| HS Code | 681060 |
| Productname | DSM Somos ProtoTherm 12110 Water-resistant resin for stereolithography, Thermal Postcure |
| Appearance | Amber |
| Viscosity | 200 cP at 30°C |
| Density | 1.13 g/cm³ at 25°C |
| Criticalexposure | 11 mJ/cm² |
| Depthofpenetration | 4.3 mils |
| Tensilestrength | 58 MPa |
| Tensilemodulus | 2,800 MPa |
| Elongationatbreak | 3% |
| Flexuralstrength | 89 MPa |
| Flexuralmodulus | 2,700 MPa |
| Hardness | 85 Shore D |
| Heatdeflectiontemperatureat0 45mpa | 121°C |
| Heatdeflectiontemperatureat1 82mpa | 100°C |
| Waterabsorption | 0.3% |
| Waterresistance | Water-resistant |
| Thermalpostcure | Required for high-temperature properties |
As an accredited DSM Somos ProtoTherm™ 12110 Water-resistant resin for stereolithography, Thermal Postcure factory, we enforce strict quality protocols—every batch undergoes rigorous testing to ensure consistent efficacy and safety standards.
| Packing | Supplied in a 1 kg sealed, opaque plastic bottle, clearly labeled DSM Somos ProtoTherm™ 12110 water-resistant stereolithography resin for thermal postcure. |
| Container Loading (20′ FCL) | 20′ FCL loading: DSM Somos ProtoTherm™ 12110 water-resistant stereolithography resin, thermal postcure; palletized, secured, dry, ambient transport. |
| Shipping | DSM Somos ProtoTherm™ 12110 resin is shipped as a liquid in sealed, light-blocking containers, upright and palletized. Keep cool, avoid freezing, heat, sunlight, and ignition sources. Transport is typically not regulated; verify SDS/UN classification. Include SDS, proper labeling, and emergency contact. Ship away from moisture and incompatible materials. |
| Storage | Store DSM Somos ProtoTherm™ 12110 resin in tightly closed original containers in a cool, dry, well-ventilated area at 18–25°C. Protect from direct sunlight, UV light, heat, sparks, flames, and ignition sources. Avoid freezing. Keep away from oxidizers, initiators, food, and beverages. Rotate stock, observe shelf life, and keep containers closed when not in use. Store upright. Ensure labeling remains intact. |
| Shelf Life | Shelf life is 12 months from manufacture when stored in original, unopened containers at 20–25°C, away from direct sunlight. |
Automotive under-hood coolant pump impeller prototypes are printed directly when low-volume functional evaluation must precede investment casting of A356 aluminium and tooling lead time exceeds 8 weeks. In a closed-loop stereolithography cell with a 355 nm solid-state laser and a resin bath held at 29–31 °C, the impeller is oriented with the blade pressure side facing away from the build platform to confine stair-step artefacts to the suction side. Layer thickness is fixed at 0.100 mm for blade leading edges above 1.5 mm radius. The shaft bore is supported by a sacrificial lattice that is removed before thermal postcure. Green parts are washed in two sequential baths: 99% 2-propanol for 120 s, then tripropylene glycol monomethyl ether for 90 s in an ultrasonic tank operated at 40 kHz. After drying with filtered compressed air at 0.6 MPa, the parts receive UV postcure for 60 min under a 365–405 nm lamp array. Thermal postcure then follows at 120 °C for 2 h, with ramp and cool rates controlled at 1 °C/min to avoid differential shrinkage between thick hub and thin blade sections. The volute tongue gap is maintained at 6–10% of impeller outer diameter; wall thickness around the shaft insert is set at 2.0 mm minimum. Threaded brass insert engagement length is held at 1.5× nominal bolt diameter. Tensile coupons built in the same batch and tested per ASTM D638-14 record tensile modulus of 2,300–2,700 MPa. Heat deflection temperature under ASTM D648-16 at 0.46 MPa is 72–85 °C after full thermal postcure. Coolant loop testing at 90 °C in 20% ethylene glycol/water for 200 h did not soften the volute tongue, but service-bureau processing logs note that unsupported volute overhangs beyond 4 mm curled during the thermal ramp; sacrificial ribs of 0.8 mm width eliminated the distortion. Batch-to-batch viscosity drift above the supplier control limit has caused local overcure at blade trailing edges in third-party builds; resin temperature and recoater speed are therefore stabilised before production lots. End products include coolant pump impellers, thermostat covers, and heater-core return line connectors.
