The Stratasys Rigur Rubber-Like PolyJet 3D Printing Polymer Combination is a multi-material digital photopolymer architecture in which the primary elastomeric phase is AGILUS30, supplied as clear FLX2040 and black FLX9840 cartridges, and the secondary rigid phase is Vero, typically VeroWhitePlus RGD835 or VeroBlackPlus RGD875. The designation “Rigur Rubber-Like” identifies a digital material set rather than the standalone Rigur RGD450 simulated polypropylene resin, which is not classified as an elastomer. In the combination, the PolyJet print head jets AGILUS30 and Vero in controlled voxel ratios within a single layer, allowing the cured part to shift from a continuous rubber-like network to a rigid-reinforced elastomer network without adhesive bonding or mechanical fasteners.

On the J750 and J850 PolyJet platforms, the combination is typically jetted at a layer thickness of 0.014 mm in high-quality mode or 0.027 mm in high-speed mode. The J850 build volume reaches 490 × 390 × 200 mm, while the J55 platform encloses 140 × 200 × 190 mm for smaller prototypes. The digital material recipe is selected in GrabCAD Print or the embedded printer software, and the AGILUS30/Vero ratio defines the target Shore A hardness. AGILUS30 clear FLX2040 produces translucent soft regions; AGILUS30 black FLX9840 produces black soft regions; VeroWhitePlus or VeroBlackPlus supplies the rigid secondary phase. No separate molding tool is required to combine the two phases.

What Practical Shore Hardness Range Is Achievable With AGILUS30/Vero?

The printer does not blend the resins into a single bulk material. Each voxel receives a defined ratio of elastomeric and rigid photopolymer. At low Vero content, the AGILUS30 network dominates and the response is a Shore A 30–35 A elastomer with large elongation. At elevated Vero content, rigid domains constrain chain extension and the hardness rises through Shore A 40 A, 60 A, and 80 A to approximately 95 A at the rigid end of the digital material scale. Published stress–strain curves for every intermediate Shore A point are limited; therefore, build-specific tensile coupons should be printed in the selected mode and orientation before committing to production-like prototypes.

For sealing applications, Shore A 50–70 A is evaluated because it balances conformability with resistance to extrusion under fluid pressure. For cushions and pads, Shore A 30–40 A reduces peak contact pressure. For housings with soft-touch surfaces and screw bosses, Shore A 80–95 A with continuous Vero islands improves boss retention. These ranges are not application certifications. Compression set according to ASTM D395, chemical compatibility according to ASTM D543, and thermal ageing according to ASTM D573 should be performed on printed coupons because the laminated digital material exhibits anisotropy not present in cast elastomers.

Production-scale PolyJet runs introduce a processing conflict at high Vero content. The low-viscosity photopolymer droplets coalesce before UV cure, but the rigid Vero domains crosslink more densely than the AGILUS30 matrix, producing internal shrinkage stresses that can curl thin elastomeric walls if the build is not oriented to balance rigid and soft regions. Build orientation changes tensile failure mode. Tensile coupons printed in the Z orientation show lower elongation than coupons printed in the X-Y plane because strain concentrates at interlayer boundaries. For a thin diaphragm or living hinge, the part should be oriented so the principal bending axis remains in the X-Y plane, and the layer thickness should be set to 0.014 mm to minimize interlayer notch sensitivity. In high-speed mode at 0.027 mm, the larger layer height reduces build time but increases the visible layered structure and may lower interlayer peel strength at AGILUS30/Vero boundaries.

Support removal for internal elastomeric channels is a documented bottleneck. SUP706 water-soluble support is removed in water-jet stations, but blind channels with inner diameters below 5 mm generally require multiple orientation changes and extended high-pressure water exposure. Residual support can remain at the interface between AGILUS30 and Vero if a channel crosses a material boundary. The boundary should be designed with an access port or a minimum channel diameter of 2 mm for reliable mechanical extraction if cleaning cannot be verified. Extended immersion beyond the time required for dissolution can degrade the co-cured interface, so wash time should be limited and followed by controlled drying at 20–25 °C.

PolyJet ambient operating limits are typically 18–25 °C and 30–70% RH. Outside this window, droplet spread and support solubility can vary, shifting thin-wall thickness and local Shore A readings. Cartridge storage is recommended at 15–27 °C, with equilibration to the print chamber before production runs. The resins are moisture-sensitive in terms of print consistency rather than bulk hydrolysis; open cartridges should not be left in uncontrolled humidity.

Tensile and Tear Datasheet Values for the Primary AGILUS30 Phase

Table 1 summarizes component-level published values for the primary and secondary resins. The values are bulk resin data, not converted digital material data for intermediate Shore A recipes.

The table does not provide values for intermediate digital material modes such as Shore A 50 A or Shore A 70 A. The co-jetted structure is non-linear: adding Vero raises tensile modulus but reduces elongation at break, and the transition from elastomeric to rigid behavior depends on layer orientation and geometry. Qualification coupons should therefore be printed at the intended Shore A value, layer thickness, and build orientation. Published data for this specific configuration is limited; interpolation from component datasheets is not a substitute for printed-coupon results.

