Slow speeds are necessary to ensure that the flexible filament does not kink up and get tangled around the extruder gear or expand and get stuck in any hollow spaces within the extruder. This will vary depending on the extruder design you are using but the following ranges are a good starting point to test out and optimize:ĭirect Drive (E3D Titan, E3D Hemera, Bondtech): 30mm/s-40mm/s BowdenĮxtruder (Ender 3/CR-10 Stock Extruder): 20mm/s-30mm/s Slowing down your print speeds is the most critical setting that will help improve your success rates with TPU. The second less noted property that TPU exhibits is its high resistance to wear from friction or abrasion, meaning your printed object can be repeatedly rubbed against rough surfaces and not wear down-of course this also means its very difficult to sand a TPU printed part smooth.Ĭompared to basic materials like PLA filament, TPU is a more challenging plastic to get good results with, but with the right settings TPU can be printed on most consumer grade 3d printers such as the Sainsmart x Creality Ender 3 S1 PRO with little to no modification. The first is its flexibility and ability to be bent or twisted in a variety of different directions without breaking, this is good for applications that subject your object to strain that would require the part to flex without breaking but also makes the object resistant to drops or impacts without shattering.
TPU filament has two distinct properties. Some examples of what you can print with TPU include hinged objects, phone cases and wheels to name a few, or this lifesized Fallout power armor! If you are flexible you might find that TPU fits the bill quite nicely. There are a lot of times and use cases where you need a material that is absolutely tough and can handle rough handling and frequent impacts.
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