Carbon and Arkema develop elastomeric resins for DLS

Key Takeaways

• Carbon’s Digital Light Synthesis (DLS) now runs on a new elastomeric resin family co‑developed with Arkadia’s UV‑curable specialty chemistry platform.
• The resin line offers tunable Shore A hardness (30‑80), tensile strength up to 30 MPa and elongation‑at‑break of 400‑800 %, enabling designers to balance cushioning, support and energy‑return in a single print.
• Layer thickness can be set between 25 µm‑100 µm, with a build speed of up to 100 mm h⁻¹ (≈ 2 ×  faster than conventional SLA).
• Real‑time foot‑scan data can be fed directly into Carbon’s software, producing made‑to‑order midsoles and sandals that cut inventory by up to 45 % and reduce material waste by 30 %.

Carbon & Arkema Join Forces on Elastomeric DLS Resins

Why a New Resin Matters

Carbon’s DLS platform has been praised for its rapid, high‑resolution polymerization, but its original resin portfolio was dominated by rigid engineering grades. By partnering with Arkema—a leader in UV‑curable specialty polymers—Carbon now offers a suite of elastomeric formulations that retain DLS’s speed while delivering rubber‑like mechanics.

The table highlights that the new elastomers keep cure energy within the same window as existing DLS materials, ensuring no hardware modifications are required.

Manufacturing Lattice Structures for Footwear & Sports Gear

The elastomeric resin’s high elongation and adjustable hardness make it ideal for lattice‑infused midsoles and energy‑return outsoles. Engineers can program gradient densities—from 30 % to 80 % infill—directly in Carbon’s software, achieving:

• Cushioning: Low‑density lattices (30‑40 % infill) with Shore A 30‑40 soften impact forces by up to 25 %.
• Support: Mid‑density zones (50‑60 % infill) provide a stable platform, raising the effective stiffness to 55 MPa.
• Energy Return: High‑density sections (70‑80 % infill) store and release elastic energy, boosting rebound efficiency by ≈ 12 % compared with conventional EVA midsoles.

From Foot Scan to Finished Sandal

A practical case study involves Vivobarefoot, which integrates Carbon’s DLS printer with a 3‑D foot‑scanning workflow:

1. Data Capture – A handheld scanner records a 3‑D foot model at 0.2 mm resolution.
2. Design Generation – Carbon’s Design Engine converts the mesh into a lattice‑structured sole, automatically grading hardness based on pressure‑map data.
3. Print & Post‑Process – The part is printed in 12 minutes (≈ 30 mm³ s⁻¹) and requires only a brief UV post‑cure (30 s).

The result is a custom sandal that matches the wearer’s biomechanics while cutting material usage from 12 g (standard) to 8.4 g—a 30 % waste reduction.

Business Impact

• Inventory Flexibility – On‑demand production eliminates the need for multiple size SKUs, lowering warehouse space by up to 45 %.
• Speed to Market – Lead times shrink from weeks (traditional tooling) to under 24 hours for a new design iteration.
• Sustainability – The UV‑curable chemistry emits ≤ 0.5 g CO₂ eq g⁻¹ resin, markedly better than solvent‑based polyurethane processes (> 2 g CO₂ eq g⁻¹).

Looking Ahead

Arkema plans to expand the elastomeric line with high‑temperature variants (glass transition ≈ 120 °C) for automotive and aerospace brackets, while Carbon is exploring multi‑material DLS heads that could blend rigid and elastomeric resins in a single build.

Bottom Line
The Carbon‑Arkema elastomeric resin family unlocks true rubber‑like performance on a DLS platform that was previously limited to rigid polymers. By delivering tunable hardness, high elongation, and fast UV cure rates, the partnership enables on‑demand, waste‑light production of high‑performance lattice structures—most notably in custom footwear. For manufacturers seeking rapid, data‑driven personalization without sacrificing mechanical integrity, this collaboration marks a decisive step toward scalable, sustainable additive manufacturing.

For deeper technical details, visit carbon3d.com and arkema.com.