# Printing in Flexible TPU - Suggestions? **URL:** \ **Category:** 3D Printing Materials\ **Created:** [February 5, 2021, 1:47am UTC](https://3dprintingspace.com/t/printing-in-flexible-tpu-suggestions/1135 "2021-02-05T01:47:32Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![chris](https://3dps-assets.b-cdn.net/user_avatar/3dprintingspace.com/chris/32/1090_2.png) [@chris](https://3dprintingspace.com/u/chris)\ **Post date:** [February 5, 2021, 1:47am UTC](https://3dprintingspace.com/t/printing-in-flexible-tpu-suggestions/1135/1 "2021-02-05T01:47:33Z")
TPU has been widely used in 3d printing to achieve rubber-like parts. The challenge with TPU is that its soft and its as if you are trying to push cooked spaghetti noodles down your hotend which poses many challenges. ![image](https://storage.3dprintingspace.com/original/1X/56475ed89327b939a278adeefda71b3f105f3dab.jpeg) What are your best tips and tricks for printing with TPU? What print temperatures are you seeing as a good range for TPU? What bed surface did you find works best with printing in TPU? ---
**Author:** ![Glenn](https://3dps-assets.b-cdn.net/user_avatar/3dprintingspace.com/glenn/32/728_2.png) [@Glenn](https://3dprintingspace.com/u/Glenn)\ **Post date:** [February 5, 2021, 1:51am UTC](https://3dprintingspace.com/t/printing-in-flexible-tpu-suggestions/1135/2 "2021-02-05T01:51:46Z")
need to watch this thread. I have to try TPU soon ---
**Author:** ![PJprincefpv](https://3dps-assets.b-cdn.net/user_avatar/3dprintingspace.com/pjprincefpv/32/262_2.png) [@PJprincefpv](https://3dprintingspace.com/u/PJprincefpv)\ **Post date:** [February 5, 2021, 4:08pm UTC](https://3dprintingspace.com/t/printing-in-flexible-tpu-suggestions/1135/3 "2021-02-05T16:08:12Z")
I highly recommend direct drives for printing TPU ---
**Author:** ![Jason](https://3dps-assets.b-cdn.net/user_avatar/3dprintingspace.com/jason/32/6148_2.png) [@Jason](https://3dprintingspace.com/u/Jason)\ **Post date:** [February 5, 2021, 4:13pm UTC](https://3dprintingspace.com/t/printing-in-flexible-tpu-suggestions/1135/4 "2021-02-05T16:13:50Z")
as with anything new, SLOW, I can get TPU to print with a Bowden tube but you have to print even slower. I have 2 machines that I will print TPU on regularly, one has a micro Swiss direct drive and the other has another style direct drive. both will print TPU quite well but don’t push it anything above 25mm/sec or I know I’m playing with failure. May take a little longer but the outcomes are amazing ---
**Author:** ![Glenn](https://3dps-assets.b-cdn.net/user_avatar/3dprintingspace.com/glenn/32/728_2.png) [@Glenn](https://3dprintingspace.com/u/Glenn)\ **Post date:** [February 5, 2021, 9:20pm UTC](https://3dprintingspace.com/t/printing-in-flexible-tpu-suggestions/1135/5 "2021-02-05T21:20:33Z")
Not sure if there is parts to put DD on my B1. but the Bowden tube is short on it so maybe it’ll be ok if I go slow. ---
**Author:** ![PJprincefpv](https://3dps-assets.b-cdn.net/user_avatar/3dprintingspace.com/pjprincefpv/32/262_2.png) [@PJprincefpv](https://3dprintingspace.com/u/PJprincefpv)\ **Post date:** [February 5, 2021, 9:56pm UTC](https://3dprintingspace.com/t/printing-in-flexible-tpu-suggestions/1135/6 "2021-02-05T21:56:12Z")
there might be a micro Swiss all metal direct drive hot end kit in the making it’s not 100% sure yet but there’s been some talks. I’ll have to agree with Jason you can definitely print TPU on that machine you just need to print between 25 and 40 mm a second don’t retract over 3.8 or it’ll probably spit out the side of the extruder. Also there is a file on thingiverse to go in between to create a zero space Gap ---
**Author:** ![Glenn](https://3dps-assets.b-cdn.net/user_avatar/3dprintingspace.com/glenn/32/728_2.png) [@Glenn](https://3dprintingspace.com/u/Glenn)\ **Post date:** [February 5, 2021, 9:58pm UTC](https://3dprintingspace.com/t/printing-in-flexible-tpu-suggestions/1135/7 "2021-02-05T21:58:34Z")
Sorry. What do you mean zero space gap? Is this between the Bowden tube and the heatbreak? ---
