LOCTITE® 3843 Matte Black is a high-performance, one-part photopolymer resin known for its impressive toughness and impact resistance. Validated for use with Carbon® Digital Light Synthesis™ (DLS™) technology, this material enables manufacturers to produce functional parts with a clean matte black finish. It’s a versatile solution for applications ranging from automotive and consumer electronics to medical-grade components. Because of its reliable performance and print quality, it's often selected during the design for manufacturing phase for short-run production or low-volume applications, particularly where traditional injection molding may be less cost-effective or time-sensitive.
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LOCTITE® 3843 stands out for its balance of mechanical strength, durability, and printability. These characteristics are particularly important when evaluating materials during product development or considering whether to shift from prototyping to scalable production.
Parts made with this resin offer exceptional toughness and resistance to impact. That makes it ideal for components that require mechanical performance, whether for field-testing, production tools, or rugged-use consumer products. When time-to-market is key, this resin is frequently chosen by digital manufacturing teams seeking durability without long lead times.
With a heat deflection temperature (HDT) of around 63°C (145°F), LOCTITE® 3843 is suitable for applications where parts encounter moderate heat. While it may not replace high-temperature thermoplastics, it holds up well in common use environments such as interior vehicle components or electronics housings.
One of its signature features is the consistent matte black finish that often requires minimal post-processing. This not only improves aesthetics but also reduces the need for secondary operations, such as painting or sanding. For applications where the visual quality of the final part is important—such as consumer products or medical housings—this is a distinct advantage.
As a one-part resin, LOCTITE® 3843 requires no mixing and has minimal post-curing requirements. It’s optimized for use on Carbon DLS platforms, making it accessible for teams that rely on repeatable, high-accuracy printing for both development and short-run production.
For healthcare applications, material safety is critical. LOCTITE® 3843 has been tested to meet ISO 10993-5 and -23 standards for biocompatibility. This makes it appropriate for non-implantable medical components such as device casings, handles, and test fixtures, often replacing traditional medical-grade injection molding in early production stages.
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This material supports a wide range of use cases where part strength, visual appeal, and fast production matter.
Due to its stiffness and durability, the resin is used to print custom jigs, fixtures, and tooling. It fits seamlessly into additive manufacturing workflows, allowing engineers to test, refine, and produce components without waiting for traditional tooling.
From consumer gadgets to medical device enclosures, the combination of surface finish and durability makes LOCTITE® 3843 a smart choice for production-ready parts. Teams looking to bypass or delay injection mold fabrication can rely on it for short-run or bridge manufacturing.
Within the automotive industry, the material’s mechanical performance and heat resistance make it well-suited for brackets, clips, and interior components. It also helps manufacturers prototype parts that may later be transferred to plastic injection molding for higher-volume production.
The biocompatibility and fine feature detail of LOCTITE® 3843 allow it to be used for early-stage development of medical devices, from test equipment housings to mechanical components in lab automation systems. It’s particularly valuable when manufacturers need to comply with FDA design controls during iterative development cycles.
Choosing between additive manufacturing and injection molding often comes down to material performance and part quantity. LOCTITE® 3843 bridges the gap between these two by offering performance similar to common injection-molded plastics, without requiring tooling.
When compared to ABS—a go-to in injection molding services—LOCTITE® 3843 matches it in terms of toughness and heat resistance, while offering better print detail and isotropic mechanical properties.
While it doesn’t provide the optical clarity of PMMA, it does produce a finer matte surface with more durability under stress. For applications where a smooth black surface and strength are more important than transparency, it’s a better fit.
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Like all materials, LOCTITE® 3843 has specific use cases where it excels—and others where alternative materials may be more suitable.
The 63°C HDT limits its use in high-temperature environments. If your product needs to withstand sustained heat (e.g., near engines or heating elements), a different engineering resin may be required.
While the resin resists common chemicals, exposure to aggressive solvents or acids should be evaluated on a case-by-case basis. Chemical testing is recommended for mission-critical components.
Photopolymer materials can degrade under prolonged UV exposure. For outdoor applications, added UV protection or an alternative manufacturing method may be necessary.
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Manufacturers appreciate this resin for its versatility, speed to market, and ability to produce durable parts with great aesthetics. Whether you're creating functional prototypes, producing small-batch parts, or bridging the gap to full injection molding production, LOCTITE® 3843 delivers reliable performance across sectors.
Its validation with Carbon’s additive manufacturing ecosystem and compliance with medical material standards make it especially valuable for teams needing flexibility during design iterations or product validation. And when combined with broader services such as design for manufacturing (DfM), quality control, and precision additive tooling, it becomes part of a scalable manufacturing solution, not just a material.