Plastic HDPE vs. SLA Resin Tough 2000

Compare Plastic HDPE vs. SLA Resin Tough 2000 strength, stiffness, weight and thermal properties.

Plastic HDPEBulk polymer (molded or machined)

SLA Resin Tough 20003D printed (SLA resin)

Mechanical	Plastic HDPE	SLA Resin Tough 2000
Yield strength	24MPa1	40.4MPa21.68x stronger
Ultimate tensile strength	not stated (yield given)	40.4MPa2
Flexural strength	not sourced	67MPa2
Elongation at break	not sourced	79%2
Young's modulus (stiffness)	0.9GPa1	1.8GPa22x stiffer
Density	950kg/m³115% lighter	1,090kg/m³2
Strength to weight	25.3kN·m/kg	37.1kN·m/kg47% higher
Stiffness to weight	0.947MN·m/kg	1.65MN·m/kg1.74x higher
Poisson's ratio	base material0.4–0.453	not sourced
Shear modulus	0.316GPa	not sourced
Bulk modulus	2GPa	not sourced
Speed of sound	973m/s	1,285m/s32% faster

Stiffness against densityHigher and further left: stiffer for its weight

Strength against densityHigher and further left: stronger for its weight

Thermal	Plastic HDPE	SLA Resin Tough 2000
Thermal conductivity	base material0.4–0.49W/m·K3	not sourced
Thermal expansion	base material120µm/m·K312% less	mean 0-150 °C134µm/m·K2
100 mm part over a 50 °C swing	600µm growth12% less	671µm growth
Specific heat	base material2,250J/kg·K3	not sourced
Heats up and cools (diffusivity)	0.208mm²/s	not sourced
Thermal shock resistance	56.9W/m	not sourced
Glass transition	not sourced	DMA112°C2
Max service temperature	not sourced	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

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Sources3 documents: LyondellBasell, Formlabs, INEOS Olefins & Polymers USA

Plastic HDPE: LyondellBasell Hostalen 23050 B high density polyethylene, typical ISO values
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
Hostalen 23050 B Product DataLyondellBasellPlastic HDPE · Yield strength: typical, tensile stress at yield 23 °C, 50 mm/min ISO 527Plastic HDPE · Young's modulus (stiffness): typical, tensile modulus 23 °C ISO 527Plastic HDPE · Density: typical, ISO 1183
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
Typical Engineering Properties of High Density PolyethyleneINEOS Olefins & Polymers USAarchived copyPlastic HDPE · Poisson's ratio: base material: high-density polyethylene family (INEOS Olefins & Polymers USA, Typical Engineering Properties of HDPE)Plastic HDPE · Thermal conductivity: base material: high-density polyethylene family (INEOS Olefins & Polymers USA, Typical Engineering Properties of HDPE)Plastic HDPE · Thermal expansion: base material: high-density polyethylene family (INEOS Olefins & Polymers USA, Typical Engineering Properties of HDPE)Plastic HDPE · Specific heat: base material: high-density polyethylene family (INEOS Olefins & Polymers USA, Typical Engineering Properties of HDPE)

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 HDPE stronger than SLA Resin Tough 2000?

SLA Resin Tough 2000 is stronger: its yield strength is 40.4 MPa against 24 MPa for Plastic HDPE (1.68x).

Which is lighter, Plastic HDPE or SLA Resin Tough 2000?

Plastic HDPE is lighter: 950 kg/m³ against 1,090 kg/m³ for SLA Resin Tough 2000.

Which is stiffer, Plastic HDPE or SLA Resin Tough 2000?

SLA Resin Tough 2000 is stiffer: Young's modulus 1.8 GPa against 0.9 GPa for Plastic HDPE, so the same part in SLA Resin Tough 2000 deflects less under the same load.

Which is lighter for the same job, Plastic HDPE or SLA Resin Tough 2000?

For the same stiffness or strength: SLA Resin Tough 2000 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 HDPE	SLA Resin Tough 2000
Stiff rod or tie (tension)	1.74x heavier	lighter
Stiff beam (bending)	23% heavier	lighter
Stiff panel or plate	10% heavier	lighter
Strong rod or tie	47% heavier	lighter
Strong beam	23% heavier	lighter
Strong panel or plate	13% heavier	lighter

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).

Thermal

Which expands less with temperature?

Plastic HDPE expands less: 120 µm/m·K against 134 µm/m·K for SLA Resin Tough 2000.