Thermoplastic Elastomer
Properties
- excellent flexibility
- impact resistance
- durability
Description
Thermoplastic Elastomers are essentially plastics with rubber-like qualities, making them extremely flexible and durable. As such, TPE is commonly used to produce automotive parts, household appliances, and medical supplies. Thermoplastic polyurethane (TPU) is a particular variety of TPE and is a popular 3D printer filament. TPU filaments offer excellent flexibility, impact resistance, and durability, making them ideal for products like phone cases, footwear, and seals. Printing is not always easy, as TPE can be difficult to extrude.
Print Settings
- Nozzle temperature: 210 – 230 °C
Material Sources
- Smooth TPU for Markforged X7
- Flexible Filaments at MatterHackers such as NinjaTek, PRO Series Flex, Soft PLA, PRO Series TPU
- Flexible Filaments on Amazon