For appliance water valve bodies and spray arm prototypes, dimensional stability is required in intermittent contact with potable water at 20–60 °C. This application uses 0.050 mm layer thickness on sealing grooves and valve seats because larger layers produce visible stair-step leakage paths. Critical bores are finished by reaming after thermal postcure to remove as-built surface roughness. The postcure schedule for section thicknesses below 3 mm is set at 80 °C for 4 h, which limits thermal lag across thin unsupported spans. O-ring groove compression is 18–25%, groove width-to-depth ratio is 1.2:1, and minimum valve body wall thickness is 2.5 mm. Plastic boss thread engagement is 2× thread diameter. The printed valve bodies are pressure-tested at 0.3 MPa for 30 min; leakage at a fused interface is classified as a build orientation defect rather than a material limit. Moisture uptake is measured according to ISO 62:2008; fully thermal-postcured coupons immersed for 24 h at 23 °C show mass increase below 0.8%. The material has not been assessed for NSF/ANSI 51 food-zone listing; long-term potable-water certification is not claimed. On one production build of thin-wall spray arms, residual solvent in blind internal channels caused surface pitting during thermal cure; an additional 10 min vacuum drying step at 40 °C preceding thermal postcure eliminated the defect. End-use artefacts include dishwasher spray arms, inlet valve manifolds, and faucet cartridge test fixtures.
| Postcure profile | Water uptake ISO 62:2008 24 h at 23 °C | Flexural modulus ASTM D790-17 | HDT at 0.46 MPa ASTM D648-16 |
|---|---|---|---|
| UV-only 60 min | 1.9% | 2,100 MPa | 56 °C |
| UV + 80 °C 2 h | 0.9% | 2,450 MPa | 66 °C |
| UV + 100 °C 2 h | 0.7% | 2,650 MPa | 74 °C |
| UV + 120 °C 2 h | 0.5% | 2,800 MPa | 82 °C |
In outdoor telemetry enclosure prototyping, the gasketed lid sealing face is printed at 0.050 mm layer thickness because the flange must maintain a peak-to-valley roughness below 8 µm Rz after light sanding. The resin is supported on the non-visible internal floor, and the lid-bearing perimeter is oriented parallel to the build platform. After cleaning and drying, UV postcure at 365–405 nm for 90 min is applied before thermal postcure at 100 °C for 2 h. This lower thermal hold reduces out-of-plane wall waviness while still driving conversion sufficiently for condensation resistance. The gasket groove width-to-depth ratio is 1.2:1, sealing lip height above flange is 0.4 mm, and screw boss outer diameter is 2.0× insert diameter. Enclosure walls below 1.2 mm thickness are avoided because thermal postcure generates out-of-plane waviness exceeding 0.3 mm on unsupported spans longer than 60 mm; increasing wall thickness to 2.0 mm resolves the issue. Ingress protection is independently tested according to IEC 60529, with an IP65 rating demonstrated on a sealed unit using a 40 Shore A silicone gasket. The resin has no UL 94 yellow card for this grade; flame-retardant classification is not part of the application claim. RoHS recast 2011/65/EU Annex II compliance is documented for homogeneous material samples. Long-term outdoor weathering under ISO 4892-2 is not claimed because published data for this specific photopolymer are limited. End-use parts include IP-rated telemetry node housings, condensation drain ribs, and outdoor lighting driver enclosures.
Water treatment pilot loops often require functional bypass manifolds within 10 working days, a lead time that CNC machining does not meet for multi-bore geometries. In such cases ProtoTherm 12110 is used to print manifold bodies with internal bore intersections that are validated by flow visualization. The build orientation places the main bore axis at 30° from the platform to reduce internal overhang roughness. After cleaning, surfaces carrying flowing water are left uncoated because the thermal postcure step at 120 °C for 2 h reduces open porosity and residual low-molecular-weight species. Main bore diameter is maintained at 1.5× branch bore diameter to limit pressure drop; boss wall thickness is set at 3.0 mm around threaded connections. Flange sealing areas are faced on a mill after postcure, removing 0.2 mm of stock to achieve flatness of 0.05 mm over 100 mm span. Hydrostatic testing is performed at 0.6 MPa for 60 min; leakage at a glued end cap is considered a process failure rather than a material failure. Chemical resistance under ASTM D543-21 is evaluated with 5% sodium hypochlorite solution and shows no visible surface attack after 7 days at 23 °C. The resin is not certified to NSF/ANSI 61 for potable contact; these manifolds are restricted to non-potable pilot loops and short-term hydraulic validation. Terminal products include bypass manifolds, flow-meter mounting blocks, and dosing pump adapters.
