Formlabs Resin 3D Printing Service

Formlabs resins combine fine detail and smooth surfaces with a range of mechanical, thermal, and electrical properties for SLA-printed prototypes and custom tooling

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What Are Formlabs Resins?

Formlabs resins are liquid photopolymers developed for stereolithography (SLA) 3D printing. The range includes general-purpose, clear, tough, flexible, and glass-filled materials, along with formulations that resist heat, slow flame spread, or dissipate static electricity. This variety makes them useful for everything from detailed appearance models and assembly checks to functional prototypes and manufacturing tools.

What Are the Benefits of Formlabs Resins?

Formlabs resins combine SLA’s ability to reproduce small features and smooth surfaces with material choices tailored to specific engineering tasks. Engineers can use Translucent/Clear resin to inspect internal features, with further options for thermal testing, flexible components and specialised manufacturing environments. This breadth helps teams evaluate both a part’s geometry and the material behaviour that matters to its intended use.

3D Printing With Formlabs Resins

During SLA printing, light selectively hardens liquid resin layer by layer to form a solid part. The process produces fine features and smooth surfaces, making it a great fit for detailed models and prototypes. Parts are then washed and post-cured as required to develop their final properties. The resin formulation determines how the finished part responds to loads, heat, and electrical charge.

Protolabs Formlabs Resin Capabilities

Protolabs offers 9 Formlabs SLA resins for detailed prototypes and custom tooling, with options for clarity, toughness, flexibility, stiffness, heat resistance, flame resistance, and static dissipation.

Dimensional tolerance: ±0.3% of nominal dimension, with a minimum of ±0.3mm (±0.012 in.)
Minimum wall thickness: 0.5mm (0.020 in.) supported; 1.0mm (0.039 in.) unsupported
Layer height: 50–100 μm (0.002–0.004 in.)
Colour options: Black, white, grey, clear, and specialty options depending on the resin
Surface finish: Smooth finish, with supports removed and support marks sanded. Additional finishing improves Translucent/Clear resin transparency.
Technical data sheets (PDF): Standard, Translucent/Clear, High Temp, Tough 2000, Rigid 4000, Flame Retardant, Rigid 10K, Tough 1500, ESD

Design specifications are based on Protolabs’ SLA manufacturing guidelines. Achievable tolerances and minimum features may vary with part geometry and design.

Formlabs Materials Compared

Compare mechanical properties, thermal performance, and common applications to select the right resin for your project.

Material	Best Suited For	Tensile Strength	Tensile Modulus	Elongation at Break	Impact Strength (Notched Izod)	HDT (at ~0.45 MPa)	Key considerations
Standard	Appearance models, form-and-fit prototypes	65 MPa	2.8 GPa	6.2%	25 J/m	73°C	Smooth finish; black, white, grey options
Translucent/Clear	Semi-clear housings, flow models, visible internal features	65 MPa	2.8 GPa	6%	25 J/m	73°C	Additional finishing improves clarity
High Temp	Thermal testing, heat-resistant tooling	49 MPa	2.8 GPa	2.3%	17 J/m	238°C*	High heat resistance; limited flexibility
Tough 2000	Sturdy housings, jigs, fixtures	46 MPa	2.2 GPa	48%	40 J/m	63°C	Balance of stiffness and ductility
Rigid 4000	Mounts, brackets, thin-walled parts	69 MPa	4.1 GPa	5.3%	23 J/m	77°C	Glass-filled; high stiffness
Flame Retardant	Electronics housings, industrial fixtures	38 MPa	2.9 GPa	9.4%	22 J/m	94°C	Halogen-free; UL 94 V-0 at 3mm
Rigid 10K	Industrial tooling, moulds, aerodynamic models	65 MPa	10 GPa	1%	16 J/m	163°C*	Highly glass-filled; exceptional stiffness
Tough 1500	Snap fits, latches, rugged enclosures	34 MPa	1.46 GPa	155%	42 J/m	66°C	PP-like toughness and flexibility
ESD	Electronics handling, assembly fixtures	44.2 MPa	1.94 GPa	12%	26 J/m	62°C	Static-dissipative; surface resistivity 10⁵–10⁸ Ω/sq

Further process information is available on the resin 3D printing service page and in the resin 3D printing design guide.

Formlabs Resin Applications

The range supports product development and custom tooling across several industries. Common applications include:

Key Takeaways

Fine detail and smooth surfaces: Formlabs SLA is useful for appearance models, small features, and assembly checks. Translucent/Clear resin adds visibility into internal features and fluid paths.

Different responses to load: Tough resins balance stiffness and ductility for functional prototypes, while Rigid resins resist bending in fixtures and tooling.

Heat resistance for tooling and testing: High Temp resin supports parts exposed to elevated temperatures, including mould inserts and thermal test fixtures. Its heat-deflection values describe performance under a defined test load, rather than a universal operating temperature.

Flame resistance for electrical and industrial parts: Flame Retardant resin is self-extinguishing, with a UL 94 V-0 rating at 3mm under specified processing conditions. This is useful for housings and fixtures where flame behaviour is a design requirement.

Static dissipation for electronics handling: ESD resin helps control static buildup in component trays, assembly fixtures, and other tools used around sensitive electronics.

Formlabs Resin FAQs

Are Formlabs resins thermoplastics?

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No. Formlabs SLA resins form thermoset parts as they cure. Unlike thermoplastics such as ABS or nylon, the printed material cannot be melted and reshaped.

Can Formlabs resins be used for functional parts?

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Yes. Tough, Flexible, Rigid, High Temp, Flame Retardant, and ESD resins offer properties suited to functional prototypes and tooling. Suitability depends on the loads, temperature, environment, and expected life of the part.

What is the difference between High Temp and Flame Retardant resin?

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High Temp resin resists deformation under heat and is useful for hot test fixtures and tooling. Flame Retardant resin is formulated to self-extinguish and limit flame spread under defined test conditions. Heat resistance and flame resistance are different properties.

How transparent are Translucent/Clear resin parts?

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Translucent/Clear resin makes internal features visible, but as-printed surfaces can scatter light. Sanding and polishing can improve transparency. The finish and part geometry affect the final clarity.

Does ESD resin replace an ESD-control system?

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No. Its static-dissipative properties make it useful for electronics-handling tools, but performance also depends on grounding, contact with components, and the wider ESD-control setup.