TPU flexible 3D printing service
TPU is a rubber-like thermoplastic that bends and returns to shape instead of breaking, and it is the only filament here that does. It is used for gaskets, seals, grips, bumpers and any part whose job is to deform. It prints slowly compared with rigid filaments, so a TPU part costs more in machine time than its size suggests.
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What TPU flexible is good for
- Gaskets and seals
- Grips, handles and pads
- Protective bumpers and feet
- Wearable and contact parts
What TPU flexible is the wrong choice for
- Anything that must hold a dimension under load
- Threaded features
- Very thin walls, which come out floppy rather than flexible
The long-form guide, with design rules and the alternatives side by side: TPU flexible 3D printing, explained.
Designing for TPU flexible
- Wall thickness is what sets stiffness in TPU, more than infill. A thicker wall makes a firmer part; more infill mostly adds print time.
- Overhangs in TPU need supports as much as any other material, and support removal on a flexible part is slower.
TPU flexible against the other materials
| Material | Heat | Stiffness | Impact | Outdoors |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| PLA | Low | High | Low | Not suitable |
| PETG | Medium | Medium | Medium | Short term only |
| ABS | High | Medium | High | Not suitable |
| ASA | High | Medium | High | Suitable |
| TPU flexible | Medium | Flexible by design | High | Short term only |
| Nylon PA12 | High | Medium | High | Short term only |
| Polycarbonate | Very high | High | Very high | Short term only |
| PC-ABS | High | High | Very high | Not suitable |
| Carbon fibre filled | High | Very high | Low | Short term only |
| PETG CF | Medium | High | Low | Short term only |
| ABS CF | High | Very high | Medium | Not suitable |
| Wood filled PLA | Low | High | Low | Not suitable |
| Standard resin | Low | High | Low | Not suitable |
Printing TPU flexible at 3Descu
| Scale | One of the largest 3D printing factories in Eastern Europe, 200+ printers |
|---|---|
| Process | FDM, filament extrusion |
| Maximum part size | 320 x 320 x 320 mm on the standard fleet, up to 500 x 500 x 500 mm on the large-format machines |
| Layer height | 0.12 mm to 0.28 mm, 0.20 mm by default |
| Minimum order | €20 |
| File formats accepted | STL, OBJ, 3MF, STEP, STP, up to 50 MB per file |
| Where it ships | Across the European Union, the United Kingdom, Switzerland and Norway, by courier from Romania |
| Uploaded files | Deleted 90 days after upload |
| Quality system | ISO 9001:2015 certified |
| Who prints it | TREIDESCUPRINT SRL, J18/753/2022, on its own machines |
Delivery
| Destination | Standard | Express |
|---|---|---|
| Romania | 1-2 business days | 1 business day |
| Bulgaria, Hungary | 2-3 business days | 1-2 business days |
| Poland, Czech Republic, Slovakia, Greece, Austria, Croatia, Slovenia | 3-4 business days | 2 business days |
| Germany, Italy, Netherlands, Belgium, Luxembourg, Latvia, Lithuania, Estonia | 4-5 business days | 2 business days |
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What this page does not claim
There is no tolerance figure and no strength figure for TPU flexible on this page. A printed part does not have the properties of the spool it came from, and this shop has not measured its own, so publishing a number lifted from a filament data sheet would be publishing somebody else's result as ours. What is missing and why is set out under design rules, and where a part needs one of those figures it is measured on a real printed sample rather than quoted from a table.
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Also known as TPU, flexible filament, rubber-like 3D printing. Material data sheets and a dimensional report can be supplied on request.