Grey RIGID-FILL
Reinforced grade
also Standard SLA Resin, SLA Standard Resin
Use for stiff, dimensionally stable jigs and thin-wall housings that must not creep; very stiff but brittle and abrasive to tooling.
Values for the RIGID-FILL 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 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 |
RIGID-FILLThis page 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 | — |
What is Grey RIGID-FILL?
Grey RIGID-FILL is Grey in the RIGID-FILL grade — use for stiff, dimensionally stable jigs and thin-wall housings that must not creep; very stiff but brittle and abrasive to tooling. Grey RIGID-FILL has a yield strength of 48 MPa (6.96 ksi) and a tensile strength of 68 MPa (9.86 ksi) — weaker than 53% of polymer grades. Elongation at break is 2.5% and the elastic modulus is 4.1 GPa (0.595 Msi). Grey RIGID-FILL has a density of 1.55 g/cm³ (0.056 lb/in³), heavier than 91% of polymer grades. Its glass-transition temperature is 60°C (140 °F).
Advantages
- Stiff — 4.1 GPa (0.595 Msi), better than 87% of polymer grades
- Polishes to a fine finish — 75/100, better than 86% of polymer grades
Limitations
- Limited formability — 5/100, worse than 95% of polymer grades
- Low fracture toughness — 0.8 MPa·√m (0.728 ksi·√in), worse than 92% of polymer grades
- Heavy — 1.55 g/cm³ (0.056 lb/in³), worse than 91% of polymer grades
- Limited ductility — 2.5%, worse than 89% of polymer grades
- Difficult to weld — 5/100, worse than 89% of polymer grades
Grey RIGID-FILL properties
Typical room-temperature values for Grey RIGID-FILL; 12 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 RIGID-FILL has a density of 1.55 g/cm³ (0.056 lb/in³), heavier than 91% of polymer grades. Its glass-transition temperature is 60°C (140 °F).
Mechanical13
Grey RIGID-FILL has a yield strength of 48 MPa (6.96 ksi) and a tensile strength of 68 MPa (9.86 ksi) — weaker than 53% of polymer grades. Elongation at break is 2.5% and the elastic modulus is 4.1 GPa (0.595 Msi).
Thermal10
Grey RIGID-FILL is rated for continuous service to 70°C (158 °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 55 µm/m·K (30.6 µin/in·°F).
Electrical6
Grey RIGID-FILL 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 RIGID-FILL 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 RIGID-FILL's machinability is poor (30/100, worse than 87% of polymer grades); weldability not recommended (5/100); formability not recommended (5/100).
Values are nominal handbook figures for design screening. Confirm any required mill or lot documentation when quoting.
Working with Grey RIGID-FILL
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.
| 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) | — |
Grey RIGID-FILL — frequently asked
What is Grey RIGID-FILL used for?
Grey RIGID-FILL 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 RIGID-FILL?
Grey RIGID-FILL has a typical yield strength of 48 MPa (6.96 ksi) and a tensile strength of 68 MPa (9.86 ksi) — weaker than 53% of polymer grades. Strength varies by condition: see the 6 listed tempers.
Is Grey RIGID-FILL easy to machine?
Not especially — machinability is rated poor (30/100, worse than 87% 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 RIGID-FILL 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 RIGID-FILL?
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 RIGID-FILL 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 RIGID-FILL?
Grey RIGID-FILL is rated for continuous use to about 70°C (158 °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 RIGID-FILL?
Yes — Grey RIGID-FILL 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. Nothing on this page is a certification — request mill certs, CoC or material test reports with your order.