The Stratasys Rigur rubber-like PolyJet 3D printing polymer combination is a multi-material photopolymer system identified by primary materials TangoBlackPlus FLX980 and TangoPlus FLX930, with VeroWhitePlus RGD835 as the secondary rigid phase. The product is not supplied as a single premixed resin; it is executed as a digital-material recipe on multi-material PolyJet platforms such as Objet Connex3, J826 Prime, and J850 Prime. During printing, separate inkjet channels deposit picoliter-scale droplets of the primary elastomers and the secondary rigid acrylate, and the deposited layer is cured by UV lamp arrays before the next layer is jetted. Layer thickness for this class of PolyJet equipment commonly spans from 14 µm to 30 µm, with finer layers improving interlayer cure homogeneity but increasing build time. Published mechanical property data for the exact Rigur combination as a single finished material are limited; the specification envelope is therefore bounded by the constituent resin datasheets and by printed test coupons generated at the target ratio, orientation, and print mode.

What Process Variables Govern Jetting Stability and Curing of the Rigur Combination?

Jetting stability is governed primarily by the low-shear viscosity of the three resins in their heated print-head reservoirs and the ability of the piezoelectric heads to maintain controlled droplet formation. TangoPlus FLX930 and TangoBlackPlus FLX980 are low-durometer elastomeric acrylates that require sufficient thermal equilibration before printing. Cold-soaked cartridges below 15 °C can raise viscosity enough to produce missing jets, voids, or interlayer delamination on production runs. The VeroWhitePlus RGD835 phase is a higher-modulus rigid acrylate, but it also operates within the same PolyJet viscosity window, below roughly 20 cPs at jetting temperature. On multi-head Connex3 systems, idle periods allow pigment settling in TangoBlackPlus FLX980. Production users should run purge cycles after shutdown periods before printing Shore-critical parts, because non-uniform carbon-black dispersion can produce visible streaking and local hardness drift.

UV cure occurs immediately after droplet deposition. Free-radical acrylate polymerization is inhibited at the air interface by oxygen, which can leave residual tack on exposed Tango-rich surfaces. Thinner layer modes improve cure through the layer stack but increase build time and may elevate local thermal dose from the UV lamps. Print modes with heavier layers reduce build time but can leave a slightly softer core if adequate UV penetration is not maintained. Dimensional control and durometer response are therefore influenced by print mode, lamp age, and print-head calibration. Batch-to-batch variance in TangoBlackPlus pigment dispersion can appear as minor shore drift on highly filled elastomer regions; preflight test coupons are recommended for each new cartridge lot on critical production work.

Soluble support material is removed by water-jet or dilute alkaline solution. Tango-based phases can swell or lose surface hardness if left in alkaline cleaning chemistry beyond the supplier-specified window because ester-containing acrylate networks can undergo hydrolysis. Thin elastomeric sections below 1.0 mm may tear during support removal, particularly if the part is oriented such that the elastomer layer is placed in peeling tension. A conservative orientation strategy places rigid VeroWhitePlus regions as the support-adjacent faces wherever possible. After support removal, Tango-rich surfaces may retain light surface tack. Post-print UV flood exposure or talc application can reduce tack, but these steps can also alter dimensional tolerance and surface roughness.

Constituent Resin Specification Matrix with ASTM Designations

Because the final Rigur digital-material hardness and tensile response depend on the primary-to-secondary droplet ratio, the following table reports the constituent property ranges published in Stratasys datasheets. The values are not a substitute for testing the exact Rigur configuration. Mechanical specimens should be conditioned at 23 ± 2 °C and 50 ± 5 %RH for 48 h under ASTM D618 before destructive testing. Tensile bars should be printed in X, Y, and Z orientations because material-jetting parts are anisotropic. Hardness measurements should use a calibrated Type A or Type D durometer on specimens at least 6 mm thick under ASTM D2240 to avoid backing-plate artifacts.

VeroWhitePlus RGD835 exhibits a published flexural modulus in the range of 2,000–3,200 MPa under ASTM D790. This rigid-phase modulus is the primary mechanism by which the secondary material increases the stiffness of the Rigur combination beyond neat TangoPlus or TangoBlackPlus. The combination’s final modulus is not a simple rule-of-mixtures average because the jetted structure contains multiple photopolymer phases at the droplet scale, with cure gradients at the interfaces.

Application qualification for the Rigur combination typically targets soft-touch overmolding simulation, hand tools, grips, seals, gaskets, wearable housings, and flexible living hinges in which a rigid VeroWhitePlus RGD835 core is built in the same cycle as a Tango-based elastomeric cover. The combination is also used where an opaque rubber-like surface must be bonded to a rigid substrate without secondary assembly. For functional prototypes that require repeated flexing, tensile bars and trouser tear specimens should be printed at the same layer thickness, ratio, and orientation as the intended part. Reported tensile strength and elongation from the constituent table cannot be transferred directly to the hybrid digital material; the measured response depends on the local voxel arrangement created by the printer software.

