3D Print Stiff, Pliable Parts With Tough 1500 Resin

Formlabs announces Tough 1500 Resin, a new addition to its library of resins for its line of desktop stereolithography (SLA) 3D printers, including the Form 3 and Form 2.

Tough 1500 Resin produces stiff and pliable parts that bend and spring back quickly under cyclic loading, the company says. This material is ideal for functional prototypes, jigs and fixtures, and connectors undergoing temporary deflection. It also simulates polypropylene parts in stiffness and strength.

Tough 1500 Resin is the most resilient material in the newly segmented family of tough and durable resins. This family of resins, which includes Tough Resin, Tough 1500 Resin, and Durable Resin, behave relatively similarly under an applied force, but can be differentiated by comparing key properties such as stiffness and elongation.

When To Use Tough 1500 Resin

Tough 1500 Resin is ideal for prototypes and connectors that bend and quickly return to shape, such as springs, snap fits, press fits and hinges. Tough 1500 Resin is also ideal for jigs and fixtures that require repeated deflection and impact absorption. Balancing stiffness, strength and impact resistance, Tough 1500 Resin is perfect for many manufacturing settings.

Prototype Polypropylene Parts With Tough 1500 Resin

Polypropylene is a common thermoplastic used in numerous consumer packaged goods products. Use Tough 1500 Resin to simulate the strength and stiffness of products that will be manufactured out of polypropylene.

Technical Details

The “1500” in Tough 1500 Resin represents its tensile modulus (in MPa). As Formlabs reformulates and develops new engineering materials, the company is transitioning to this “adjective + number” naming convention. In the case of the Tough and Durable Resins, Formlabs will continue using tensile modulus as the key distinguishing property, allowing users to identify where each material falls on a spectrum of stiffness.

Sources: Press materials received from the company and additional information gleaned from the company’s website.

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