Formlabs Announces Tough Resin

Formlabs, the makers of the Form 1+ SLA 3D Printer, announced a new functional resin today designed for applications in engineering and prototyping. With Tough Resin, Form 1+ users can now produce strong, sturdy parts with physical properties similar to ABS plastic.

Durable parts are essential for engineering and prototyping. Now, parts produced with Formlabs’ Tough Resin will be able to absorb high-impact and other mechanical stressors that would normally cause 3D printed parts to snap or shatter. From load-bearing gears to snap-fit enclosures, Tough Resin material has been engineered for applications that require performance under stress or strain.

In celebration of the material’s release, and to demonstrate the many functional properties of Tough Resin, Formlabs has created the first 3d-printed Rube Goldberg machine. This version of the popular chain-reaction machine has been assembled by printing many of the major mechanisms with Tough Resin on the Form 1+ SLA 3D Printer.

Upon comparison with ABS filament and other ABS-like resins, Formlabs’ Tough Resin was found to outperform every material available in desktop 3D Printing. Parts printed in Formlabs’ Tough Resin delivers a superior combination of yield strength, elongation, and impact resistance; the key characteristics used to assess material toughness.

“Engineering and prototyping are a really important application of 3D printing. We’re excited to release our new Tough Resin because now Form 1+ users can create high resolution prints in a really durable, resilient material,” said Formlabs co-founder, Max Lobovsky. “Developing new high-quality materials continues to be a really important focus for us. Every time we release a new material, we create new possibilities for every Form 1+ user and build a more compelling experience.”

Tough Resin is available in 1-liter bottles from the Formlabs web store immediately. The material is compatible with both the Form 1 and Form 1+ 3D Printers.