Compared with earlier TangoPlus and TangoBlack rubber-like resins, AGILUS30 exhibits higher tear resistance and elongation at equivalent Shore A values. TangoPlus is typically reported at Shore A 26–28 A and elongation near 180–220%, while AGILUS30 is reported at Shore A 30–35 A and elongation above 220%. The addition of Vero as a secondary phase in the present combination extends the achievable hardness range beyond what a single AGILUS30 cartridge can provide. AGILUS30 alone is an elastomer with a narrow hardness range; the combination with Vero creates a tunable stiffness gradient without a secondary molding or overmolding operation. This is the primary difference from single-material rubber-like PolyJet resins.

Against Digital ABS Plus, the functional difference is recovery behavior. Digital ABS Plus is a rigid simulated ABS with Shore D in the mid 80 D range and is specified for stiff enclosures and snap-fit assemblies. It does not provide elastomeric recovery under cyclic strain. The AGILUS30/Vero combination, by contrast, retains rubber-like strain recovery at Shore A values below approximately 70 A, making it suitable for bellows, gaskets, and soft-touch overmolds that must deform elastically during assembly and return to original geometry. Above Shore A 80 A, the combination approaches a flexible rigid and may be compared with impact-modified rigid materials rather than true elastomers.

Elastico is a transparent Shore A 50 A PolyJet elastomer with fine feature resolution; however, its tear resistance and color options differ from the AGILUS30/Vero combination. The AGILUS30/Vero set can match Shore A 50 A while retaining black or clear soft regions and rigid Vero inserts. Selection between the two is driven by required color, tear resistance, and whether rigid regions must be co-printed.

For biocompatible flexible applications, MED625FLX is the appropriate elastomeric medical photopolymer certified under ISO 10993-5 cytotoxicity and ISO 10993-10 irritation and sensitization according to Stratasys medical material documentation. The AGILUS30/Vero combination is an industrial elastomer set and should not be substituted for MED625FLX without a documented material qualification program under the target regulatory pathway. Similarly, the product should not be conflated with Rigur RGD450; RGD450 is a high-impact simulated polypropylene resin for snap-fit closures and impact-resistant housings, not an elastomeric seal or gasket material.

When the Secondary Vero Phase Changes the Failure Mode of Elastomeric Prototypes

Increasing the Vero fraction produces a stiffness gain but also changes the location of tensile failure. In combined specimens, strain concentrates at the boundaries between rigid Vero domains and the AGILUS30 matrix. The result is that tensile strength rises while elongation at break falls below the bulk AGILUS30 value. This behavior is compounded by build orientation: Z-direction specimens fail at interlayer boundaries before the bulk elastomer reaches its bulk elongation. For parts with a flexible hinge adjacent to a rigid boss, a transition zone is required. The interface should not be placed at the high-strain root of the hinge; a rib or fillet can redistribute strain, and the hinge should be printed in the X-Y plane to avoid through-thickness layer boundaries.

The interface between AGILUS30 and Vero is a co-cured photopolymer boundary, not a chemical weld of bulk thermoplastics. Interlayer adhesion depends on UV cure dose, oxygen inhibition at the droplet surface, and the time between jetting passes. High-speed mode at 0.027 mm layers can increase the visible layered structure and reduce interlayer peel strength relative to high-quality mode at 0.014 mm. When cyclic bending across the material boundary is expected, peel or fatigue coupon testing according to ASTM D6862-11 or ASTM D7774-17 is recommended. Aqueous support removal should be limited after support dissolution because prolonged immersion can reduce interfacial adhesion at the AGILUS30/Vero boundary; the part should be dried at 20–25 °C before mechanical testing.

Operational Boundaries, Support Removal, and Storage Conditions

The use envelope of AGILUS30/Vero parts is constrained by the AGILUS30 elastomeric phase. Under sustained tensile load at temperatures above approximately 50 °C, the elastomeric phase is prone to creep and compression set after load removal. Published long-term creep data for the intermediate digital material modes are limited; therefore, parts that must retain sealing force at elevated temperature should be tested with ASTM D2990-17 tensile creep or ASTM D395 compression set procedures before deployment. Chemical exposure to polar solvents, ketones, or esters can swell or degrade the Vero phase; compatibility testing according to ASTM D543-20 is required for fluid-contact applications.

For parts with internal channels, the support removal protocol should be validated with a sectioned sample. If residual support remains in a blind cavity, mechanical fatigue or fluid contamination may result. The use of heated water above 40 °C can accelerate support dissolution but may also increase water uptake in the elastomeric phase; post-drying at 20–25 °C for at least 24 h is recommended before mechanical property testing. These operational limits are based on observed post-processing behavior on water-jet stations and controlled drying cabinets, not on proprietary formula limits disclosed by the material manufacturer.

Typical applications include low-volume production of flexible dust bellows with rigid mounting flanges, soft-touch handheld instrument housings with threaded inserts, fluidic connector prototypes with compliant lips, and gaskets that require local stiffening around bolt holes. In each case, the AGILUS30/Vero ratio is set to place the seal or flexure in the Shore A 50–70 A range and the rigid mounting features in the Vero-rich Shore A 90–95 A range. The printed part is then subjected to application-specific leak, tensile, and thermal cycling protocols because the digital material combination does not carry a universal performance certification.