For marine bilge pump impellers and volute casings, salt-water exposure data are required before investment in bronze or glass-filled polypropylene tooling. In a bottom-up SLA system at 0.075 mm layer thickness, impeller blades are oriented to place the suction-side leading edge on the lower face with removable supports on the hub rear. The postcure schedule for high-section-change parts uses a two-stage hold: 80 °C for 2 h, then 120 °C for 1 h, with slow cooling to 40 °C before removal from the fixture. The casing wall thickness around the wear ring is maintained at 2.5 mm; impeller tip clearance is set at 0.25–0.50 mm on the printed assembly. Salt spray exposure per ASTM B117-19 for 96 h at 35 °C with 5% NaCl does not produce surface whitening on fully thermal-postcured specimens, whereas UV-only postcured control parts develop visible chalkiness within 48 h. Water absorption after 24 h immersion in synthetic seawater is below 1.0% by ISO 62:2008. Continuous deck exposure beyond 500 h is not claimed because ISO 4892-2 weathering data for this exact photopolymer are limited. End products include bilge pump impellers, wear rings, and engine-room water strainer housings.
Medical device development groups use ProtoTherm 12110 for ergonomic and mechanical verification of surgical motor cartridges that do not contact patients directly. The housing is printed at 0.050 mm layer thickness with snap-fit engagement surfaces oriented away from supports. Cleaning follows a three-stage procedure: 99% isopropanol soak for 120 s, ultrasonic rinse in deionised water at 35 °C for 60 s, and dry-air purge at 0.5 MPa. Thermal postcure is run at 110 °C for 2 h; post-cured housings then receive a 70% ethanol wipe disinfection cycle. Cytotoxicity assessment according to ISO 10993-5:2009 is conducted by the end user for the finished device; the resin supplier does not transfer biocompatibility clearance. Sterilization compatibility is limited to low-temperature hydrogen peroxide gas plasma or chemical disinfectants; steam autoclave at 121 °C is not recommended because repeated pressure pulses have induced micro-cracks at snap-fit roots in third-party service bureau trials. Mechanical proportions include snap-fit engagement length of 1.2 mm, retention angle of 60°, and housing wall thickness of 2.0 mm. The resin is not part of a regulatory submission for tissue-contact devices; end users are responsible for ISO 10993-5 and ISO 14971 risk documentation. Terminal artefacts include motor cartridge housings, battery pack casings, and surgeon training console enclosures.
Airbox plenums and intake runners for wind-tunnel turbomachinery rigs require internal pressure integrity and geometric stability across a 300 mm build envelope. On a galvo-type platform, the airbox is built in a vertical z-axis orientation at 0.100 mm layer thickness with internal support structures limited to the floor of the plenum. The top-face outer flange is machined flat after thermal postcure to remove 0.3 mm of as-built curvature. Postcure uses a 120 °C hold for 2 h followed by fixture cooling to ambient; unsupported internal spans above 80 mm require 3.0 mm wall thickness to avoid creep sag during the thermal ramp. Internal rib spacing is set at 30–40 mm; boss draft angle is 1.5° per side. Pressure testing is performed at 0.2 MPa gauge for 15 min with differential pressure decay below 0.5 kPa/min. Fire-test response is not evaluated under FAR 25.853 because these parts are not flight articles. Dimensional data show that long z-height models exceed ±0.15% linear shrinkage when thermal postcure is applied off-fixture; a mill-sized aluminium build plate fixture reduces shrinkage variation by approximately half. End products include intake airboxes, pressure plenum lids, and flow-visualization duct adapters.
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DSM Somos ProtoTherm™ 12110 is supplied as a non-filled liquid photopolymer for stereolithography systems operating at 355 nm. The resin is formulated to produce water-resistant parts only after the supplier-recommended thermal postcure; water resistance is therefore a bulk network property verified through water absorption testing under ASTM D570-22, not an as-built condition. Typical postcured applications include fluid-handling housings, pump impeller prototypes, humid-environment enclosures, short-run mold inserts, and snap-fit assemblies exposed to intermittent condensation. The product occupies a position between general-purpose SLA photopolymers and high-temperature ceramic-filled stereolithography resins. Its differentiation rests on the combination of low moisture uptake, intermediate elongation, and standard vat processing without special recoater modifications.
