Following a collaboration with
Shin-Etsu, a ‘global leader’ in silicone science,
Stratasys Ltd has launched P3 Silicone 25A. A high-performance material developed exclusively for the Stratasys Origin DLP (digital light processing) platform, this general-purpose silicone enables the production of flexible parts that match the performance of traditionally moulded silicone.
Stratasys says the new material addresses a longstanding gap in industrial 3-D printing, namely the need for genuine silicone parts that offer precision, durability and repeatability, without the time and cost constraints of injection moulding.
“P3 Silicone 25A delivers the chemical resistance, thermal stability, and mechanical behaviour of conventional silicones, while enabling manufacturers to eliminate tooling, reduce lead times, and support localised, low-volume production. Moreover, the material has been validated in thermal aging tests up to 1,000hr at 150°C — and passed biocompatibility and flame-retardancy certification.
“As manufacturers seek to customise products, streamline inventory, and shorten time to market, silicone has become essential for applications such as seals, gaskets, vibration dampers, wearables, and soft-touch components. Until now, few 3-D printing materials have matched the performance of traditionally moulded silicones, but P3 Silicone 25A delivers a robust solution for end-use silicone parts.”
Rich Garrity, Stratasys’ chief business unit officer, added: “The proliferation of AM in production environments depends on speciality materials that perform to the standards of traditional methods. Our collaboration with Shin-Etsu delivers precisely that, as P3 Silicone 25A gives manufacturers the flexibility of additive with the trusted performance of true silicone — backed by repeatable results and real-world data.”
He concluded: “The launch marks the first in a planned portfolio of silicone materials co-developed by Stratasys and Shin-Etsu, with additional hardness levels and application-specific variants expected in the future.”