Tough 1000 Resin is a ductile, impact-resistant SLA material engineered for exceptional wear and fatigue resistance. Its 180% elongation at break and Gardner impact strength of 128 in-lb actually surpass HDPE, making it the toughest and most ductile resin in the Formlabs Tough Resin family. Parts can bend, compress, or deform under significant loads without cracking.

Tough 1000 Resin is designed to deliver comparable strength, stiffness, and toughness to high-density polyethylene (HDPE). Where it exceeds HDPE is in elongation at break (180% vs. 100%) and Gardner impact strength (13.1 J vs. 5.4 J at 1/32" thickness), making it an excellent choice for functional parts that must survive real-world impacts and repeated deformation.

Tough 1000 Resin is built for long-term fatigue resistance. It achieves a work of fracture of 3,200 J/m2 and a Ross flex fatigue rating of more than 100,000 cycles at 30-degree deflection at 1 Hz (tested at 23 °C), making it well suited for hinges, compliant mechanisms, and other parts that experience repeated flexing or impact over their service life.

Tough 1000 Resin offers lubricity comparable to Delrin (POM), meaning surfaces can slide against each other without abrasion or scratching. This makes it a strong choice for moving assemblies such as gears, ball joints, and hinges where surface wear resistance is critical.

Tough 1000 Resin is ideal for impact-resistant jigs and fixtures that see long-term use on the factory floor, squeezable or compliant prototypes, low-friction moving assemblies such as gears and ball joints, and functional end-use parts or manufacturing aids that require the strength and stiffness of HDPE.

Tough 1000 Resin is compatible with the Form 4, Form 4B, Form 4L, and Form 4BL printers. It works with both the Form 4 Resin Tank and the Form 4L Resin Tank, and supports the Form 4 Build Platform, Form 4 Flex Build Platform, Form 4L Build Platform, and Form 4L Flex Build Platform.

Tough 1000 Resin is the recommended successor to Durable Resin for demanding applications. It delivers 5x higher fracture toughness, 2x higher elongation at break, and improved temperature, creep, and aging resistance compared to Durable Resin. Parts printed in Tough 1000 Resin better resist warping and sagging at corners and edges over time.

The Formlabs Tough Resin family covers a range of mechanical profiles. Tough 1000 Resin is the toughest and most ductile, comparable to HDPE and Delrin. Tough 1500 Resin V2 balances stiffness and compliance similar to polypropylene, and is suited for compliant mechanisms, snap fits, and self-tapping screw bosses. Tough 2000 Resin V2 is the strongest and stiffest of the three, comparable to ABS, and excels in heavy-duty jigs, fixtures, and snap-fit enclosures requiring higher temperature resistance.

Post-processing involves two main steps. First, wash the part using isopropyl alcohol or an ether-based solution to remove uncured resin from the surface. Formlabs Form Wash or Form Wash L are both compatible. Second, post-cure the part using a Form Cure or Form Cure L unit. Post-curing is essential for parts to achieve their full strength and intended functional properties by completing the chemical reaction initiated during printing.

Wash time settings are available on the Formlabs support site for Form Wash and Form Wash L. Cure settings are available separately for Form Cure V1, Form Cure V2, Form Cure L V1, and Form Cure L V2.

The full Technical Data Sheet, including all tested mechanical properties, is available at the Formlabs Data Sheets page. To evaluate the material firsthand, you can request a Tough 1000 Resin sample part shipped directly to your office. For pricing information, visit the Formlabs store or contact the sales team.