Flexible Resin: density, exposure and when to choose it
Flexible Resin is an elastic resin with low Shore hardness (usually 60–80A) that stays soft and bendable after curing rather than snapping. Unlike rigid resins it's chosen not for detail but for tactile and cushioning properties — it's closer to a rubber-like material than to a plastic.
Key properties
| Parameter | Value |
|---|---|
| Density (cured) | ≈1.05 g/cm³ |
| Exposure | 405 nm (LCD/DLP) |
| Post-cure | 60–90 sec UV chamber |
| Printer type | MSLA/LCD, DLP |
| Post-processing | IPA wash 3–5 min + UV post-cure (shorter — loses elasticity if overcured) |
| Toxicity before curing | the liquid resin irritates skin and is toxic on contact — gloves and ventilation are mandatory |
When to use it
- Prototypes of rubber seals, gaskets, cushioning inserts.
- Ergonomic pads, grips, parts that contact skin and need softness.
- Footwear and orthotic insert models and fitting prototypes.
- Small parts with living hinges at miniature scale.
When to pick something else
- A large flexible part that needs bending durability — print it in FDM TPU; resin fatigues and cracks faster under repeated flexing.
- You need stiffness and impact resistance at once — go with Tough Resin or ABS-like Resin.
- Maximum detail without elasticity requirements — go back to Standard Resin.
Pros and cons
Pros: keeps resin printing's high detail while staying soft and flexible, reproduces small rubber-like elements that FDM TPU can't achieve, a wide hardness range across different formulations.
Cons: more expensive than standard resin per liter, sensitive to post-cure time — easy to overexpose, which stiffens the part and kills its elasticity, less durable under repeated flexing than TPU, sticks to the build plate more than rigid resins while printing.
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Flexible Resin is among the most expensive resin types per liter, and printing it is slower because each layer's exposure needs careful control. The defect rate runs above average: excess shrinkage or underexposure deforms thin soft walls right on the platform, before any post-processing. Budget this as a higher reprint buffer than for Standard or Tough Resin.