3D Systems Accura 10 Plastic is an unfilled, opaque-white liquid photopolymer formulated for stereolithography platforms operating at 355 nm laser wavelength. The resin is processed in vat-style SLA equipment, including the manufacturer’s SLA 3500, SLA 5000, and SLA 7000 platforms. In the liquid state, the material is characterized by a density of approximately 1.09 g/cm³ at 25 °C; after full UV post-cure, the cured density is approximately 1.2 g/cm³. The standard build layer thickness for balanced throughput and sidewall quality is 0.100 mm, though thinner layers may be used where feature dimensions below 0.5 mm warrant reduced stair-step deviation. Accura 10 is not a castable resin and is not recommended for burnout processes in investment casting; it is used as a functional prototype and pattern-making material.

Parts produced from Accura 10 are deployed in snap-fit enclosures, housing prototypes, jigs, and room-temperature vulcanizing silicone tooling masters. In these applications, the material is selected for a combination of moderate elongation and machinability rather than high thermal service. The relevant mechanical properties are measured by ASTM D638 for tensile strength and elongation, ASTM D790 for flexural modulus, and ASTM D256 for notched Izod impact. Builds with enclosed volumes require drain holes of at least 3 mm diameter to permit uncured resin evacuation and to reduce trapping during solvent washing. On SLA 7000 equipment, orientation of large flat surfaces at 15–20° from the re-coater blade reduces visible washboard artifacts. The resin is not a filled system, so it does not require the abrasive tooling used for ceramic-filled SLA compositions.

What distinguishes Accura 10 from filled and toughened SLA resins?

When compared with the ceramic-filled Accura Bluestone, Accura 10 has no dispersed high-hardness filler phase. This difference lowers flexural modulus under ASTM D790 and improves machinability with standard high-speed steel or carbide tooling. Relative to Accura Xtreme, which is formulated for higher notched Izod impact and gray, high-elongation builds, Accura 10 typically occupies a lower-impact but white-surface position. The choice between Accura 10 and Accura 25 is driven by stiffness and color; Accura 25 is positioned as a polypropylene-like material with higher flexibility, while Accura 10 is selected when a whiter substrate and a different strain-at-break envelope are sufficient for the prototype. Against Accura 60, Accura 10 is opaque rather than clear and is generally less rigid. The manufacturer’s selection guide places Accura 10 in the unfilled general-purpose category between the most flexible Accura 25 and the higher-impact Accura Xtreme; published datasheet values for tensile strength, flexural modulus, and notched Izod impact differ by platform generation, and the relevant certificate of analysis should be consulted for the installed SLA system. Because Accura 10 is not formulated for casting, investment-casting users are directed to Accura CastPro; ash residue and shell cracking during burnout at 600–800 °C are primary incompatibilities.

Cleaning after the build uses a two-stage solvent wash. The first bath removes bulk uncured resin from recessed features; the second bath, using isopropyl alcohol or tripropylene glycol methyl ether, removes residual tack from exposed surfaces. Ultrasonic cleaning is limited to 5–10 min per cycle because prolonged cavitation erodes thin sections below 0.4 mm wall thickness. After solvent washing, supports are removed while the material is still in the green state; removal after full post-cure increases the probability of fracture at support contact points. Drying at 20–25 °C and 30–50% RH for 30–60 min is carried out before post-cure so that solvent does not become trapped beneath partially cured surfaces. Compressed air drying of internal channels is acceptable if the line pressure does not exceed 0.2 MPa; higher pressures damage unsupported walls.

Thermal conditioning and ultraviolet post-cure parameters

Post-cure is performed in a UV chamber with spectral output in the 315–400 nm band. Equipment is calibrated to deliver a minimum surface dose of 1.0 J/cm²; the exact exposure time is chamber-specific and depends on lamp power and part arrangement. Thermal soak during post-cure is controlled at 40–60 °C. Continuous exposure above 60 °C is not recommended because the unfilled network can creep under load. Heat deflection temperature measured by ASTM D648 at 0.455 MPa is typically below 65 °C; therefore Accura 10 is not used for continuous heat-bearing service in engine-bay or autoclave environments. Dimensional measurements are taken 24 h after post-cure to allow cooling shrinkage and moisture equilibration to stabilize. Post-curing in a nitrogen-purged chamber reduces surface tack compared with ambient-air curing; if ambient air is used, the oxygen-inhibited surface layer should be removed by light sanding before bonding or painting.