**Author:** ![mobiobi](https://3dps-assets.b-cdn.net/user_avatar/3dprintingspace.com/mobiobi/32/7960_2.png) [@mobiobi](https://3dprintingspace.com/u/mobiobi)\ **Post date:** [February 5, 2021, 10:05pm UTC](https://3dprintingspace.com/t/printing-in-flexible-tpu-suggestions/1135/8 "2021-02-05T22:05:13Z")
I think he means this, [Flexible Filament Extruder Upgrade for Creality CR-7, CR-10, Ender 2, Ender 3 by joshvv - Thingiverse](https://www.thingiverse.com/thing:2144277) ![Untitled](https://storage.3dprintingspace.com/original/1X/4284fa46960170668e27c98720011fd5cab42b2d.png) ---
**Author:** ![Glenn](https://3dps-assets.b-cdn.net/user_avatar/3dprintingspace.com/glenn/32/728_2.png) [@Glenn](https://3dprintingspace.com/u/Glenn)\ **Post date:** [February 5, 2021, 10:10pm UTC](https://3dprintingspace.com/t/printing-in-flexible-tpu-suggestions/1135/9 "2021-02-05T22:10:21Z")
Pretty sure my printer has that same part already. or is it just the open space on either side of the drive gears that is the problem? ---
**Author:** ![mobiobi](https://3dps-assets.b-cdn.net/user_avatar/3dprintingspace.com/mobiobi/32/7960_2.png) [@mobiobi](https://3dprintingspace.com/u/mobiobi)\ **Post date:** [February 5, 2021, 10:13pm UTC](https://3dprintingspace.com/t/printing-in-flexible-tpu-suggestions/1135/10 "2021-02-05T22:13:04Z")
yeah, mine already has this style too. For me, as long as I kept the heat up, like 220C, and the speed slow it worked fine, but if I pushed the speed with lower temp, it would bulge out at the drive gear. ---
**Author:** ![PJprincefpv](https://3dps-assets.b-cdn.net/user_avatar/3dprintingspace.com/pjprincefpv/32/262_2.png) [@PJprincefpv](https://3dprintingspace.com/u/PJprincefpv)\ **Post date:** [February 5, 2021, 11:10pm UTC](https://3dprintingspace.com/t/printing-in-flexible-tpu-suggestions/1135/11 "2021-02-05T23:10:34Z")
where the gears push the filament in through that hole if there’s any space there the TPU can spit out the side so there’s a print on thingiverse to fix that ---
**Author:** ![Redracefpv](https://3dps-assets.b-cdn.net/user_avatar/3dprintingspace.com/redracefpv/32/1056_2.png) [@Redracefpv](https://3dprintingspace.com/u/Redracefpv)\ **Post date:** [February 19, 2021, 2:03am UTC](https://3dprintingspace.com/t/printing-in-flexible-tpu-suggestions/1135/12 "2021-02-19T02:03:21Z")
I use a flexion extruder it works good and uses a dial that works like a “cam shaft” as people have said that you can turn and set it for tpu,pla,abs,and soft filaments, I print very very slow and use sainsmart tpu a glass bed with purple glue stick on the bed, hope this post helps or gets someone thinking ---
**Author:** ![Andrew](https://3dps-assets.b-cdn.net/letter_avatar_proxy/v4/letter/a/f19dbf/32.png) [@Andrew](https://3dprintingspace.com/u/Andrew)\ **Post date:** [February 19, 2021, 11:51am UTC](https://3dprintingspace.com/t/printing-in-flexible-tpu-suggestions/1135/13 "2021-02-19T11:51:37Z")
Yes speed is a big deal but there can also be an issues that some may find it difficult to address. Even with a direct drive, correct speed, temp and retraction you may find your extruder clicking and miss feeding. It can be frustrating but too much pressure at the drive gears of your extruder can cause feed issues, especially with soft materials. Running Filaflex 70A and too much pressure can cause the filament to pull or deform out of alignment jamming between the gears and the extruder casting. Move slow and with less pressure can provide great results. ---
**Author:** ![PJprincefpv](https://3dps-assets.b-cdn.net/user_avatar/3dprintingspace.com/pjprincefpv/32/262_2.png) [@PJprincefpv](https://3dprintingspace.com/u/PJprincefpv)\ **Post date:** [February 20, 2021, 3:05am UTC](https://3dprintingspace.com/t/printing-in-flexible-tpu-suggestions/1135/14 "2021-02-20T03:05:52Z")
once you get good you can print TPU pretty fast with the right extruder. I print Sainsmart at 100 mm ---