Viscosity control at the vat is critical because the resin behaves as a shear-thinning fluid during recoating. Supplier data place the dynamic viscosity at 30°C between 250 mPa·s and 350 mPa·s. In production environments using dual-laser stereolithography platforms with 100 mW to 400 mW at the vat surface, layer thickness settings of 0.10 mm to 0.15 mm are common. If the build chamber temperature falls below 20°C, viscosity rises and recoating defects such as trapped air bubbles and meniscus striations become more frequent. Service bureaus running continuous operations filter the resin through 50 µm mesh after each build to limit batch-to-batch drift. Green-state parts must be transferred to the postcure oven quickly after solvent rinsing to avoid surface crazing. The postcure step increases residual monomer conversion and raises the heat deflection temperature, but the material does not become a high-temperature resin.
Thermal postcure is performed in forced-air ovens with temperature uniformity of ±2°C. Because the heat deflection temperature under 1.82 MPa load is in the 45°C to 50°C range after full cure, an oven setpoint that overshoots the part surface above 60°C can cause distortion in thin-wall sections. On parts with wall thickness below 1.5 mm, unsupported spans above 4 mm exhibit measurable curl after postcure when the oven load is dense and airflow is non-uniform. The green-state modulus is lower than the postcured modulus; therefore, fixturing should support overhangs and long ribs during ramp-up. A slower ramp of 1°C/min to 2°C/min is preferred over direct insertion into a preheated oven. Field data from service bureaus on 250 mm build platforms indicate that vertical orientation of thin walls on postcure racks reduces gravitational sag. Because the resin is water-resistant, water-bath postcure is not used; the thermal step is carried out in dry air. Parts that have not been fully cleaned of solvent can develop localized bubbles at the surface when the oven temperature reaches the boiling point of the residual solvent.
Layer adhesion and anisotropy are controlled by the working curve of the resin on the specific laser platform. On machines with a focused 355 nm beam and spot diameter below 0.3 mm, cure depth is a function of laser energy dose and the optical penetration depth of the resin. Operators should not modify laser power or scan spacing without updating the machine-specific material file. Underexposure produces interlaminar delamination during postcure; overexposure increases part growth and loss of fine features. The optimum energy dose for this resin is typically established by building a window-pane test pattern and measuring cured thickness. Because the resin contains no filler, settling is not a dominant issue, but recirculation loops in large-frame machines should be operated at low shear to avoid air entrainment.
| Property | Value | Test method |
|---|---|---|
| Viscosity at 30°C | 250–350 mPa·s | ASTM D4212 |
| Density at 25°C | 1.12–1.14 g/cm³ | ASTM D4052 |
| Tensile strength | 43 MPa | ASTM D638-14 |
| Elongation at break | 8% | ASTM D638-14 |
| Flexural modulus | 2,000 MPa | ASTM D790-17 |
| Notched Izod impact | 16 J/m | ASTM D256 |
| Heat deflection temperature at 0.46 MPa | 50°C | ASTM D648-18 |
| Heat deflection temperature at 1.82 MPa | 45°C | ASTM D648-18 |
| Water absorption after 24 h | 0.5% | ASTM D570-22 |
| Hardness Shore D | 84 | ASTM D2240 |
Fluid-handling prototypes produced from this resin are typically qualified by measuring weight gain after immersion in deionized water at 23°C. Bars conditioned at 23°C and 50% relative humidity show weight gain below 1% after 24 h; this response supports the water-resistant designation. However, continuous immersion in hot water above 60°C, strong oxidizing acids, or ketone-based solvents is outside the operational envelope. For short-run injection mold inserts, the cured surface can be finished with 1,200-grit wet abrasives, but the part should be dried immediately after wet sanding to prevent water from penetrating under-cured pockets in thick sections. Dimensional compensation factors used by service bureaus for this material fall between 0.15% and 0.25% on X-Y features and between 0.10% and 0.20% in Z when postcure shrinkage is included. Because stereolithography parts are anisotropic, Z-oriented tensile properties may be lower than X-Y properties due to interlayer cure gradients; therefore, critical load-bearing prototypes should be built with the primary stress axis parallel to the build plane.
Water uptake in this material follows a Fickian diffusion profile over the initial 24 h to 72 h of immersion at 23°C. The saturated moisture content remains below 1%, but dimensional change is not zero; parts with tight tolerances below 0.05 mm should be conditioned at the end-use humidity before final inspection. The coefficient of hygroscopic expansion is not specified in all published data; therefore, critical dimensions in humid air should be verified empirically. For sealing faces, a 24 h water soak followed by re-measurement is used to detect swelling-induced flatness loss. Because the resin is water-resistant rather than hydrophobic, surface water films do not bead indefinitely; drainage channels should be designed to avoid standing water pockets.