Hardness verification should be performed on a stack of at least 6 mm thickness under ASTM D2240. Dimensional tolerances on the rigid VeroWhitePlus core can be evaluated using calibrated PolyJet equipment at approximately ±0.1–0.3% of nominal dimension, while elastomeric regions should not be measured immediately after support removal because water uptake and residual swelling can shift local dimensions. Features below 0.5 mm in the rigid phase may lose definition when surrounded by Tango-rich voxels, and test grids are advisable for fine snap-fit details. Long-term creep and stress relaxation data for this specific Rigur configuration are limited; applications involving continuous load should include a creep test under the end-use temperature and load.

When the Secondary VeroWhitePlus Phase Alters Elongation and Tear Behaviour

Compared with a monolithic TangoPlus FLX930 build, the addition of VeroWhitePlus RGD835 raises stiffness and reduces elongation at break. The change is not linear with the ratio of rigid to elastomeric material because the jetted structure contains spatially distinct phases that constrain the soft segments differently depending on build orientation. Under ASTM D638, neat TangoPlus FLX930 reports tensile strength of 0.8–1.5 MPa and elongation of 170–220%. The Rigur combination may fall below the neat Tango elongation whenever VeroWhitePlus forms rigid domains or semi-continuous reinforcement. Tear-sensitive seals and gaskets should be qualified under ASTM D624 rather than inferred from tensile data.

Compared with Agilus30 rubber-like materials, the Tango-based Rigur combination uses an older elastomer platform and a different phase set. Agilus30 grades may offer different tear resistance and surface tack behaviour, but direct substitution is not appropriate without printed coupon testing because tear resistance and elongation are polymer-structure dependent. Compared with VeroWhitePlus alone, the Rigur combination provides elastomeric recovery and lower Shore hardness, but it sacrifices tensile strength and heat deflection temperature. Compared with Digital ABS, the Rigur combination is not a rigid engineering plastic; it is intended for rubber-to-rigid transitions and impact-absorbing overlays rather than high-stiffness structural housings. Compared with cast silicone or molded urethane production elastomers, the Rigur combination is useful for low-volume functional prototypes but may show lower ultimate tear strength and greater anisotropy because of the layered material-jetting process.

The inclusion of TangoBlackPlus FLX980 and VeroWhitePlus RGD835 produces an opaque final part; the colour shifts according to the primary-to-secondary ratio. Where optical clarity is required, the Rigur configuration is unsuitable because TangoBlackPlus is intentionally pigmented. Users needing a translucent flexible digital material should evaluate different Tango-based combinations with clear secondary resins. This optical difference is often the first selection criterion when choosing between otherwise mechanically similar flexible PolyJet products.

Chemical, Thermal, and Post-Processing Operational Boundaries

The rigid VeroWhitePlus phase has a heat deflection temperature of 45–50 °C at 0.45 MPa under ASTM D648. Sustained load-bearing use above this range should be avoided unless long-term creep testing demonstrates acceptable dimensional stability. The Tango phase remains flexible at room temperature but is not intended for continuous load-bearing at elevated temperature. Uncoated photopolymer parts will yellow and may embrittle under prolonged UV exposure; outdoor qualification should include ASTM G154 accelerated weathering. The combination is not supplied as a certified food-contact, USP Class VI, or ISO 10993 material unless the specific batch documentation explicitly states otherwise.

Chemical resistance is limited. Prolonged contact with ketones, esters, aromatic hydrocarbons, and chlorinated solvents can swell the elastomer phase and promote layer separation. Specific fluid compatibility should be evaluated by immersion testing under ASTM D543. Water absorption in TangoPlus FLX930 is approximately 1.0–1.5% under ASTM D570; the effect of absorbed moisture on the Rigur combination should be measured if parts are used in high-humidity environments. Autoclave sterilization is generally not suitable for Tango-rich digital materials. If sterilization is required, low-temperature methods such as hydrogen peroxide gas plasma should be qualified by end-use testing because residual surface chemistry and elastomer recovery can be altered by sterilant exposure.

Support removal chemistry should be limited to the minimum exposure required to dissolve the support material. Prolonged alkaline immersion can degrade ester-containing acrylate networks in the Tango phase, reducing surface hardness and tear strength. The printed part should be dried and conditioned before final hardness or tensile testing. Cured material waste and uncured resin residues must be handled according to the safety data sheet and local chemical disposal regulations.