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Grey PIGMENTED

Grade

also Standard SLA Resin, SLA Standard Resin

Standard choice for appearance prototypes and painted masters — pigment improves cure control and edge definition, slightly reduces cure depth.

Values for the PIGMENTED condition

Other Grey grades and fills

Grey is listed in 6 conditions; see the grade overview at Grey.

Compare all 6 grades and fillsHide
Grade · open for datasheetBest forYield MPaTensile MPaElong. %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.—381276 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.38452578 Shore D
water-washable standard resin
Choose to avoid IPA handling in shops/classrooms; slightly weaker and noticeably more moisture-sensitive/hygroscopic after cure.3844680 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.40451279 Shore D
PIGMENTEDThis page
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.4855783 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.—682.5—

What is Grey PIGMENTED?

Grey PIGMENTED is Grey in the PIGMENTED grade — standard choice for appearance prototypes and painted masters — pigment improves cure control and edge definition, slightly reduces cure depth. Grey PIGMENTED 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 7% and the elastic modulus is 2.6 GPa (0.377 Msi). Grey PIGMENTED 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).

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 PIGMENTED properties

Typical room-temperature values for Grey PIGMENTED; 24 are specific to this condition. Other listed values are Grey reference data and may not represent this condition. Bars are the position among polymer grades.

Physical5

Grey PIGMENTED 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).

Density1.15 g/cm³0.04 lb/in³
Glass Transition (Tg)60°C140 °F
Water Absorption (24 h)0.5%
Water Absorption (Saturation)1.6%
Refractive Index1.51

Mechanical13

Grey PIGMENTED 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 7% and the elastic modulus is 2.6 GPa (0.377 Msi).

Elastic (Young's) Modulus2.6 GPa0.38 Msi
Poisson's Ratio0.38
Tensile Strength (Ultimate)55 MPa8 ksi
Yield Strength (0.2% offset)48 MPa7 ksi
Elongation at Break7%
Compressive Strength92 MPa13.3 ksi
Compressive Modulus2.3 GPa0.33 Msi
Flexural Strength82 MPa11.9 ksi
Flexural Modulus2.2 GPa0.32 Msi
Fracture Toughness (K_IC)0.8 MPa·√m0.73 ksi·√in
Izod Impact, Notched18 J/m0.34 ft·lbf/in
Hardness, Shore D83 Shore D
Hardness, Rockwell M80 HRM

Thermal10

Grey PIGMENTED is rated for continuous service to 50°C (122 °F). It conducts heat at 0.21 W/m·K (0.121 BTU/hr·ft·°F), better than 55% of polymer grades. Thermal expansion is 90 µm/m·K (50 µin/in·°F).

Thermal Conductivity0.21 W/m·K0.12 BTU/hr·ft·°F
Specific Heat Capacity1,500 J/kg·K0.36 BTU/lb·°F
Thermal Expansion (CTE, 20–100 °C)90 µm/m·K50 µin/in·°F
Max Service Temperature (continuous)50°C122 °F
Min Service Temperature-20°C-4 °F
Heat Deflection Temp. @ 0.45 MPa64°C147 °F
Heat Deflection Temp. @ 1.8 MPa51°C124 °F
Flammability (UL 94)HB (not flame retardant; standard resins are not UL-listed)
Limiting Oxygen Index19%
Max Service Temperature (short-term)80°C176 °F

Electrical6

Grey PIGMENTED is an electrical insulator with a dielectric strength of 15 kV/mm (381 V/mil) and a resistivity of 1×10¹² Ω·m.

Electrical Resistivity1×10¹² Ω·m3.94×10¹⁹ µΩ·in
Dielectric Strength15 kV/mm381 V/mil
Dielectric Constant (1 MHz)3.4
Dissipation Factor (1 MHz)0.03
Volume Resistivity1×10¹⁴ Ω·cm
Surface Resistivity1×10¹⁴ Ω

Chemical & Environmental3

Corrosion resistance is very good (70/100), worse than 78% of polymer grades. UV resistance is poor.

Corrosion ResistanceVery good70/100
UV / Weathering ResistancePoor25/100
Chemical Resistance SummaryGood against water, dilute acids/alkalis, oils and alcohols; swollen or dissolved by IPA (prolonged), acetone, MEK, esters and chlorinated solvents; degrades under sustained UV and hot-humid exposure (yellowing, continued post-cure embrittlement).

Sustainability4

Producing a kilogram of Grey PIGMENTED takes about 125 MJ of energy and emits 5.5 kg of CO₂ — more than 75% of polymer grades. Typical recycled content is 0%.

Embodied Energy (primary production)125 MJ/kg53,740 BTU/lb
Embodied Carbon (primary production)5.5 kg CO₂/kg
Embodied Water250 L/kg30 gal/lb
Typical Recycled Content0%

Manufacturability4

Grey PIGMENTED's machinability is fair (45/100, worse than 78% of polymer grades); weldability not recommended (5/100); formability not recommended (5/100).

MachinabilityFair45/100
WeldabilityNot recommended5/100
Formability (cold)Not recommended5/100
PolishabilityVery good75/100

Values are nominal handbook figures for design screening. Confirm any required mill or lot documentation when quoting.

Working with Grey PIGMENTED

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.

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.

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.

ElementSpec limit (wt %)Nominal
urethane/epoxy acrylate oligomerbackbone oligomer, sets toughness and Tg30 – 6045
photoinitiator (TPO / TPO-L / BAPO)matched to 355/385/405 nm source0.5 – 42
pigment / UV absorber / stabilizercontrols cure depth and colour; absent in clear grades0.1 – 31
inorganic filler (silica, glass, ceramiconly in rigid/filled variants0 – 400
acrylate/methacrylate reactive monomer (diluent + crosslinker, controls viscosity and crosslink density≥ 30 (balance)—

Grey PIGMENTED — frequently asked

What is Grey PIGMENTED used for?

Grey PIGMENTED 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 PIGMENTED?

Grey PIGMENTED 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 PIGMENTED 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 PIGMENTED 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 PIGMENTED?

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 PIGMENTED 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 PIGMENTED?

Grey PIGMENTED 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.

Can FabDigit make parts in Grey PIGMENTED?

Yes — Grey PIGMENTED 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

  1. Standard/Clear/Grey Resin material data sheets — Formlabs (2024)
  2. 405 nm standard photopolymer resin TDS — Anycubic / Elegoo / eSUN (2024)
  3. ISO 527 / ISO 178 / ASTM D638, D790, D648, D256 test methods — ISO / ASTM (2019)
  4. 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. Nothing on this page is a certification — request mill certs, CoC or material test reports with your order.