Material · FDM Filament · Flexible
TPU: the part that bends so nothing else has to
Thermoplastic polyurethane prints like a filament and behaves like rubber — stretch it, squash it, drop it, and it returns to shape. Every product that needs a soft touch, a seal or a shock absorber has a TPU part hiding in it somewhere.
What flexibility unlocks
Custom gaskets and seals cut to your exact housing; overmold-style grips prototyped before tooling exists; protective bumpers and corner guards; vibration-damping feet and mounts; wearable pieces that move with a body; phone-case-class shells around delicate electronics.
Because it prints from CAD, TPU lets you iterate durometer-feel and wall structure the way rigid parts iterate dimensions — a prototype loop most product teams have never had for soft parts.
Design notes worth knowing
Flexible filament rewards simple, chunky geometry; razor-thin blades and needle details are better in rigid resin. Very intricate flexible parts sometimes route to thin-walled SLS nylon, which flexes in section — mention the goal and we'll pick the smarter path.
| TPU properties | |
|---|---|
| Process | FDM |
| Shore hardness | ~95A (firm rubber feel) |
| Elongation | Very high — stretches, recovers |
| Impact | Outstanding shock absorption |
| Chemical contact | Oil & abrasion resistant |
| Cost | $$ — specialty filament |
Quote a flexible part
Note how much squish you need — grippy, gasket-soft, or firm-flex — and we'll dial the print to match.