Materials · With some practice
TPU
Flexible plastic like rubber: it stretches, squeezes and springs back.
FlexibleHandles impacts
What changes most if you're coming from PLA:
What it's for
- Cases, bumpers, non-slip feet and protectors.
- Gaskets, seals and parts that must cushion.
- Wheels and parts you squeeze by hand.
What it's not for
- Parts that must be stiff or hold an exact size.
- Printing fast: it has to go very slowly so the filament doesn't buckle inside the extruder.
If you're coming from another material
- Nozzle temperature220 °C 240 °C20 °C hotter. TPU needs more heat to melt properly; printed like PLA, the layers don't fuse and the part breaks easily.
- Bed temperature65 °C 45 °C20 °C cooler. With PLA's bed temperature, the base gets too soft and comes out deformed.
- Part fan60–80 % 100–100 %More air. This material needs to cool quickly to hold its shape, especially on overhangs and small details.
- Max volumetric speed12 mm³/s 3.2 mm³/sIt melts more slowly: the profile limits how much plastic comes out per second, so the printer slows down (about 27% of PLA's flow).
- Softens at45 °C 30 °CIt softens 15 °C sooner: better for parts that don't get hot.
What it's like to print
- Slow is the key: its profile has the lowest volumetric speed of them all.
- Fan at full, so each layer sets before the next one arrives.
- Soft TPU doesn't get along with the AMS. “TPU for AMS” is harder, so it can go through it.
The softer the TPU (its hardness is on the label, e.g. 95A), the slower you have to print it.
Starting values
From Bambu Studio's generic profile for the A1: they're meant for any brand, so they're cautious. They're a starting point; the calibration tests get you to your filament's own values.
| TPU | TPU for AMS | |
|---|---|---|
| Nozzle | 240 °C (200–250) | 230 °C (200–250) |
| Bed, textured plate | 45 °C | 35 °C |
| Bed, smooth plate (PEI) | 45 °C | 35 °C |
| Bed, cool plate | 30 °C | 30 °C |
| Fan | 100–100 % | 10–50 % |
| Max flow | 3.2 mm³/s | 10.5 mm³/s |
| Softens at | 30 °C | 30 °C |
| Hardened nozzle | not needed | not needed |
Moisture
It absorbs moisture easily. When damp it strings a lot and the surface comes out bubbly.
Drying time and temperature come from your filament's maker: every brand and blend is different, so we don't give numbers here. Look for them on the filament's label or the brand's data sheet.
The settings that change the most
- Max volumetric speedFilament › FilamentVery low on purpose: if flexible filament goes fast, it buckles and jams.
- Maximum fan speedFilament › CoolingAt full, so each layer cools before the next.
Typical problems:Strings or cobwebs between partsParts don't fit or holes come out small
Calibrate first:1Temperature5Retraction
The numbers come from Bambu Studio and the A1, but the material is the same on any FDM printer: on another machine or slicer, the values are similar and everything explained here still applies.
Other materials
PLAPLA SilkPETGPCTGABSASAPC (polycarbonate)Nylon (PA)PP (polypropylene)HIPSFiber-filled (CF and GF)Soluble supports (PVA and BVOH)