Product Description:

Introducing Matter3D's Performance Thermoplastic Urethane (TPU) branch of products. TPU based polymers are unique as they are extremely impact resistant and are highly elastic, allowing for 3D printing of 'rubber-like' products. Performance TPU has a shore hardness rating of 95A, or equivalent to the feel and mobility of a shoe sole. Matter3D's TPU is also chemically resistant to hydrocarbons, high pressure, and temperature. It is ideal for end-use parts that need high abrasion resistance, i.e. gaskets, O-rings, engine parts. 

Printing TPU can be difficult. Matter3D suggests printing at 235° C and a print speed between 25-35 mm/s. Bowden tube printer setups are not recommended; direct drive is preferred.  

TPU is moisture sensitive; therefore, our recommendation is to dry the material for 3 - 4 hours at ~ 80° C. Drying ensures that the prints are bubble free and interlayer adhesion is optimized. 

Shore Hardness Scale

The Shore hardness scale is an internationally accepted standard that quantifies the hardness of a material. It offers a comprehensive snapshot that makes it one of the most valuable plastics and rubber hardness scales available. The scale operates within a numeric range of 00 to 100, with 00 being the softest material and 100 being the hardest.

To measure different categories of materials, there are three main Shore hardness scales:

• Shore 00 is typically used for soft and flexible materials such as gels, soft foams, and highly flexible rubbers.
• Shore A measures flexible mold rubber materials. This range includes most rubbers from extremely soft and flexible up to hard rubbers with minimal flexibility. It also evaluates non-rubber plastics that are semi-rigid and somewhat flexible.
• Shore D is reserved for testing hard and semi-rigid plastics and rubbers.

Technical Properties:

1. Heat Resistance (1.8 MPa) = 110° C
2. Tensile Stress (100% strain) = 15 MPa
3. Tensile Strength = 36 MPa
4. Tensile Elongation (Break) = 450%
5. Tear Strength = 210 kN/m
6. UV resistant
7. Enhanced chemical resistance