Durable Resin.
Desktop stereolithography leader, Formlabs has today released a new reformulated Durable Resin, the fourth in its suite of Engineering grade 3D printing resins.
Delivering a smooth and glossy finish that looks like everyday plastic parts, Durable Resin is designed for prototyping polypropylene parts such as consumer products and low-wear moving parts.
Described as “stiff, strong and pliable”, Durable sits between Formlabs Tough and Flexible Engineering grade resins. Thanks to its stiffness and flexibility, parts printed in this material have high impact strength and can bend without breaking.
Polypropylene is one of the most commonly used plastics in the world. Durable Resin can be used to prototype parts that look, feel, and behave like end-use polypropylene components such as impact-resistant cases, snap fits, ball joints, flexures, vacuum formed parts, and large assemblies that need to be disassembled and reassembled.
Socket wrench snap enclosure made with Durable Resin.
Since announcing development in October, Formlabs has adapted both the colour and formulation of Durable based on feedback from internal engineers and external users. The team has significantly reformulated the resin to improve its mechanical properties and removed the component that lent to the original yellow colour to create the current frosted clear aesthetic.
Durable Resin is available on the Formlabs online store now. To print with the material, users will need to make sure their PreForm and Form2 software are up to date.
Over the last few months, the Formlabs materials team has been busy churning out new resins that ramp up the capabilities of the Form 2. At CES 2017, the company showcased its new Ceramic Resin, its first experimental resin from the Form X experimental product platform, designed for printing complex ceramic structures, not possible with traditional manufacturing. The company has also been working closely with its customers to create a third reformulation of its popular Grey Resin to enhance its opacity and matte finish.