TPU (Flexible)

TPU is a flexible, rubbery and permanently usable material. The flexibility is similar to a pencil eraser.
Made from a fine Whiteish powder these are parts that are highly flexible, durable and resistant.
TPU is extremely abrasion resistant. Unfortunately, the detail is not as high as in other SLS materials.
The material is a thermoplastic polyurethane.

Additionnal information

  • The material TPU is very shock absorbing

Advantages & disadvantages

Advantages

  •  Extremely resilient
  •  Abrasion resistant
  • Shock absorbing
  • Very good permanent availability
  •  High stability

Disadvantages

  •  Very rough surface
  • Low attention to detail

Typical usage

TPU parts are suitable for skin contact. Parts are manufactured from TPU blows to absorb or must have a hard-rubber-like flexibility and yet to remain permanently usable.
This material is often used for gadgets, flexible models or functional parts such as. stop padding

 

Technology

TPU is manufactured in SLS process. This powder-based procedure has helped to bring out the 3D printing as where it is presently.
This method cost extremely, robust components can produce injection molded parts in no way inferior.
SLS means Selectives laser sintering and referred to the partial melting of powder materials by using a laser.
The exposure parameters can be manipulated to produce different properties.

The procedure:

Your model is broken down at the computer in layers of 0.12 mm and sent to the machine.
Now a tan is filled with your desired equipmen. A 0, 12mm-thick layer over the entire width is applied to a pressure bed.
The build chamber of the machine is heated to about 100 deg C. Then a laser will sinter the powder.
At this point the material is short and liquid connects.
All surfaces that belong to your part are produced in this layer. Now the build platform is lowered and a new layer. This is repeated until your component is ready.
The unmelted powder surrounds your component and is at this time also as a support structure. This allows the printing of 'floating' components (approximately 2 rings that do not touch during printing, but connected).
Your component is now freed from the powder and any residues are blown.