Grey
also Standard SLA Resin, SLA Standard Resin
Standard Resin is a general-purpose acrylate (methacrylate / epoxy-acrylate) photopolymer for SLA, DLP and LCD printing that UV-cures by free-radical polymerisation into a crosslinked thermoset network; it is stocked clear, pigmented, DRAFT, ABS-like, WASHABLE, RIGID-FILL and BIO.
Grey grades and fills
Grey is supplied in 6 conditions, soft to hard.
Compare all 6 grades and fillsHide
| Grade · open for datasheet | Best for | Yield MPa | Tensile MPa | Elong. % | Hardness |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
As-printed / green state | Pick when parts are used straight off the printer — noticeably softer, weaker and lower Tg; only for fit checks or parts to be cured later. | — | 38 | 12 | 76 Shore D |
toughened / impact-modified standard resin | Pick when snap-fits, thin walls or drop resistance matter — much higher elongation and impact at the cost of stiffness and HDT. | 38 | 45 | 25 | 78 Shore D |
water-washable standard resin | Choose to avoid IPA handling in shops/classrooms; slightly weaker and noticeably more moisture-sensitive/hygroscopic after cure. | 38 | 44 | 6 | 80 Shore D |
Fast-print / high-speed draft resin | Use for quick iteration at thick layers (0.1–0.3 mm); mechanicals and surface finish are lower than standard. | 40 | 45 | 12 | 79 Shore D |
opaque grey / white / black standard resin | Standard choice for appearance prototypes and painted masters — pigment improves cure control and edge definition, slightly reduces cure depth. | 48 | 55 | 7 | 83 Shore D |
glass/ceramic-filled rigid standard resin | Use for stiff, dimensionally stable jigs and thin-wall housings that must not creep; very stiff but brittle and abrasive to tooling. | — | 68 | 2.5 | — |
Supply forms, finishes and certifications
Ways Grey is supplied — form, process route, surface or paperwork — without a datasheet of their own. The property values above apply.
| Option | What it is | Type |
|---|---|---|
BIO | Biocompatible / certified standard resin | Certification |
Clear | Unpigmented clear/translucent standard resin | Grade option |
StandardDefault | Post-cured standard photopolymer | Standard supply |
What is Grey?
Standard Resin is a general-purpose acrylate (methacrylate / epoxy-acrylate) photopolymer for SLA, DLP and LCD printing that UV-cures by free-radical polymerisation into a crosslinked thermoset network; it is stocked clear, pigmented, DRAFT, ABS-like, WASHABLE, RIGID-FILL and BIO. It is the lowest-cost route to fine detail and smooth surfaces for appearance parts, hand samples, master patterns and display models, at 55 MPa tensile strength, 8 % elongation and 82 Shore D. Cured parts are brittle with low notched impact, Tg and heat-deflection temperature are only about 50-70 °C, and they yellow, embrittle and creep under UV or humid heat, so they are not used for long-term load-bearing or outdoor parts. Strength and modulus can differ by a factor of 1.5-2 before and after post-cure. Grey has a density of 1.15 g/cm³ (0.0415 lb/in³), lighter than 57% of polymer grades. Its glass-transition temperature is 60°C (140 °F). Grey has a yield strength of 48 MPa (6.96 ksi) and a tensile strength of 55 MPa (7.98 ksi) — weaker than 53% of polymer grades. Elongation at break is 8% and the elastic modulus is 2.5 GPa (0.363 Msi).
What is Grey used for?
- Cosmetic prototypes
- Concept and display models
- Master patterns for silicone moulds and vacuum casting
- Painted appearance samples
- Fit-check and assembly mock-ups
- Fine-detail figurines and scale models
- Indoor demonstration housings
Advantages
- Polishes to a fine finish — 75/100, better than 86% of polymer grades
Limitations
- Limited formability — 5/100, worse than 95% of polymer grades
- Limited service temperature — 50°C (122 °F), worse than 94% of polymer grades
- Low fracture toughness — 0.8 MPa·√m (0.728 ksi·√in), worse than 92% of polymer grades
- Difficult to weld — 5/100, worse than 89% of polymer grades
- Needs corrosion protection — 70/100, worse than 78% of polymer grades
Grey properties
Typical room-temperature values in the Standard condition; bars are the position among polymer grades.
Physical5
Grey has a density of 1.15 g/cm³ (0.0415 lb/in³), lighter than 57% of polymer grades. Its glass-transition temperature is 60°C (140 °F).
Mechanical13
Grey has a yield strength of 48 MPa (6.96 ksi) and a tensile strength of 55 MPa (7.98 ksi) — weaker than 53% of polymer grades. Elongation at break is 8% and the elastic modulus is 2.5 GPa (0.363 Msi).
