3D Printed Elastomers for the Ocean: Bridging the Gap Between Innovation and Maritime Standards

Modern maritime engineering faces a critical logistics challenge: flexible components such as seals, gaskets or flexible ducts, for instance, that may fail during vessel operation, demand lengthy replacement timelines through traditional manufacturing. In addition, a lack of regulatory standards regarding elastomers is detected, especially in the case of pressure-critical environments and underwater applications. This work focuses on additive manufacturing (AM) as a feasible alternative to traditional manufacturing, and presents a comparative experimental design across three primary AM technologies to process flexible materials: Fused Deposition Modeling (FDM), Stereolithography (SLA) and emerging silicone technologies. Conventional FDM is used to print rubber-like filaments (Recreus Filaflex SEBS), while Stereolithography (SLA) is employed for high-precision elastic resins (Formlabs 50A and 80A). Regarding silicone technologies, by early 2026 it will be available the upgrade of the Prusa XL platform in partnership with Filament2, consisting of a modular system that allows the same printer to switch between traditional filament extrusion and a new liquid silicone, thus reducing equipment and manufacturing complexity. Currently, no methodology exists to select the optimal soft elastomeric materials for specific marine applications. There is no comparative analysis integrating mechanical property validations, anisotropy or isotropy characteristics, chemical resistance and regulatory pathways for elastomeric 3D printing in subsea systems. Material performance is quantified through standardized mechanical testing (ASTM D412) to assess tensile strength and elongation alongside ASTM D4482 cyclic fatigue protocols conducted under simulated hydrostatic conditions to evaluate pressure-induced degradation. Furthermore, a qualitative regulatory mapping is performed cross-referencing existing DNV-ST-B203 and Lloyd’s Register standards (2025) with the observed behaviour of 20-90 Shore A elastomers to identify specific technical requirements for certification. Elastomeric 3D printing is, however, operationally viable: Filaflex SEBS is documented in industrial operational applications since 2022, and Formlabs isotropic SLA resin structures (rigid enclosures) enable subsea deployment validated in remote operated vehicles (ROV) achieving 600m depth (3D Printed Underwater Robotics (2024)), with elastomeric variants employing identical isotropic processing methodology pending elastomer specific subsea validation, establishing a technical foundation for soft elastomer qualification in marine contexts. This study provides a comprehensive evaluation and selection framework for soft elastomeric materials in maritime applications. The research is structured around four key objectives: (1) characterizing the mechanical, thermal, and chemical properties of Filaflex SEBS, Formlabs SLA, and emerging silicone technologies; (2) validating operational viability through industrial and subsea case studies; (3) aligning soft elastomer qualification with established DNV, Lloyd’s Register (LR), and IACS regulatory frameworks; and (4) developing a decision-making tool that enables engineers to select optimal materials based on specific environmental requirements such as depth, temperature, and pressure. Focusing in subsea applications, current advances in marine AM have established a clear division between decentralized utility and high-performance subsea sealing. While FDM-based elastomers like Filaflex SEBS (90A) have proven effective for non-pressurized saltwater applications and port-based maintenance since 2022, their inherent structural anisotropy remains a barrier to pressure-rated deployment. In contrast, isotropic SLA elastomers (50A/80A) offer the hermetic integrity required for subsea enclosures. Building on the 600m depth validation of rigid resin precursors, these isotropic elastomers demonstrate significant potential for pressure-rated sealing at depths up to 200m, supported by superior thermal resilience and multi-durometer integration capabilities. Despite these material gains, a critical regulatory gap exists in the 2025 updates to IACS, DNV, and Lloyd’s Register standards, which lack specific qualification procedures for soft elastomeric seals (20-90A Shore) in pressure-critical environments. To address this, a hybridized qualification framework is proposed, integrating cyclic fatigue testing (ASTM D4482/ISO 6943) under simulated hydrostatic pressure with chemical characterization (ASTM D471) in synthetic seawater. This research aligns with the latest risk-based certification methodologies from Lloyd’s Register and DNV-ST-B203, providing a strategic pathway for the formal marine qualification of soft polymer components in subsea systems. The study concludes by establishing a selection framework that bridges the gap between material properties and maritime regulatory compliance. First results indicate that while FDM-SEBS is optimized for near-shore decentralized maintenance, isotropic SLA and liquid silicone technologies provide the required hermeticity and fatigue resistance for pressure-rated subsea sealing up to 200m depth. It should be noted that while liquid silicone shows a potential comparable to SLA, it currently lacks extensive experimental data for this specific depth rating of 200 meters. Ultimately, the proposed hybridized qualification framework provides naval engineers with a strategic roadmap for the formal certification of soft components, ensuring that elastomeric AM can transition from experimental utility to mission-critical subsea deployment.