TPU
Flexible, rubber-like filament. Prints slowly and needs a direct-drive extruder or a well-tuned Bowden setup. Great for phone cases, gaskets, and wearables.
Hard Prints on open printers 1.21 g/cm³ ~$30/kg
Print settings (starting points)
| Nozzle temperature | 220–240 °C |
|---|---|
| Bed temperature | 40–60 °C |
| Enclosure | Not required |
| Drying | 50 °C × 6 h Moisture sensitive |
| Density | 1.21 g/cm³ |
| Max continuous use | ~70 °C |
Properties
| Property | Rating |
|---|---|
| Strength | ●●●○○ |
| Heat resistance | ●●●○○ |
| UV / weather resistance | ●●●○○ |
| Flexibility | ●●●●● |
| Print difficulty | ●●●●○ |
Pros
- Flexible and grippy
- Impact absorbing
- Abrasion resistant
Cons
- Must print slowly
- Hard with Bowden extruders
- Absorbs moisture
Best uses
Phone cases Gaskets and seals Wearables Vibration dampers
Printers suited to TPU
Machines that meet this material's enclosure, temperature and extruder needs.
Creality Ender 3 V3
220×220×250 mm · Open frame
Creality Ender 3 S1
220×220×270 mm · Open frame
Creality Ender 5 S1
220×220×280 mm · Open frame
Creality K1
220×220×250 mm · Enclosed
Creality K1 Max
300×300×300 mm · Enclosed
Bambu Lab A1 mini
180×180×180 mm · Open frame
Bambu Lab A1
256×256×256 mm · Open frame
Bambu Lab P1S
256×256×256 mm · Enclosed
Bambu Lab X1 Carbon
256×256×256 mm · Enclosed
Cost and usage
At ~${price}/kg, 100 g of {name} costs about ${per100}. Use the {lenTool} to turn a printed weight into metres, or the {costTool} for a full price.