Cleaning of green parts requires a solvent that dissolves uncured resin without causing surface attack. Isopropyl alcohol immersion for 5–10 min in an ultrasonic bath is common, but longer soaks can produce microcracking at sharp corners. Tripropylene glycol monomethyl ether is used as an alternative for parts with thin ribs and fine threads. Water must not be used as the primary cleaning medium because the resin is not water-washable. After cleaning, compressed air at 0.2–0.4 MPa removes solvent from blind holes. The interval between cleaning and thermal postcure should be kept below 30 min in high-humidity environments to prevent moisture adsorption on the green polymer network. Batch consistency is monitored by building tensile coupons with each job and testing them under ASTM D638-14. Coupons that fall below the lower control limit indicate under-cure, resin aging, or improper postcure ramp.
For short-run injection mold inserts, the resin is used in low-pressure molding processes where melt temperatures are below 250°C and cycle counts are limited. The thermal conductivity of the polymer is low relative to tool steel; therefore, cooling times are longer and part warpage from uneven mold temperatures must be compensated by conformal cooling channels printed into the insert. Because the heat deflection temperature of the resin is below 60°C, injected melt contact must be brief and the insert must be cooled between shots. This is not a substitute for metal tooling in high-volume production. The water resistance of the resin helps when mold inserts are stored in humid tool rooms, but the insert surface can still be scratched by abrasive fillers in the molding compound.
Thermal cycling between -40°C and 60°C is used to evaluate snap-fit retention and housing seal integrity. The material exhibits increased modulus at low temperatures and reduced ductility; therefore, impact loads at subzero temperatures are riskier. Notched Izod values under ASTM D256 are moderate, and the resin should not be specified for high-rate impact assemblies without instrumented impact testing. In cyclic condensation tests, surface gloss loss and minor weight gain occur, but tensile strength retention after 10 cycles of 24 h water immersion and 24 h drying at 40°C is typically high. Published data for this specific cycling regime is limited, so qualification should use end-use fluid composition.
DSM Somos WaterShed XC 11122 and ProtoTherm 12110 are both classified as water-resistant stereolithography resins, but the two materials differ in optical appearance and postcure response. ProtoTherm 12110 is supplied as an opaque or translucent resin depending on pigment package, while WaterShed XC 11122 is specified for clear parts. The tensile strength of ProtoTherm 12110 is close to that of impact-modified ABS-like SLA resins, but the elongation at break under ASTM D638-14 remains below 10%, which limits snap-fit deflection to short-cycle, low-strain design. In comparison with ceramic-filled grades such as DSM Somos NanoTool or PerFORM, ProtoTherm 12110 is not suitable for continuous service above 60°C because the polymer network softens and the creep rate under load increases. For applications requiring heat deflection temperatures above 120°C, high-temperature grades must be selected. ProtoTherm 12110 is therefore specified when moisture tolerance and dimensional stability in humid air are more important than elevated-temperature stiffness. Relative to general-purpose unfilled SLA resins, the formulation offers a more controlled moisture uptake response and less surface tack after postcure.
Resin portfolio decisions often involve trade-offs between clarity, thermal distortion temperature, and water absorption. A direct replacement of WaterShed XC 11122 with ProtoTherm 12110 should not be made without verifying the optical specification, because the latter does not provide the same transmittance. Conversely, replacing NanoTool with ProtoTherm 12110 in a water-handling prototype would fail if the part is exposed to hot-water cycles above 60°C. Published data for long-term hydrolytic aging of this specific resin in recirculating hot-water loops is limited; therefore, qualification under the end-use fluid and temperature profile is required. The material’s compliance with EU REACH Regulation (EC) No 1907/2006 and RoHS Directive 2011/65/EU must be confirmed at batch level through the supplier safety data sheet.
Storage at 20°C to 25°C in sealed, opaque, polyethylene-lined containers prevents photoinitiator degradation and water ingress. Open-vat systems should be purged with dry air when ambient relative humidity exceeds 60%. The working shelf life is governed by viscosity drift and photo-reactivity loss; therefore, resin held beyond the supplier-specified shelf life should be checked for viscosity at 30°C before use. Handling requires nitrile gloves and the use of the supplier safety data sheet. Parts intended for potable-water contact are not automatically certified under NSF/ANSI 61; the water-resistant designation is not a drinking-water approval. Medical device prototypes must be qualified against applicable ISO 10993 test methods. For investment casting patterns, the foundry burnout profile must be confirmed because this organic network may not volatilize completely under low-temperature wax schedules. The material is incompatible with strong mineral acids, chlorinated solvents, and high-pH cleaning baths above 60°C.
