TPU flexible parts — rubber-like 3D printing
TPU is the material for every part that has to bend, grip, seal or absorb a hit: gaskets, appliance feet, protective covers, RC tires, phone cases. We print TPU 95A HF Black on a Bambu Lab P2S in Slovenia — instant quote in 30 seconds, from €4 per item.
Material: TPU 95A HF Black · Shore 95A rubber-like · Abrasion, oil & impact resistant · Damps vibration
TPU (thermoplastic polyurethane) is the odd one out among 3D printing filaments: instead of a rigid part you get one that behaves like industrial rubber. Ours is Shore 95A hardness — think skateboard wheel, not gummy bear — which bends and stretches, springs back into shape, shrugs off impacts that crack rigid plastic, and resists abrasion and oils. If you have ever needed a gasket in a size no shop sells, a foot for a wobbly appliance, or a bumper for something that keeps getting dropped, this is the material that solves it. A deeper comparison of when TPU beats rigid filaments is in our TPU blog guide.
Flexible filament has a reputation for being difficult to print — it buckles in the wrong extruder and strings on the wrong settings. Our Bambu Lab P2S handles it reliably, and the HF (high-flow) formulation we stock prints faster and cleaner than standard TPU. Honesty about the limits: TPU is not for continuously hot spots (above roughly 80°C it softens), tolerances are looser than on rigid materials because the part flexes, and very fine small text comes out less crisp. For everything that should be rubbery, though, nothing else on our materials list comes close.
An instant price calculation is available for your model — upload an STL or 3MF and the TPU 95A price shows in about 30 seconds.
Technical properties
- Hardness: Shore 95A — flexible and stretchy, always returns to shape. Wall thickness controls the feel: thin walls bend easily, solid sections stay firm.
- Density: ~1.21 g/cm³ — similar weight to PLA, but the parts feel completely different: soft-touch, grippy, quiet.
- Durability: Excellent abrasion, oil and impact resistance with good vibration damping — the properties that make it the go-to for gaskets, feet and protective parts.
- Limitations: Not for continuously hot environments (softens above ~80°C), tolerances looser than rigid materials (~±0.2–0.5 mm), prints slower — the HF variant helps, but flexible stays flexible in the extruder too.
Typical use cases
- →Gaskets and seals for enclosures, lids, pumps and housings — printed to your exact dimensions instead of hunting for a standard size.
- →Feet, pads and vibration dampers for appliances, speakers, 3D printers and workshop machines.
- →Protective covers and bumpers: phone cases, edge protectors for tools, drones and camera gear.
- →RC car tires, wheels and buggy parts that need real grip and survive crashes rigid plastic would not.
- →Grips and handle sleeves for tools, levers and sports equipment — comfortable and non-slip.
- →Cable grommets, strain reliefs, plugs and caps where a rigid part would cut into the cable or crack.
- →Flexible couplings, belts for light-duty mechanisms and soft jaws for vices that must not scratch the workpiece.
Example TPU products
Upload your own model
No example product matches yet — upload your STL or 3MF and we will price it in TPU 95A HF Black in about 30 seconds.
Open quote →Pricing examples
| Size | Print time | TPU 95A HF Black | Quote |
|---|---|---|---|
| Small (30 g) | ~1.5 h | €9.58 | Quote → |
| Medium (100 g) | ~5.0 h | €29.59 | Quote → |
| Large (250 g) | ~12.5 h | €72.47 | Quote → |
Estimates use TPU €35.87/kg, machine €5/h at ~20 g/h (TPU prints slower than rigid materials), €1 base, €4 floor per item. Real BambuStudio price for your file is shown after upload.
TPU flexible printing questions
How flexible is TPU 95A really?+
Shore 95A is roughly the hardness of a skateboard wheel or a stiff rubber shoe sole — it bends, stretches and always springs back, but it is not jelly-soft. In practice the geometry controls the feel: a 1–2 mm wall is very bendy, a solid 10 mm block feels firm with a rubbery surface. That range is exactly why 95A is the most useful all-round flexible filament: soft enough for seals and bumpers, firm enough for feet, tires and grips.
Do 3D printed TPU gaskets actually seal?+
For static seals — a lid on a box, an enclosure face, a flange with screws around it — yes, printed TPU gaskets work well and we print them to your exact dimensions. Where we are honest about limits: they are not a replacement for certified seals in high-pressure plumbing, fuel systems or anything continuously hot. For dust, splashes and compression sealing on housings they are an excellent, cheap solution.
Why is TPU printing slower and slightly more expensive?+
Flexible filament has to be extruded gently or it buckles, so print speeds are lower than with rigid materials — that is machine time you see in the price. Our TPU 95A HF is the high-flow variant, which prints faster and cleaner than standard TPU, and the material itself costs €35.87/kg. Small flexible parts still land near the €4 minimum; the price difference only becomes visible on larger pieces.
What tolerances can I expect on flexible parts?+
Looser than on rigid materials — the part flexes during printing and measurement, so expect roughly ±0.2–0.5 mm depending on geometry. For press-fit or sealing parts we recommend designing with slight compression (the part squeezed a bit into place), which is exactly how rubber parts are meant to work. If a dimension is critical, tell us in the order notes and we will advise.
Is TPU suitable for hot environments?+
Moderate heat is fine — TPU stays rubbery in a hot car or next to a warm appliance. It is not the right choice for continuously hot spots like engine bays, radiators or anything above roughly 80°C, where it softens and loses its shape. For high-temperature rigid parts we print ASA or nylon instead — ask us and we will point you to the right material.
Get your TPU quote
Upload an STL or 3MF for any flexible part — we will price it in TPU 95A HF Black on the Bambu Lab P2S, with the exact BambuStudio-based price in about 30 seconds.
Get quote in TPU 95A HF →