Standard vs ABS-like resin: comparing actual material data

What the ABS-like label actually tells you

The example here is Tough Resin V5. Formlabs says this formulation simulates the feel and several important mechanical properties of ABS, described as a thermoplastic. “Simulates” refers to those properties: it does not establish identical composition, processing, or application suitability. This description concerns the named resin, rather than every bottle another manufacturer presents as ABS-like.

When browsing 3D printing resins, record the full name and version before comparing products. The Formlabs table places ABS plastic, Tough Resin TOTL03, and postcured standard resins side by side. It provides a concrete example of reading material data; it does not establish equivalence to every injection-molded or extruded ABS part.

For your selection, attach each figure to its source document. A technical data sheet records properties and test conditions; it does not guarantee the behavior of an arbitrary geometry. The Formlabs page directs readers to technical data sheets for detailed properties and safety data sheets for handling. Record those document references alongside the bottle reference so that the comparison can be checked.

Modulus, elongation and impact are three different stories

The Formlabs table has three separate rows: modulus, elongation, and notched Izod impact strength. Their units are GPa, percent, and J/m respectively. Do not add them into a quality score. To interpret a figure in another data sheet, record the type of modulus or elongation, test method, specimen, orientation, and preparation conditions stated there. A matching abbreviated heading alone does not establish comparable tests.

Formlabs defines toughness as the ability to absorb energy before fracture and associates it with the area under a stress-strain curve. It explains that a tough material balances strength and ductility. Its description of Tough Resin V5 mentions lower stiffness and more elongation than its standard resins. Keep that description distinct from the references printed in the table, and do not turn a material comparison into a test of your part.

For a clip, hinge, or fixture, start by describing the required motion, load, and outcome. Then look for the corresponding properties and tests in the exact technical data sheet. High elongation alone supplies neither a flex-cycle count nor a part-level impact result. The manufacturer’s application recommendations are a starting point for that check, rather than a substitute for evaluating the printed design.

The Formlabs table and its exact labels

The Formlabs page includes a comparison table with three columns labeled ABS Plastic, Formlabs Tough Resin TOTL03 and Formlabs standard resins (postcured). Modulus values are close: 2.5 GPa for ABS, 2.7 GPa for Tough Resin TOTL03 and 2.8 GPa for standard resins. Elongation separates them sharply: 18% for ABS, 24% for Tough Resin TOTL03 and 6.2% for standard resins. On notched Izod impact, ABS shows 234.9 J/m, Tough Resin TOTL03 38 J/m and standard resins 25 J/m.

These figures show why every row matters. Similar modulus values do not make the columns equivalent on Izod; 24% elongation does not describe hinge service life. The figures above are the values displayed in this table, under its own labels. Before using them to rank materials for your application or compare another brand, check the methods and conditions in the corresponding technical documents.

The Formlabs directory consulted also lists Tough 1000 Resin and Tough 2000 Resin V2. Those are different references: appearing in a list establishes neither their properties, commercial availability, nor identity with TOTL03 or Tough Resin V5. This page has not examined their technical data sheets and does not substitute their figures for the table shown here.

Post-curing is the condition that makes the numbers valid

The standard-resin column is explicitly labeled postcured. Separately, the Tough Resin V5 text says that formulation requires post-curing to reach its optimal mechanical properties. Do not assume a merely washed part reproduces the stated figures. The V5 instructions and the table’s TOTL03 reference remain separately named; reading this page does not establish that the references are interchangeable.

These two pages do not give a universal exposure time. For Tough Resin V5, consult the Form Cure settings referenced by Formlabs; for another formulation, check its data sheet and intended equipment. Before comparing two sheets, check that the specimens were post-cured under described and comparable conditions. Otherwise an elongation figure from one brand and one from another cannot be compared directly.

For workshop practice, washing, drying and UV steps are discussed in the resin post-processing guide. Apply settings published for the exact formulation and intended equipment, and record the version on the label. The Formlabs library lists multiple resin names and versions; this page has not opened their individual TDS documents and does not infer their values or availability from the index.

Washing and plate removal change the outcome too

Post-processing a tough resin is not only about UV. According to the Formlabs documentation, Tough Resin V5 parts are washed in isopropyl alcohol for 20 minutes, and you should not exceed that time. Leaving parts in IPA too long may cause them to become flexible and weak. This instruction applies to this formulation only. Another resin, even one labeled ABS-like, may tolerate a different wash.

For Tough Resin V5, the document recommends supports rather than printing directly on the platform because removal can be difficult, and larger touchpoints for very bulky parts. It lists 50 and 100 micron layer heights. Before following removal instructions, check the applicable printer manual and safety guidance. This page does not provide an improvised heating procedure for releasing a part.

The choice therefore involves more than an elongation figure. For the exact resin, record the required supports, removal method, washing, drying, and post-curing from the applicable instructions. You can then compare the steps and equipment needed for your project. The FDM vs resin guide helps organize that process comparison without assuming one material indicator settles the choice.

When to pick one or the other, case by case

Formlabs recommends Tough Resin V5 for stressed components, snap fits and living hinges, machining after printing, cyclic loading, and prototypes reproducing certain ABS functions or feel. This list concerns the V5 formulation. If it matches your needs, record the part requirements and check detailed properties before selecting the material; the list is not a test of your geometry.

The manufacturer does not recommend that formulation for very fine features or thin walls, rigid prints, high temperatures, or constant loading. Keep those exclusions in the comparison. They do not establish that an arbitrary standard resin automatically suits those applications. For a detailed miniature or rigid fixture, look for data on the candidate resin and the actual dimensions required by your design.

Finally, the Formlabs library directs readers to the safety data sheet as the primary handling source and says to avoid skin contact. A marketing label or mechanical figure is not enough to approve food contact, skin contact, or a critical application. Use the documentation matching the material and task; the ventilation and safety page adds workshop planning questions.

Sources and limits

• Using Tough Resin V5 | Formlabs
• Material Data Sheets | Formlabs

We organize manufacturer and community documentation; we have not measured these products ourselves. The manual for your exact model takes precedence over general guidance.