Compatibility of Loctite resins with Formlabs

Henkel (Loctite) has announced the official validation of a wide range of its industrial resins for use with Formlabs SLA 3D printers (Form 4 and Form 4L models). This means that users can print on these high-speed, high-precision machines using Loctite resins guaranteed to perform correctly.

Image 1: Industrial-grade resin for parts with demanding requirements. Source: Loctite

Formlabs offers an Open Material mode that allows the use of third-party resins (405 nm photopolymers) with custom print parameters. Thanks to extensive Loctite testing, specific print profiles have been calibrated for the Form 4 (and its large-format version, the Form 4L) and certified to meet proper dimensional accuracy, mechanical strength, and thermal stability standards. On the Loctite Additive Manufacturing page, you can find the list of validated printers and their compatible resins; for Form 4/4L, it includes the following materials:

• LOCTITE 3D 3843 (TOUGH): Medium-rigidity “tough” resin. Offers moderate heat resistance (HDT ≈60 °C) along with high toughness and excellent surface finish. Its combination of strength and impact absorption makes it ideal for general tooling and end-use parts requiring durability, such as brackets and housings.

• LOCTITE 3D IND147 (HDT230): High-temperature resin with HDT 230 °C. Exhibits great stiffness (modulus ≈3190 MPa) and resistance to extreme heat. Excellent for injection mold prototypes (e.g., polyurethane or silicone) and tooling exposed to heat (ovens, low-pressure processes). In aerospace and automotive sectors, it enables prototyping of parts operating at high temperatures (e.g., under-hood components). A great alternative to Formlabs High Temp Resin.

• LOCTITE 3D IND249 (High Temp): Rigid, low-viscosity resin. Stands out for its high stiffness (ultimate tensile strength ~98 MPa) and very high chemical resistance. Its practical HDT is ~113 °C. Ideal for complex geometries requiring high accuracy and chemical resistance, as well as small molds and industrial tooling.

• LOCTITE 3D IND3380 (ESD): With properties equivalent to Formlabs ESD Resin, this resin is temperature-resistant (HDT ≈190 °C) with electrostatic dissipative (ESD) properties and high rigidity. It provides a very smooth surface and high chemical resistance. Used in electronic tooling, jigs, or manufacturing fixtures where static charge control and heat resistance are critical.

• LOCTITE 3D IND405 (TOUGH): High-elongation “tough” resin. It is rigid and strong but with very high elongation at break (~96%). This gives it excellent toughness and impact resistance. Enables printing of very strong and flexible parts (e.g., hoses, ducts, basic prosthetics) without breaking.

• LOCTITE 3D IND6845 (TOUGH): Balanced “tough” resin. Achieves a balance between temperature and toughness (HDT ~80 °C). Provides good surface finish and high impact strength. Used in general industrial applications, end-use plastic parts, and aluminum mold replacements; being TPO-free, it meets health and safety standards.

• LOCTITE 3D IND5714 (Elastomer): Industrial elastomeric resin. With low Shore A (~53) and very high elongation (~190%), featuring great rebound capacity. Ideal for damping and sealing (rubber parts, anti-vibration mounts, gaskets) in automotive, electronic, or flexible consumer goods sectors — similar to Formlabs Elastic 50A V2.

• LOCTITE 3D MED3394 (Sterilizable): Autoclavable, biocompatible medical resin. Designed to withstand sterilization cycles: high heat resistance (HDT ~100 °C) and very low moisture absorption. Available in white and translucent black, it’s a perfect alternative to Formlabs BioMed Black and BioMed White resins. Complies with ISO10993 and USP-VI. Used in surgical instruments, medical devices, and critical healthcare environments (lab devices, prototype prosthetics).

• LOCTITE 3D PRO410 (High Accuracy): Similar to Formlabs Precision Model Resin but with higher maximum print speed. This high-precision rigid resin prints up to 3× faster than Henkel’s conventional resins while maintaining excellent surface quality. Ideal for dimensionally accurate prototypes and master parts for calibration printing.

• LOCTITE 3D PRO417 (Tough): Tough photopolymer with good impact resistance and moderate thermal resistance (HDT ~49 °C). Enables functional prototyping and lightweight tools (housings, guides, insoles) with final post-processing (machining/polishing). A balanced option to replace Formlabs Tough 1500.

• LOCTITE 3D PRO9274 (General Purpose): General-purpose resin. Offers good detail, reasonable strength, and economical printing, making it a direct substitute for Formlabs Grey Resin. Suitable for rapid prototypes, conceptual models, general-use parts, and high-volume printing.

Image 2: Handles and caps for vehicles manufactured using Loctite industrial resin 3D printing. These end-use automotive parts are produced faster and at lower cost than with traditional molding methods. Source: Loctite

These Loctite resins offer clear advantages over other solutions. For example, IND147 and IND249 allow printing molds and tools that previously required advanced engineering polymers (such as PEEK, PEI, or PPSU). IND147 achieves an HDT comparable to PEEK (~291 °C under low flow), far exceeding the range of conventional resins (e.g., Formlabs High Temp Resin at 405 nm). However, IND147 tends to be more brittle than thermoplastics (lower elongation), though it offers equivalent rigidity. Regarding hardness and impact, the “tough” series (3843, IND405, PRO417) allows stronger and more elastic parts than standard SLA resins. IND405, with ~100% elongation, greatly outperforms typical flexible filament resins in toughness. Finally, MED3394 provides properties (autoclavability, ISO10993 compliance) not found in general-purpose resins, opening the door to medical applications.

Image 3: Surgical ratchet. Source: Formlabs.

Benefiting sectors:

Automotive: assembly jigs/fixtures, ducts and lightweight housings, stamping tools. For example, brackets and reinforcements (like the roof shown) can be printed with reinforced Loctite resins, eliminating metal molds. Functional prototypes (manifolds, engine mounts) can withstand exhaust temperatures (IND147) or vibration (IND5714).

Aerospace: demonstration engine and turbine parts (like the attached blade), aircraft and drone tooling. The high accuracy of PRO410 and the high temperature resistance of IND147/3380 enable prototyping of components exposed to heat (intake ducts, housings) and low-volume end-use parts.

Healthcare: surgical guides and devices, biomechanical prototypes, and medical elements. MED3394 enables printing of sterilizable parts (e.g., splints, dental models) and prototype medical devices with USP-VI certification.

Tooling and injection molds: engineers design short-run molds or metal inserts using IND147/IND249 (molds for polyurethane, silicone, or thermoplastics). Heat-resistant assembly jigs and end-use hooks (e.g., mold closures) are produced faster and more affordably than with conventional machining.

End-use parts manufacturing: low-volume plastic parts (instrument housings, functional prototypes) can be produced directly in Loctite resin, eliminating metal tooling. TOUGH resins (3843, 6845, PRO417) provide the mechanical strength needed for real-use parts, while PRO resins (410, 9274) accelerate iterative prototyping.

Video 1: Formlabs 4. Source: Formlabs.

In summary, the technological alliance between Loctite and Formlabs provides companies with a set of advanced materials tested and configured for Form 4/4L equipment. This greatly expands the range of feasible industrial applications with large-format SLA — from manufacturing jigs to advanced prototypes and critical end-use parts — all with guaranteed print success.