ABS-like Resin: density, exposure and when to choose it
ABS-like Resin is formulated to approach injection-molded ABS mechanically: combining stiffness with moderate impact resistance instead of being simply brittle like Standard Resin. It sits in the niche between purely decorative resin and specialized Tough Resin, giving an engineering balance of properties while keeping high detail.
Key properties
| Parameter | Value |
|---|---|
| Density (cured) | ≈1.12 g/cm³ |
| Exposure | 405 nm (LCD/DLP) |
| Post-cure | 90–120 sec UV chamber |
| Printer type | MSLA/LCD, DLP |
| Post-processing | IPA wash 4–6 min + UV post-cure |
| Toxicity before curing | the liquid resin irritates skin and is toxic on contact — gloves and ventilation are mandatory |
When to use it
- Instrument housings and functional prototypes that need stiffness and precise geometry.
- Parts with threaded joints, snap-fits, thin ribs.
- Prototypes meant to be compared one-to-one, by feel, with a future injection-molded ABS product.
- Master models for subsequent silicone casting, where both stiffness and surface cleanliness are needed.
When to pick something else
- The part sees real impact loads in service — Tough Resin handles impact better thanks to its more elastic formulation.
- The final product will be real ABS and is printed in large runs — it's more cost-effective to print directly in FDM ABS rather than imitate it in resin.
- The assembly needs flexibility — switch to Flexible Resin.
Pros and cons
Pros: a combination of stiffness and detail unattainable for FDM ABS, good geometric accuracy for functional fits, the surface doesn't need sanding unlike printed ABS.
Cons: more expensive than Standard Resin per liter, still more brittle on impact than real injection-molded ABS, needs full post-curing to unlock its stiffness — an undercured part behaves differently, the liquid resin is toxic and smells while printing.
Calculate your price in a minute
Free calculator: part weight, print time, material price — no sign-up needed.
App Store
Google Play
RuStoreHow it affects your print cost
ABS-like Resin sits in the upper price tier for resins, but saves post-processing time compared to FDM ABS printing, which often needs extra acetone treatment or sanding. When calculating cost, compare not just the material price per gram but the full cycle time: resin printing is slower by platform volume, but requires almost no manual surface finishing, which can offset the price difference on small batches of functional prototypes.