter than 64% of polymer grades. Its glass-transition temperature is 5°C (41 °F). Elastic Resin has a tensile strength of 3 MPa (0.464 ksi), weaker than 83% of polymer grades. Elongation at break is 160% and the elastic modulus is 0 GPa (4.06×10⁻⁴ Msi).
What is Elastic Resin used for?
- cushions
- seals
- prosthetic mockups
- soft grips
Limitations
- Difficult to machine — 12/100, worse than 100% of polymer grades
- Hard to polish — 20/100, worse than 95% of polymer grades
- Low stiffness — 0 GPa (4.06×10⁻⁴ Msi), worse than 93% of polymer grades
- Limited service temperature — 60°C (140 °F), worse than 87% of polymer grades
- Absorbs moisture — dry before molding — 1%, worse than 84% of polymer grades
Elastic Resin properties
Typical room-temperature values for Elastic Resin-A50; bars are the position among polymer grades.
Physical6
Elastic Resin has a density of 1.12 g/cm³ (0.0405 lb/in³), lighter than 64% of polymer grades. Its glass-transition temperature is 5°C (41 °F).
Mechanical12
Elastic Resin has a tensile strength of 3 MPa (0.464 ksi), weaker than 83% of polymer grades. Elongation at break is 160% and the elastic modulus is 0 GPa (4.06×10⁻⁴ Msi).
Thermal8
Elastic Resin is rated for continuous service to 60°C (140 °F). It conducts heat at 0.19 W/m·K (0.11 BTU/hr·ft·°F), worse than 68% of polymer grades. Thermal expansion is 190 µm/m·K (105.6 µin/in·°F).
Electrical5
Elastic Resin is an electrical insulator with a dielectric strength of 14 kV/mm (355.6 V/mil) and a resistivity of 1×10¹¹ Ω·m.
Chemical & Environmental3
Corrosion resistance is very good (70/100), worse than 78% of polymer grades. UV resistance is poor.
Sustainability4
Producing a kilogram of Elastic Resin takes about 120 MJ of energy and emits 6 kg of CO₂ — more than 73% of polymer grades. Typical recycled content is 0%.
Manufacturability3
Elastic Resin's machinability is not recommended (12/100, worse than 100% of polymer grades).
Common Calculations4
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. Elastic Resin is highlighted; hover a dot for its name, or open the interactive family chart.
Working with Elastic Resin
Is Elastic Resin easy to machine?
Effectively unmachinable — cut only with sharp blades, cryo-trim or waterjet; drilling and milling smear and tear the soft matrix.
Can Elastic Resin be welded?
Not weldable; join with cyanoacrylate, silicone/urethane adhesives or by co-printing/over-moulding onto rigid parts.
Can Elastic Resin be formed, bent or molded?
Print with dense internal supports and thick walls (>1.5 mm), keep the resin tank warm (~30 °C) and expect noticeable cure and post-cure shrinkage; also usable as a castable soft pattern.
Elastic Resin 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 |
|---|---|---|
| aliphatic urethane acrylate / methacrylasoft-segment backbone that sets elasticity | 40 – 70 | 55 |
| monofunctional acrylate reactive diluentviscosity control, chain extender | 20 – 50 | 35 |
| low-functionality crosslinker (di-acrylakept low to preserve elongation | 1 – 8 | 4 |
| photoinitiator (TPO / TPO-L / BAPO)385/405 nm absorption | 0.5 – 3 | 1.5 |
| UV blocker, stabilizer, pigmentcure-depth control and colour | 0.05 – 2 | 0.5 |
What surface finishes work on Elastic Resin?
Wash briefly in IPA (long soaks swell and weaken parts), fully post-cure with heat to remove tack, then dust with talc or apply a silicone-compatible coating; cannot be sanded to a gloss.
Equivalent designations
Standards and trade names that resolve to Elastic Resin in FabDigit's catalog. Equivalence is nominal — check the exact specification when certification matters.
- Similar grades
- GB/T 35022
How much does Elastic Resin cost?
Elastic Resin is a high-cost polymer ($$$$), pricier than about 78% of the materials FabDigit quotes. Part price depends far more on geometry, tolerance and quantity than on the raw stock — upload a CAD file for a live quote.
Elastic Resin — frequently asked
What is Elastic Resin used for?
Elastic Resin is typically used for cushions, seals, prosthetic mockups and soft grips. In short: softest SLA elastomer range; 160% elongation; silicone-like feel.
What is the tensile strength of Elastic Resin?
Elastic Resin has a typical tensile strength of 3 MPa (0.464 ksi) — weaker than 83% of polymer grades. Strength varies by condition: see the 6 listed tempers.
Is Elastic Resin easy to machine?
Not especially — machinability is rated not recommended (12/100, worse than 100% of polymer grades). Effectively unmachinable — cut only with sharp blades, cryo-trim or waterjet; drilling and milling smear and tear the soft matrix.
Can Elastic Resin be welded?
Not weldable; join with cyanoacrylate, silicone/urethane adhesives or by co-printing/over-moulding onto rigid parts.
What surface finishes work on Elastic Resin?
Wash briefly in IPA (long soaks swell and weaken parts), fully post-cure with heat to remove tack, then dust with talc or apply a silicone-compatible coating; cannot be sanded to a gloss.
Can Elastic Resin be formed, bent or molded?
Print with dense internal supports and thick walls (>1.5 mm), keep the resin tank warm (~30 °C) and expect noticeable cure and post-cure shrinkage; also usable as a castable soft pattern.
What is the maximum service temperature of Elastic Resin?
Elastic Resin is rated for continuous use to about 60°C (140 °F), and briefly to 90°C. Strength falls off well before that limit — check the elevated-temperature data for load-bearing parts.
How much does Elastic Resin cost?
Elastic Resin is a high-cost polymer ($$$$), pricier than about 78% 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.
Sources
- Elastic 50A / Flexible 80A / BioMed Elastic 50A / Silicone 40A resin data sheets — Formlabs (2024)
- Elastomeric and flexible photopolymer technical data sheets — Liqcreate / Siraya Tech / Henkel Loctite 3D (2024)
- ASTM D412 / D624 / D2240 / D395 — tensile, tear, durometer and compression set of elastomers — ASTM International (2021)
- Handbook of Polyurethanes / UV-curable acrylate elastomer property data — CRC Press (2011)
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.