Tips to simplify designs
3D printed elastic resins are photopolymers used in SLA (Stereolithography) and DLP (Digital Light Processing) with rubber-like properties. UV catalysts cure the resins, allowing the creation of parts that can flex, stretch and compress without fracture, for applications needing flexible and durable parts.
Applications of Elastic Resins in industry
Elastic resins are useful for functional prototypes and end-use parts that require tough flexibility. They serve in medical, consumer product, automotive and aerospace applications for flexible and fast turnaround elastomeric parts. Additionally, the apparel technology sector uses them in wearable technology and custom footwear.
Key properties and characteristics of Elastic Resins
With high flexibility and durability and good tear resistance they withstand repeated bending and stretching. The print processes maintain high detail resolution, for intricate designs. Some formulations are biocompatible and UV-stable, suitable for skin contact and longevity in outdoor applications.
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Lead Engineer
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Properties of Elastic Resin
Flexibility and stretchability
These materials are employed for their flexibility and elasticity, allowing parts that can bend, compress and stretch without fracturing/tearing easily. This makes them ideal for creating components that need to withstand mechanical stress and deformation, such as gaskets, seals, and wearable items.
Soft touch and feel
The soft feel of elastic resins make them suitable for applications requiring a comfortable tacticity. Ergonomic grips, custom wearables and consumer electronics benefit from this, enhancing user comfort and experience.
Shore durometer and elongation at break
These resins are available in various hardnesses from ShoreA30 to A80. Elongation at break can exceed values of 100% to 200% or more for some materials/processes, indicating their high resilience in stretching – although in general their recovery is highly damped and viscous after long extension.
Tear strength and resistance
Tear strength is a crucial property, determining components ability to resist tearing under distortion. Elastic resins deliver high tear resistance for parts that can endure repeated flexing and stretching without fracture/cracking. This makes the materials suitable for dynamic applications where durability and longevity are essential.
Elastic Resin in 3D printing
SLA and DLP printers can run these elastic resins. They use layer construction, producing highly detailed and precise parts of varied resolutions down to 16µm X-Y-Z. The elastic resins are formulated to work with these printers, though careful specification checks are wise.
Post-cure process
The post-cure process involves exposing the printed part to additional UV light after printing. This step is crucial for achieving the desired mechanical properties, such as maximum flexibility, durability, and tear resistance. Proper post-curing ensures the material reaches its full strength and performance potential. Post cure is not universally required. For example the Objet process is marketed as full-cure and does not require additional treatment.
Building parts
Parts are built from software generated slices. The printer’s exposure time and layer thickness can be optimized for print quality and to ensure the interlayer bonding of the resin is achieved.
Challenges and considerations
Printing with elastic resin presents challenges that are dependant upon the nature of the equipment performing the printing to a large extent.
- Print failure: Higher risk of print failures due to the flexible nature of the resin.
- Support structures: Proper design and removal of support structures without damaging the part.
- Adhesion: Ensuring good adhesion to the print platform to prevent warping.
- Post-processing: Handling and post-processing require care to avoid deforming the parts, where process cure is incomplete.
Applications of Elastic Resin
Prototyping Elastic Parts
Elastic resin is optimized for prototyping flexible and elastic parts, due to its ability to bend, compress and elongate without breaking. This allows designers to evaluate products that must endure mechanical stress and deformation.
Engineering applications and benefits
Elastic resins are used to create gaskets, seals, and shock-absorbing components. The benefits include durability and high resolution of parts testing otherwise hard to prototype parts. Testing under real-world conditions is particularly valuable, with no other low cost alternative approaches.
Soft-touch products
Elastic resin is perfect for ergonomic grips, custom phone cases and wearable technologies. Resin’s tacticity enhances user comfort/experience in consumer electronics and personal accessories.
Highly flexed and stretched parts
Elastic resin’s flexibility and high elongation at break make it suitable for medical devices like orthotics and prosthetics, as well as fashion items like flexible shoe soles and sportswear components. These materials combine comfort, functionality, and resilience.
Post-processing and finishing
Techniques for post-processing Elastic Resin parts
Post-processing elastic resin parts involves one or two steps steps:
1. Cleaning: Removal of soluble support material by isopropyl alcohol (IPA) breakdown or water ablation, depending on the print process and material properties.
2. Curing: Expose the part to UV light to fully cure the resin, enhancing its mechanical properties. Not required in ‘full-cure’ processes.
Considerations for painting and coating
1. Surface preparation: Clean and ablate the surface to ensure proper adhesion of paints and coatings.
2. Flexible paints: Use paints and coatings that are specified to be flexible, to avoid cracking when the part is distorted.
3. Primer application: Specialist flexible primers will improve the coupling of less specialist paint finishes.
Comparison with other flexible Resins
Elastic resin is designed to produce parts that are similar to rubber. Other flexible resins such as SLA tough resin or flexible resin cannot match the extreme elasticity and low hardness options of elastic resin.
Elastic resin stands out from these other materials for its superior elongation capacity and soft touch, making it ideal for applications requiring extreme flexibility.
Case studies and research findings
Case studies and research on elastic resin focus on a wide scope of medical, consumer, and industrial fields. These highlight its use in custom orthotics, ergonomic products and seals. Research typically explores the mechanical properties, biocompatibility and durability of parts.
- Medical applications: Research focuses on the biocompatibility and flexibility and suitability for prosthetics and orthotics, for enhanced patient comfort, safety and functionality and customized fit.
- Consumer products: Elastic resin, particularly in prototype stages, improves the design and usability of ergonomic products, such as wearable tech and phone cases, due to its soft touch and durability.
- Industrial use: Elastic resin is highly effective for creating durable seals and gaskets, providing excellent tear resistance and flexibility under stress.
Yoav A
Head of Design
Conclusion
Elastic 3D print resins, executed into parts in SLA and DLP printing, offer extraordinary flexibility and elasticity, allowing for the creation of durable, rubber-like parts for prototyping and early production substitution. They are ideal for applications requiring durability under mechanical stress, such as custom orthotics, ergonomic grips and moderate-environment seals. Elastic resins offer soft touch, a range of Shore hardness levels, very high elongation at break and excellent tear resistance.
Future prospects and advancements in Elastic Resin technology
Development of elastic resin technologies is focused on improving material characteristics and expanding application possibilities.
- Enhanced durability: Increasing both tear and wear resilience for more increasingly demanding applications.
- Biocompatibility: Developing more biocompatible resins for broader medical applications, with the expectation of implant capable materials.
- UV stability: Increased UV stability for sun-tolerant applications.
- Sustainable materials: Creating eco-friendly, recyclable resins though reduced chemical stability and controlled degradation.
- Smart materials: Incorporating condition-responsive or self-healing properties for innovative applications.
