TPU
Thermoplastic polyurethane
The only flexible material we offer. Good for gaskets, seals, and anything that has to bend, stretch, or absorb impact.
TPU is a rubber-like material — the only flexible one we print. At Shore 95A hardness it falls between soft rubber and semi-rigid plastic: stiff enough to hold its shape on its own, soft enough to bend back and forth thousands of times without cracking. It also stands up to oils, fuels, and most weak chemicals.
The surface finish is matte with visible layer lines that tend to smooth out as the part flexes. Conventional machining doesn't work — sanding is possible but awkward on something this soft. Cyanoacrylates bond TPU to itself and to rigid plastics. Solvent welding isn't practical.
Specifications
- Hardness
- Shore 95A (46D)
- Elongation at break
- 580%
- Tensile strength at break
- 39 MPa
- Heat deflection (0.45 MPa)
- 80 °C
- Density
- 1.20 g/cm³
- Price tier
- $$
When to use
Parts that need to flex, stretch, absorb impact, or resist wear. Gaskets, seals, vibration mounts, strain reliefs — anywhere a rigid plastic would crack and a softer material gives the part room to move.
When not to use
TPU isn't a structural material. If a part needs to hold a precise shape under load, the flexibility that makes TPU useful elsewhere works against it. Service temperatures above about 80 °C will soften it. Extended UV exposure breaks it down over time.