**Author:** ![Redracefpv](https://3dps-assets.b-cdn.net/user_avatar/3dprintingspace.com/redracefpv/32/1056_2.png) [@Redracefpv](https://3dprintingspace.com/u/Redracefpv)\ **Post date:** [February 20, 2021, 3:10am UTC](https://3dprintingspace.com/t/printing-in-flexible-tpu-suggestions/1135/15 "2021-02-20T03:10:52Z")
Yes I’ve heard of fast speed tpu and good extruder setups, my one friend prints tpu at 12mm/s (slow very very slow) and my other friend prints at 100mm/s (pretty fast in my opinion) by the way I print at 20mm/s for sainsmart tpu and speed 50 in on machine settings. ![image](https://storage.3dprintingspace.com/original/2X/0/0616dfeed2b7a2b12feea04defea9da51d844607.jpeg) ![image](https://storage.3dprintingspace.com/original/2X/2/22f4f517e3accc5a43395581a2fc6a10f0d1f675.jpeg) ---
**Author:** ![PJprincefpv](https://3dps-assets.b-cdn.net/user_avatar/3dprintingspace.com/pjprincefpv/32/262_2.png) [@PJprincefpv](https://3dprintingspace.com/u/PJprincefpv)\ **Post date:** [February 20, 2021, 3:18am UTC](https://3dprintingspace.com/t/printing-in-flexible-tpu-suggestions/1135/16 "2021-02-20T03:18:53Z")
![20210211_220340_HDR](https://storage.3dprintingspace.com/original/2X/7/794cca04b1cb3d621415e054aa362b9dcfbc1344.jpeg) ![20210214_104140_HDR](https://storage.3dprintingspace.com/original/1X/338cc89415a9ab54c571237a45bf506a839c7dde.jpeg) ![20200628_170628](https://storage.3dprintingspace.com/original/2X/e/e90764d45e74d6995e983a7e84df0871ea625cde.jpeg) all my TPU Prints on both my machines print at 100 mm the only stuff I print slow is like 82a and 70a, but I also have machines that are designed to print fast my Ender is not even an Ender anymore so it helps when you have the right gear and then the right tune on your printer I don’t use Marlin base firmware’s either I use duet and klipper so much better than Marlin and they, have settings where you can tweak for speeds. also find what frequency my printer is hitting how many hertz so you can tune out ringing and stuff like that at high speeds ![20210217_140219](https://storage.3dprintingspace.com/original/2X/f/faad938487f853e777f3b23f81b53fe4073da2e0.jpeg) this on test print was same slice before and after running at true 200 mm ---
**Author:** ![Redracefpv](https://3dps-assets.b-cdn.net/user_avatar/3dprintingspace.com/redracefpv/32/1056_2.png) [@Redracefpv](https://3dprintingspace.com/u/Redracefpv)\ **Post date:** [February 20, 2021, 3:23am UTC](https://3dprintingspace.com/t/printing-in-flexible-tpu-suggestions/1135/17 "2021-02-20T03:23:09Z")
Cool, do the “sky ninjas “ get together to fly that often, I’d love to come cruse my quads at some cool spots with y’all, where are good spots? ---
**Author:** ![PJprincefpv](https://3dps-assets.b-cdn.net/user_avatar/3dprintingspace.com/pjprincefpv/32/262_2.png) [@PJprincefpv](https://3dprintingspace.com/u/PJprincefpv)\ **Post date:** [February 20, 2021, 3:24am UTC](https://3dprintingspace.com/t/printing-in-flexible-tpu-suggestions/1135/18 "2021-02-20T03:24:41Z")
[![](https://storage.3dprintingspace.com/original/2X/f/fdf25204de7fea3cc5edfc60c18bc1bfcb5eefe9.jpeg "Go Station") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Oi5NUal9dWE) yes sir here’s my YouTube channel ---
**Author:** ![PJprincefpv](https://3dps-assets.b-cdn.net/user_avatar/3dprintingspace.com/pjprincefpv/32/262_2.png) [@PJprincefpv](https://3dprintingspace.com/u/PJprincefpv)\ **Post date:** [February 20, 2021, 3:25am UTC](https://3dprintingspace.com/t/printing-in-flexible-tpu-suggestions/1135/19 "2021-02-20T03:25:47Z")
take a look at my YouTube channel I got all the spots buddy ---
**Author:** ![Redracefpv](https://3dps-assets.b-cdn.net/user_avatar/3dprintingspace.com/redracefpv/32/1056_2.png) [@Redracefpv](https://3dprintingspace.com/u/Redracefpv)\ **Post date:** [February 20, 2021, 3:25am UTC](https://3dprintingspace.com/t/printing-in-flexible-tpu-suggestions/1135/20 "2021-02-20T03:25:47Z")
Ye ima subscriber, love y’alls spots! [Next page](https://3dprintingspace.com/t/printing-in-flexible-tpu-suggestions/1135.md?page=2)