At 3DPRINTUK we are continually looking to improve our output, parts and services. The latest upgrade has been to our SLS Flexible material offering for applications that require elastomeric properties and easy processing. As of this week, the PEBA powder that we used to fulfil our SLS Flexible service has been discontinued by our supplier. As a result, we have taken this opportunity to replace PEBA with a TPU material, which has proved to be superior and cheaper when optimised to run on our P110 series SLS machines.
Bellow example printed hollow with a 2mm wall thickness. Shore Hardness: 86A.
The benefits of our new SLS Flexible TPU include a 33% cost reduction of the material, greater flexibility with almost identical strength properties, and parts produced in TPU stay white after they have been printed.
In house testing has also shown that parts made from this white material are extremely hydrolysis-resistant, with high resilience and good tribological properties. The degree of flexibility can be influenced by the part design and the choice of process parameters and can even be varied within the same part. SLS TPU also has high UV stability.
This industrial material was developed to address a growing—such as those in the footwear and sport equipment verticals, to name but a couple. The versatile 3D printing material can also be adjusted in terms of its flexibility and damping levels by modifying the structural design of parts as well as build process parameters.
Check out the updated SLS Flexible page for details on maximum print sizes, look and feel, and finishing options.
