Plastic ABS (bulk/injection) vs. SLA Resin Tough 2000

Compare Plastic ABS (bulk/injection) vs. SLA Resin Tough 2000 strength, stiffness, weight and thermal properties.

Plastic ABS (bulk/injection)Bulk polymer (molded or machined)

SLA Resin Tough 20003D printed (SLA resin)

Mechanical	Plastic ABS (bulk/injection)	SLA Resin Tough 2000
Yield strength	45MPa111% stronger	40.4MPa2
Ultimate tensile strength	not stated (yield given)	40.4MPa2
Flexural strength	65MPa1	67MPa2
Elongation at break	10%1	79%27.9x more ductile
Young's modulus (stiffness)	2.3GPa128% stiffer	1.8GPa2
Density	1,040kg/m³1	1,090kg/m³2
Strength to weight	43.3kN·m/kg17% higher	37.1kN·m/kg
Stiffness to weight	2.21MN·m/kg34% higher	1.65MN·m/kg
Poisson's ratio	0.393	not sourced
Shear modulus	0.827GPa	not sourced
Bulk modulus	3.48GPa	not sourced
Speed of sound	1,487m/s16% faster	1,285m/s

Stiffness against densityHigher and further left: stiffer for its weight

Strength against densityHigher and further left: stronger for its weight

Thermal	Plastic ABS (bulk/injection)	SLA Resin Tough 2000
Thermal conductivity	0.17W/m·K1	not sourced
Thermal expansion	range80–110µm/m·K1	mean 0-150 °C134µm/m·K2
100 mm part over a 50 °C swing	475µm growth41% less	671µm growth
Specific heat	not sourced	not sourced
Heats up and cools (diffusivity)	not sourced	not sourced
Thermal shock resistance	21.4W/m	not sourced
Glass transition	not sourced	DMA112°C2
Max service temperature	HDT 1.8 MPa94°C137 °C hotter	HDT 1.8 MPa57°C2

Thermal conductivity against densityHigher and further left: spreads more heat for its weight

Thermal expansion against thermal conductivityLower and further right: warps less when heated

Try it on a partA bracket to run stress or thermal on, free in your browser	Open in LessCAD	Open in LessCAD

Sources3 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 Tough 2000: Formlabs Tough 2000 Resin V2 (FLTO2002), TDS Rev. 01 10/06/2025; printed on Form 4 at 100 µm, washed in Form Wash V2 10+5 min in >=99% IPA, post-cured 70 °C for 12 min in Form Cure V2. Orientation not stated.

1
Terluran 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)
2
Tough 2000 Resin V2 Technical Data Sheet (2025)Formlabsarchived copySLA Resin Tough 2000 · Yield strength: typicalSLA Resin Tough 2000 · Ultimate tensile strength: typicalSLA Resin Tough 2000 · Flexural strength: typicalSLA Resin Tough 2000 · Elongation at break: typicalSLA Resin Tough 2000 · Young's modulus (stiffness): typicalSLA Resin Tough 2000 · Density: typicalSLA Resin Tough 2000 · Thermal expansion: mean 0-150 °CSLA Resin Tough 2000 · Glass transition: DMASLA Resin Tough 2000 · Max service temperature: HDT 1.8 MPa
3
Engineering 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)

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 Tough 2000 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 Tough 2000?

Plastic ABS (bulk/injection) is stronger: its yield strength is 45 MPa against 40.4 MPa for SLA Resin Tough 2000 (11%).

Which is lighter, Plastic ABS (bulk/injection) or SLA Resin Tough 2000?

Plastic ABS (bulk/injection) is lighter: 1,040 kg/m³ against 1,090 kg/m³ for SLA Resin Tough 2000.

Which is stiffer, Plastic ABS (bulk/injection) or SLA Resin Tough 2000?

Plastic ABS (bulk/injection) is stiffer: Young's modulus 2.3 GPa against 1.8 GPa for SLA Resin Tough 2000, so the same part in Plastic ABS (bulk/injection) deflects less under the same load.

Which is lighter for the same job, Plastic ABS (bulk/injection) or SLA Resin Tough 2000?

For the same stiffness or strength: Plastic ABS (bulk/injection) is lighter for a stiff rod or tie (tension), stiff beam (bending), stiff panel or plate, strong rod or tie, strong beam, strong panel or plate.

Part that must be	Plastic ABS (bulk/injection)	SLA Resin Tough 2000
Stiff rod or tie (tension)	lighter	34% heavier
Stiff beam (bending)	lighter	18% heavier
Stiff panel or plate	lighter	14% heavier
Strong rod or tie	lighter	17% heavier
Strong beam	lighter	13% heavier
Strong panel or plate	lighter	11% heavier

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 Tough 2000?

SLA Resin Tough 2000 stretches further before it breaks: 79% elongation at break against 10% for Plastic ABS (bulk/injection).

Thermal

Which handles higher temperatures, Plastic ABS (bulk/injection) or SLA Resin Tough 2000?

Plastic ABS (bulk/injection) does: 94 °C against 57 °C for SLA Resin Tough 2000.

Which expands less with temperature?

Plastic ABS (bulk/injection) expands less: 95 µm/m·K against 134 µm/m·K for SLA Resin Tough 2000.