Accura 10 is stored in moisture-resistant containers at 15–30 °C. Storage above 35 °C accelerates viscosity rise and can shift critical exposure parameters in the build style. Before a new lot is loaded into a production vat, viscosity at 30 °C is recorded with a Brookfield rotational viscometer; a rise greater than 15% relative to the supplied liquid indicates resin aging or contamination. The vat is stirred gently for 10–15 min after idle periods longer than 24 h to re-disperse oligomeric stratification. Batch-to-batch variation is managed through the manufacturer’s ISO 9001 quality system, but production users typically verify green-part exposure response on each new lot before committing to long builds.

When living-hinge and snap-fit assemblies push the strain-at-break boundary

Accura 10 is applied to living hinges only when the hinge length is at least 3 times the hinge thickness and the minimum thickness is not less than 0.4 mm. Below that geometry, strain-at-break measured by ASTM D638 is insufficient for repeated bending without microcracking. The resin cannot replicate the 300% strain-at-break of injection-molded polypropylene; living hinges in Accura 10 are therefore demonstration aids rather than substitutes for production polypropylene fatigue life. Build orientation places the hinge line perpendicular to re-coater blade travel to reduce shear-induced displacement within the layer plane. After post-cure, hinges are exercised for 10–20 cycles before painting to expose incipient whitening. Snap-fit arms with a thickness of 2 mm are designed with undercuts no deeper than 0.8 mm; deeper engagement can exceed the elastic recovery limit and cause permanent deformation. Holes for self-tapping screws are drilled 0.2 mm undersized, and installation torque is limited to 0.4 N·m for a 2.5 mm screw in an unthreaded pilot hole.

Surface finishing begins with dry sanding at P240 to P320 grit on build surfaces that display stair-step artifacts. Wet sanding is used to control dust and reduce surface heat, but water contact should not exceed 30 min on unsealed thin walls because moisture uptake can cause distortion. After sanding, a two-part polyurethane primer is applied in thin coats; adhesion is verified by a cross-cut tape test according to ASTM D3359. Aggressive solvent-borne fillers can soften the cured surface because the network retains partial solubility in ketone solvents. Painting is performed after post-cure and sanding, not before UV exposure, because post-cure can cause paint-substrate adhesion loss.

Chemical compatibility and solvent exposure limits

Accura 10 tolerates brief contact with aliphatic hydrocarbons and mineral spirits. Continuous immersion in ketones, chlorinated solvents, or strong aqueous bases is not recommended. Chemical resistance is screened by ASTM D543 for 24 h immersion; published data for continuous exposure above 60 °C in aggressive fluids is limited. Fuel-wetted components require a 24 h immersion test in ASTM D471 Reference Fuel C before functional validation. Sealing with epoxy or urethane coatings reduces solvent uptake but does not create a barrier for continuous chemical service. Ketone exposure longer than 10 min can produce surface crazing on thin sections, and chlorinated solvents cause measurable softening.

During the build, re-coat dwell time on blade-based SLA platforms is set between 1–3 s to prevent bubble entrapment over large flat layers. Vacuum-assisted re-coaters can shorten this dwell but may introduce surface waves at layers below 0.100 mm. Critical vertical walls are oriented 15–20° from the blade axis to reduce visible washboard. Base layers are built with an exposure multiplier of 2–3 times the normal layer exposure to ensure platform adhesion and reduce early release during peel. This multiplier is embedded in the installed build style and is not modified manually unless the resin lot exhibits a significant exposure shift.

Green parts from Accura 10 contain residual unreacted monomer and are softer than fully post-cured material. Handling with powder-free nitrile gloves is required to avoid skin oil and moisture transfer that interferes with paint adhesion. Thin walls below 1 mm should not remain in solvent wash longer than 10 min. If process personnel detect a persistent floor bloom on green parts, the resin vat should be checked for moisture ingress and the recoater blade inspected for cured residue; both conditions alter the thickness of the fresh resin layer.

Regulatory inquiries for Accura 10 are directed to the supplier’s safety data sheet and product declaration. REACH and RoHS status are lot-specific in some regions; no food-contact or medical-use suitability is claimed for the standard SLA processing route. Process owners should retain the certificate of analysis for each resin lot because the build style exposure set is matched to the tested liquid viscosity and photoinitiator response.