Materials / Compare
Plastic ABS (bulk/injection) vs. SLA Resin Standard
Compare Plastic ABS (bulk/injection) vs. SLA Resin Standard strength, stiffness, weight and thermal properties.
| Mechanical | Plastic ABS (bulk/injection) | SLA Resin Standard |
|---|---|---|
| Yield strength | 45MPa1 | not given (tensile used) |
| Ultimate tensile strength | not stated (yield given) | 60MPa2 |
| Flexural strength | 65MPa1 | 105MPa21.62x stronger in bending |
| Elongation at break | 10%125% more ductile | 8%2 |
| Young's modulus (stiffness) | 2.3GPa1 | 2.75GPa220% stiffer |
| Density | 1,040kg/m³116% lighter | 1,210kg/m³3 |
| Strength to weight | 43.3kN·m/kg | 49.6kN·m/kg15% higher |
| Stiffness to weight | 2.21MN·m/kg | 2.27MN·m/kg3% higher |
| Poisson's ratio | 0.394 | not sourced |
| Shear modulus | 0.827GPa | not sourced |
| Bulk modulus | 3.48GPa | not sourced |
| Speed of sound | 1,487m/s | 1,508m/s1% faster |
| Thermal | Plastic ABS (bulk/injection) | SLA Resin Standard |
|---|---|---|
| Thermal conductivity | 0.17W/m·K1 | 0.54W/m·K53.18x more heat through a fin |
| Thermal expansion | range80–110µm/m·K1 | mean -30 to 140 °C114µm/m·K5 |
| 100 mm part over a 50 °C swing | 475µm growth20% less | 571µm growth |
| Specific heat | not sourced | 1,800J/kg·K5 |
| Heats up and cools (diffusivity) | not sourced | 0.248mm²/s |
| Thermal shock resistance | 21.4W/m | not sourced |
| Max service temperature | HDT 1.8 MPa94°C135 °C hotter | HDT 1.8 MPa59°C2 |
| Try it on a partA bracket to run stress or thermal on, free in your browser | Open in LessCAD | Open in LessCAD |
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Sources5 documents: INEOS Styrolution, Formlabs, Covestro
- Plastic ABS (bulk/injection)
- INEOS Styrolution Terluran GP-22 general-purpose injection-molding ABS, ISO typical values (TDS revision 08/01/2022)
- SLA Resin Standard
- Formlabs Clear Resin V5 (FLGPCL05), TDS Rev. 01 March 20, 2024; printed on Form 4 at 100 µm, washed 5 min in >=99% IPA, post-cured 15 min at 60 °C in Form Cure. Orientation not stated.
- 1Terluran GP-22 (ABS) Product Data SheetINEOS StyrolutionPlastic ABS (bulk/injection) · Yield strength: typical, tensile stress at yield 23 °CPlastic ABS (bulk/injection) · Flexural strength: typical, 23 °CPlastic ABS (bulk/injection) · Elongation at break: nominal strain at break, 23 °CPlastic ABS (bulk/injection) · Young's modulus (stiffness): typicalPlastic ABS (bulk/injection) · Density: typicalPlastic ABS (bulk/injection) · Thermal conductivity: typicalPlastic ABS (bulk/injection) · Thermal expansion: rangePlastic ABS (bulk/injection) · Max service temperature: HDT 1.8 MPa (annealed 4 h/80 °C)
- 2Clear Resin V5 Technical Data Sheet (2024)Formlabsarchived copySLA Resin Standard · Ultimate tensile strength: typicalSLA Resin Standard · Flexural strength: typicalSLA Resin Standard · Elongation at break: typicalSLA Resin Standard · Young's modulus (stiffness): typicalSLA Resin Standard · Max service temperature: HDT 1.8 MPa
- 3Clear Resin V5 Technical Data Sheet (web edition)FormlabsSLA Resin Standard · Density: typical, post-cured (same for 5 min ambient and 15 min at 60 °C), ASTM D792
- 4Engineering Polymers Part and Mold Design: Thermoplastics, A Design GuideCovestroarchived copyPlastic ABS (bulk/injection) · Poisson's ratio: typical, ABS family (Covestro Part and Mold Design guide, Table 3-1)
- 5Thermal Properties of Selected Formlabs SLA ResinsFormlabsSLA Resin Standard · Thermal conductivity: typical, post-cured, ASTM E1530SLA Resin Standard · Thermal expansion: mean -30 to 140 °C, post-cured (5 min ambient cure), TMA ASTM E831SLA Resin Standard · Specific heat: typical, 25 °C, post-cured (5 min ambient cure), DSC ASTM E1269
Each number points to the document that states it, with the exact basis. Values without a number are computed from the sourced ones. "Not sourced" means no citable source states it (or only a specification minimum); figures computed from it are left out too.
SLA Resin Standard is 3D printed: its properties depend on build direction and print settings; these are typical values.
Questions
Mechanical
Is Plastic ABS (bulk/injection) stronger than SLA Resin Standard?
SLA Resin Standard is stronger: its tensile strength is 60 MPa against yield strength 45 MPa for Plastic ABS (bulk/injection) (33%).
Which is lighter, Plastic ABS (bulk/injection) or SLA Resin Standard?
Plastic ABS (bulk/injection) is lighter: 1,040 kg/m³ against 1,210 kg/m³ for SLA Resin Standard.
Which is stiffer, Plastic ABS (bulk/injection) or SLA Resin Standard?
SLA Resin Standard is stiffer: Young's modulus 2.75 GPa against 2.3 GPa for Plastic ABS (bulk/injection), so the same part in SLA Resin Standard deflects less under the same load.
Which is lighter for the same job, Plastic ABS (bulk/injection) or SLA Resin Standard?
For the same stiffness or strength: Plastic ABS (bulk/injection) is lighter for a stiff beam (bending), stiff panel or plate; SLA Resin Standard is lighter for a stiff rod or tie (tension), strong rod or tie, strong beam.
| Part that must be | Plastic ABS (bulk/injection) | SLA Resin Standard |
|---|---|---|
| Stiff rod or tie (tension) | 3% heavier | lighter |
| Stiff beam (bending) | lighter | 6% heavier |
| Stiff panel or plate | lighter | 10% heavier |
| Strong rod or tie | 15% heavier | lighter |
| Strong beam | 4% heavier | lighter |
| Strong panel or plate | about equal | about equal |
For the same stiffness or strength, mass scales with density over stiffness (or strength) raised to a power set by how the part is loaded: 1 for a rod in tension, 1/2 for a beam in bending, 1/3 for a panel (the standard material-selection indices).
Which is more ductile, Plastic ABS (bulk/injection) or SLA Resin Standard?
Plastic ABS (bulk/injection) stretches further before it breaks: 10% elongation at break against 8% for SLA Resin Standard.
Thermal
Which handles higher temperatures, Plastic ABS (bulk/injection) or SLA Resin Standard?
Plastic ABS (bulk/injection) does: 94 °C against 59 °C for SLA Resin Standard.
Which conducts heat better, Plastic ABS (bulk/injection) or SLA Resin Standard?
SLA Resin Standard conducts heat better: 0.54 W/m·K against 0.17 W/m·K for Plastic ABS (bulk/injection).
Which expands less with temperature?
Plastic ABS (bulk/injection) expands less: 95 µm/m·K against 114 µm/m·K for SLA Resin Standard.
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