Thermal10
Grey is rated for continuous service to 50°C (122 °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 90 µm/m·K (50 µin/in·°F).
Electrical6
Grey 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 very good (70/100), worse than 78% of polymer grades. UV resistance is poor.
Sustainability4
Producing a kilogram of Grey takes about 125 MJ of energy and emits 5.5 kg of CO₂ — more than 75% of polymer grades. Typical recycled content is 0%.
Manufacturability4
Grey'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. Grey is highlighted; hover a dot for its name, or open the interactive family chart.
Working with Grey
Is Grey easy to machine?
Drills, mills and sands easily with sharp tools and light feeds, but is notch-sensitive — pre-drill, avoid heat build-up (softens near 60 °C) and wet-sand to prevent dust.
Can Grey be welded?
Thermoset — cannot be heat welded; join with cyanoacrylate, epoxy or by wicking uncured resin into the seam and UV-curing.
Can Grey be formed, bent or molded?
Formed only by vat photopolymerisation: 0.025–0.1 mm layers, supports and hollowing with drain holes, then IPA wash and 5–30 min UV post-cure at 40–60 °C; expect ~0.5–2 % cure shrinkage and warp on thick sections.
Manufacturability
The process limits FabDigit's quote engine applies to Grey. 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 |
Grey 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/epoxy acrylate oligomerbackbone oligomer, sets toughness and Tg | 30 – 60 | 45 |
| photoinitiator (TPO / TPO-L / BAPO)matched to 355/385/405 nm source | 0.5 – 4 | 2 |
| pigment / UV absorber / stabilizercontrols cure depth and colour; absent in clear grades | 0.1 – 3 | 1 |
| inorganic filler (silica, glass, ceramiconly in rigid/filled variants | 0 – 40 | 0 |
| acrylate/methacrylate reactive monomer (diluent + crosslinker, controls viscosity and crosslink density | ≥ 30 (balance) | — |
What surface finishes work on Grey?
Sands from 400→2000 grit and buffs to gloss; primer-filler plus acrylic/PU paint is standard, clear coat restores transparency, and electroplating or vacuum metallising works after a conductive base coat — always apply UV-blocking coating for outdoor use.
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 Grey in FabDigit's catalog. Equivalence is nominal — check the exact specification when certification matters.
- Trade names
- Standard SLA ResinSLA Standard Resin
How much does Grey cost?
Grey is a budget-cost polymer ($), cheaper than about 100% 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.
Grey — frequently asked
What is Grey used for?
Grey is typically used for cosmetic prototypes, concept and display models, master patterns for silicone moulds and vacuum casting, painted appearance samples, fit-check and assembly mock-ups and fine-detail figurines and scale models. In short: workhorse SLA visual resin.
What is the yield strength of Grey?
Grey has a typical yield strength of 48 MPa (6.96 ksi) and a tensile strength of 55 MPa (7.98 ksi) — weaker than 53% of polymer grades. Strength varies by condition: see the 6 listed tempers.
Is Grey easy to machine?
Reasonably — machinability is rated fair (45/100, worse than 78% of polymer grades). Drills, mills and sands easily with sharp tools and light feeds, but is notch-sensitive — pre-drill, avoid heat build-up (softens near 60 °C) and wet-sand to prevent dust.
Can Grey be welded?
Not readily — weldability is rated not recommended (5/100). Thermoset — cannot be heat welded; join with cyanoacrylate, epoxy or by wicking uncured resin into the seam and UV-curing.
What surface finishes work on Grey?
Sands from 400→2000 grit and buffs to gloss; primer-filler plus acrylic/PU paint is standard, clear coat restores transparency, and electroplating or vacuum metallising works after a conductive base coat — always apply UV-blocking coating for outdoor use.
Can Grey be formed, bent or molded?
Formed only by vat photopolymerisation: 0.025–0.1 mm layers, supports and hollowing with drain holes, then IPA wash and 5–30 min UV post-cure at 40–60 °C; expect ~0.5–2 % cure shrinkage and warp on thick sections.
What is the maximum service temperature of Grey?
Grey is rated for continuous use to about 50°C (122 °F), and briefly to 80°C. Strength falls off well before that limit — check the elevated-temperature data for load-bearing parts.
How much does Grey cost?
Grey is a budget-cost polymer ($), cheaper than about 100% 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 Grey?
Yes — Grey 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
- Standard/Clear/Grey Resin material data sheets — Formlabs (2024)
- 405 nm standard photopolymer resin TDS — Anycubic / Elegoo / eSUN (2024)
- ISO 527 / ISO 178 / ASTM D638, D790, D648, D256 test methods — ISO / ASTM (2019)
- Photopolymer chemistry and properties of UV-curable acrylate networks — SPE / RadTech technical literature (2021)
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.