Silicone 40A Resin - FormLabs

The Silicone 40A resin by Formlabs is an innovative 100% silicone 3D printing material designed to meet the needs of modern manufacturing. Leveraging Formlabs' advanced Pure Silicone Technology™, this resin enables the creation of pure silicone parts on-site, streamlining production processes that traditionally require labor-intensive molding and casting. This efficiency allows for cost-effective rapid prototyping and low-volume manufacturing, significantly reducing lead times and associated costs.

Video 1: Introducing the Silicone 40A resin. Source: FormLabs

With a Shore hardness of 40A, the Silicone 40A resin is capable of producing soft, flexible, and tough parts that exhibit remarkable performance characteristics. The material boasts an impressive elongation at break of 230 %, a rebound resistence of 34 %, a tear strength of 12 kN/m, and a Ross flexing fatigue of over 500000 cycles (at both 23 ºC and -10 ºC), making it ideal for applications that involve repeated cycles of stretching, bending, and compression. In addition to its flexibility, this resin provides excellent chemical and thermal resistance, withstanding temperatures ranging from -25°C to 125°C. The ability to achieve fine details as small as 0.3 mm and complex geometries with isotropic properties distinguishes this material from traditional methods such as casting or molding. More information of this resin's mechanical, thermal and chemical performance can be found in the Attachments section.

Video 2: Silicone gripper printed with the Silicone 40A resin. Source: FormLabs

Parts 3D printed with the Silicone 40A resin find utility across various industries, demonstrating versatility in applications ranging from consumer products to healthcare. In automotive, robotics, and manufacturing sectors, it is ideal for seals, gaskets, rings, connectors, and dampers. For consumer products, it serves as a material for wearable devices, handles, and grips. In the medical field, it can be utilized for prosthetics, orthotics, audiological models, and customized medical devices. Additionally, it supports the development of flexible fasteners, masking tools, and soft molds for casting urethane or resin, showcasing its adaptability and high-performance capabilities.

Video 3: Clips printed with the Silicone 40A resin subjected to the Ross flexing test. Source: FormLabs

The Silicone 40A resin is compatible with the Form 3, Form 3+, Form 3B and Form 3B(+) 3D printers. The resin is also compatible with the Form 3 V2.1 and Form 4 resin tanks, as well as the build platforms Form 3, Form 3 2, Form 3 Stainless Steel, Form 4 and Form 4 Flex, ensuring that users can achieve optimal results regardless of the size or scope of their projects. It is important to note that the material properties may vary depending on various factors such as part geometry, orientation, print settings, temperature, and the disinfection or sterilization methods used. For a comprehensive guide on how to work with the Silicone 40A resin, please refer to the Manual provided on the official Formlabs support website.