This month’s pick is a little different. It’s brought to you by the person who is usually behind the scenes interviewing everyone else for Part of the Month. That would be me, Jennifer Araiza, Marketing Specialist.
I chose to highlight this car door rubber seal, 3D printed in black Stretch 475 on the Stratasys Origin Two. It is a great example of how elastomeric materials on a DLP platform can produce flexible, functional parts with real world performance.
Consider this your teaser for all the DLP fun you can expect at our upcoming Open House on March 11, where we will be diving into DLP applications, materials, and hundreds of parts. Register here and come see it in person.
About The Material
Stretch 475 is a soft, rubber-like elastomer built for flexible applications that need to hold up under repeated compression. It is designed to bend, stretch, and rebound without losing its shape.
With an ultimate tensile strength of 2.4 MPa, 122 percent elongation at break, and a tensile modulus of 2.5 MPa, it’s a perfect balance between softness and strength. It feels flexible, but it is tough enough to resist tearing, making it a great fit for functional seals and other parts that need true elastomeric performance.
Why Material Properties Matter for Seals
A car door rubber seal, also known as a weatherstrip, runs along the perimeter of a vehicle’s door frame. For a seal to work properly, it must stretch, compress, and bounce back repeatedly without cracking or flattening out. This makes Stretch 475 the ideal material for this application.
With 122% elongation at break, it can flex repeatedly while still returning to its original shape. Its balanced stiffness and strong tear resistance also help it hold up and continue performing over time without failing under stress. Printed on the Origin Two, the seal benefits from high resolution and dimensional accuracy.
Ideal Applications for Stretch 475
Stretch 475 is ideal for parts that require rubber-like performance, including:
- Air and dust gaskets
- Flexible seals and housings
- Cushioning pads
- Grommets
- Protective covers
- Components requiring high elongation and repeated mechanical stress
For engineers evaluating elastomeric 3D printing, Stretch 475 offers a strong balance of softness, durability, and precision, making it a practical solution for both development and low volume production.
Why 3D Print Elastomer Components
Rubber components such as door seals naturally wear over time, which can lead to issues like wind noise or water intrusion as performance degrades. Because of this, manufacturers need efficient ways to refine and improve their designs.
By leveraging 3D printing, they can eliminate traditional tooling, iterate directly from CAD data, and quickly test custom geometries, accelerating development while optimizing fit, durability, and overall sealing performance.
Stretch 475 on the Origin Two enables a streamlined path from prototype to functional elastomer parts without sacrificing mechanical performance.
If you are exploring elastomeric applications our team can help you determine whether Stretch 475 is the right fit for your performance requirements. Contact us today.
Don’t miss out! Join us on March 11 for Lunch and Learning.
Meet Jennifer Araiza
Meet Jennifer Araiza, our Marketing Outreach Specialist. Jennifer is the liaison between our sales team and marketing team. She reaches out to customers, assists with events, edits our website, and creates some of the short-form video content you see on our social media. Her favorite part about working at Purple is the company culture and learning more about 3D printing.
Out of the office, Jennifer enjoys going to the beach, and trying new restaurants with friends. Connect with Jennifer on LinkedIn!
