Applications, Products

Tough 1000 and Tough 2000 V2: Formlabs’ new engineering resins for high-performance functional parts

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Formlabs expands its family of Tough Resins introducing the new Tough 1000 and Tough 2000 V2, engineering materials designed to bring SLA 3D printing closer to the performance of traditional thermoplastics such as HDPE, ABS, and PP. These resins combine toughness, impact resistance, dimensional stability and a professional surface finish, enabling the creation of jigs, fixtures, housings and snap-fit assemblies ready for use in production.

These resins complement the well-known Tough 1500, which behaves similarly to polypropylene (PP) and is suitable for flexible parts that need to snap back into place quickly. you can learn more about it in the dedicated article.

As a long-standing Formlabs reseller, 3DZ supports companies, designers and service providers in choosing the most suitable Tough resin to move from rapid prototyping to the production of functional parts.

A new generation of tough resins to compete with thermoplastics

The new generation of Tough resins was created with a specific goal in mind: to bring the mechanical properties of SLA 3D printing closer to those of thermoplastics used in production, in particular HDPE, ABS and polypropylene.

Within this family, Tough 1000 and Tough 2000 V2 are high-performance materials for applications that require:

  • high impact and fracture resistance
  • a calibrated combination of rigidity and ductility
  • long-term stability under load and at higher temperatures than standard resins
  • a dark, matt surface finish, ideal for aesthetic parts and end use

These resins complement the already established Tough 1500, which has similar behaviour to polypropylene (PP) and is ideal for parts that require a balance of strength, controlled flexibility and elastic recovery.

With these three formulations, the Tough family now offers a complete range of solutions for functional prototyping and production, covering a wide spectrum of mechanical and application requirements.

Compared to traditional SLA resins, Tough materials allow the creation of functional components that work in a production environment, subjected to impact, repeated flex cycles, assembly and disassembly, with behaviour much closer to that of engineering plastics.

 

 

Tough 1000 Resin: the most ductile and tough resin in the Tough family

Tough 1000 Resin is the most ductile and impact-resistant material in the Tough range. Its mechanical properties are comparable to high-density polyethylene (HDPE), making it ideal for parts that need to absorb impacts, deform in a controlled manner and return to their original shape without sudden breakage.

Technical characteristics

Tough 1000 is a ductile resin with high impact resistance and remarkable deformation capacity:

  • 180% elongation at break, superior to high-density polyethylene, for parts that withstand significant deformation without fracturing.
  • Gardner impact resistance of 13.1 J, allowing the production of components capable of withstanding significant impacts, shocks and falls.
  • Fracture work of 3200 J/m², indicative of high toughness and resistance to crack propagation.
  • Ross flexural test resistance greater than 100,000 cycles (30° deflection at 1 Hz), designed for mechanisms subjected to repeated flexing over time.

Advantages:

  • High toughness and ductility: ideal when avoiding breakage and ensuring a ‘rubbery’ but structurally resistant behaviour is a priority.
  • High resistance to wear and repeated stress: parts withstand prolonged assembly cycles, impacts and bending.
  • Better dimensional stability than Durable Resin, with less sagging and deformation at the corners.
  • Low-friction surfaces for sliding mechanisms, ball joints and gears.

Recommended applications with Tough 1000 Resin

Thanks to its balance of impact resistance, ductility and controlled slip, Tough 1000 Resin is particularly suitable for:

  • jigs and fixtures subject to impact and heavy use in the factory;
  • parts requiring the strength and rigidity typical of HDPE, with greater toughness;
  • compliant mechanisms that must withstand repeated bending without breaking (flexible arms, hooks, damping elements);
  • low-friction assemblies and sliding surfaces (hinges, gears, ball joints, carriages and sliders).

For those already using Durable Resin, Tough 1000 is a natural evolution when superior performance is required in terms of impact resistance, durability and tolerance to the most severe environmental conditions.

Tough 2000 Resin V2: performance comparable to ABS for structural parts and snap-fit assemblies

Tough 2000 Resin V2 is the stiffest and most resistant resin in the Tough family, with mechanical properties comparable to ABS. It is designed for structural components, robust snap-fit couplings, jigs and fixtures that must withstand significant loads and operate at higher temperatures than standard resins.

Key technical features

The new formulation of Tough 2000 V2 introduces a significant leap in quality compared to the previous version:

  • 79% elongation at break, combining rigidity and controlled deformation capacity, reducing the risk of breakage in the event of impact or bending.
  • Fracture toughness of 305 J/m², approximately three times higher than the previous generation.
  • Creep limited to 1.3% under a load of 4 MPa after two weeks, essential for parts that must maintain their shape and performance for long periods under stress.
  • Heat distortion temperature (HDT) of 70 °C at 0.45 MPa, ensuring geometric stability even in high-temperature applications where other plastics tend to deform.

From an aesthetic and functional point of view, Tough 2000 V2 offers:

  • a darker, more opaque surface finish with high scratch resistance;
  • a visual appearance suitable for realistic prototypes and end-use parts, with sharp details and smooth surfaces straight out of the printer.

Key benefits

  • Rigidity and strength comparable to ABS, with the added benefits of SLA printing in terms of detail and finish.
  • Long-term creep resistance for structural components subject to constant loads.
  • Reliable performance at high temperatures, thanks to an HDT of 70 °C.
  • Production-ready surface quality, with dark, opaque pigmentation that improves contrast and detail quality.

Applicazioni consigliate

Tough 2000 Resin V2 is designed for all applications requiring rigidity, structural strength and thermal stability:

  • parts requiring the strength and rigidity of ABS, but with better detail definition;
  • jigs and fixtures for intensive use in production, where tools must maintain their shape and dimensions over time;
  • protective housings and shells subjected to impact, vibration and higher temperatures;
  • robust snap-fit couplings and functional parts that must withstand repeated assembly and flexing cycles;
  • ‘production-ready’ parts with a dark matt finish, designed for installation on machines, equipment or finished products.

Want to find out if the new Tough resins are suitable for your project?

Choosing the right material is essential for obtaining reliable, durable parts that are optimised for your workflow.

As an official Formlabs reseller, 3DZ supports manufacturing companies, technical offices, designers, and 3D printing services on a daily basis in determining:

  • which Tough resin to use based on loads, temperature and conditions of use;
  • the ideal configuration of Formlabs printers (Form 4, Form 4L, post-processing systems);
  • the printing and post-curing workflow to maximise the mechanical performance of parts.

If you would like to evaluate the adoption of the new Tough 1000 and Tough 2000 V2 resins for your functional components, contact a 3DZ expert: you can analyse concrete use cases, compare the different Formlabs resins and identify the 3D printing solution that best suits the needs of your design or production department.

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