TPU Rubber for the HP Multi Jet Fusion printer

MJF TPU is a flexible, rubber-like thermoplastic polyurethane (Estane 3D TPU M95A) for HP Multi Jet Fusion. At about 90 Shore A, it combines good flexibility and shock absorption with high abrasion and tear resistance, and it can print very fine lattice structures with a high level of detail. It also offers good UV and hydrolysis resistance. Use it for gaskets, seals, grips, bumpers, suction cups, and Class A-safe nests for automated equipment, from prototypes to production parts.

---

What MJF TPU Is Best For

• Class A-safe nests and grippers for automated equipment (see below)
• Custom gaskets, seals, and specialized plugs and connectors for electrical and pneumatic applications
• Suction cups and vacuum or air-tight parts
• Flexible tubes, hoses, and ducts
• Grips for bikes, consumer products, and sporting goods
• Caster and small rim wheels and tires
• Custom shock absorbers, springs, and flexible lattice cushioning
• Rubber automotive parts; the material is strong enough for end-use parts
• Shoe soles, orthopedic inserts, and orthodontic applications
• Living hinges, functional prototypes, and design prototypes

When another material is a better fit

• Need a rigid, strong part: Nylon 12 (PA-12)
• Need a softer, more elastic part or true silicone: SLA Elastic 50A or Silicone 40A
• Need a large flexible part or a different durometer: FDM TPU

---

Key Material Facts

• Hardness: 90 Shore A
• Accuracy: roughly 25% to 50% less accurate than the same part in Nylon 12, and less accurate as parts get larger (details below)
• Elongation at break: up to 400% (XY)
• Vacuum tight to 27 inHg, the standard vacuum used on automated equipment (tested with a 0.093″ wall; thinner walls for suction cups are possible with proper design)
• Pressure tight to 80 psi (tested with a 0.093″ wall; higher pressures are possible with proper design and safety testing)
• Heat: negligible change in tensile strength or elongation when kept at or below 248°F (120°C); survives 392°F (200°C) for over 18 hours without melting, with about a 60% loss in tensile strength
• High abrasion and tear resistance, good shock absorption, and rubber-like elasticity
• Passed skin sensitization and cytotoxicity tests per ISO 10993-5 and ISO 10993-10
• Latent ESD properties: surface resistance 7.6 × 10¹⁰ Ω (ANSI/ESD STM11.11) and volume resistance 5.9 × 10¹⁰ Ω (ANSI/ESD STM11.12); see our ESD-safe 3D printing options
• See our TPU chemical compatibility data

---

TPU Nests for Automated Equipment

Class A-safe nesting for part handling is one of the applications we pioneered with MJF TPU. Machine builders have always struggled to hold painted, chromed, or delicate molded parts without scratching them during assembly. The traditional answer has been machined Delrin or UHMW nests, or poured urethane nests in a soft durometer rubber.

Printed TPU nests are soft enough not to scratch Class A surfaces, and they give designers freedoms that machining and casting cannot:

• The design rules for machined or cast nests no longer apply
• Air, vacuum, and fluid lines and sensor wireways can be built into the nest
• Batches of TPU nests usually cost less than machined or cast nests
• Lead times for batches of 10 or more are usually shorter than machining or casting
• Nests can be vapor smoothed to a very smooth surface, just like cast urethane

---

MJF TPU (Estane 3D TPU M95A) Material Properties

Mechanical properties (from Lubrizol’s published data sheet)

Property	X	Z	Test method
Specific gravity	1.10–1.15	1.10–1.15	ASTM D-792
Hardness (5 sec)	90 Shore A	90 Shore A	ASTM D-2240
Abrasion volume loss	100 mm³	100 mm³	DIN-53516 / ISO-4649
Tensile strength	17 MPa	8 MPa	DIN-53504 / ISO-37
Elongation at break	400%	90%	DIN-53504 / ISO-37
Tear strength (Die C)	80 kN/m	35 kN/m	ASTM D-624
Flexural modulus	85 MPa	–	ASTM D-790

Dimensional accuracy of MJF TPU

TPU is less accurate than Nylon 12. Depending on geometry, and especially on part size, expect an MJF TPU part to be roughly 25% to 50% less accurate than the identical part printed in Nylon 12, and the larger the part, the less accurate it will be. See our part accuracy page for Nylon 12 tolerances.

If accuracy is critical on your TPU part, tell us when you request a quote and talk with one of our project managers about the accuracy you need. It affects how we build the parts, and we can give you guidance on what tolerances to expect for your specific part size and geometry.

Thermal properties: MJF TPU can be heated to 392°F (200°C) for over 18 hours without melting, though tensile strength drops about 60% compared with a room-temperature sample. Kept at or below 248°F (120°C) indefinitely, there is a negligible effect on tensile strength and elongation at break. Contact us for more detailed temperature data.

Lattice application example: a 50 mm diameter lattice cylinder with 1.5 mm lattice elements on 4 mm centers and a 2 mm solid plate.

Printed part property	XY	Z	Test method
Vertical resiliency	52%	53%	ASTM D-2632
Swing-arm resiliency	55%	57%	DIN-53512
Compression set at room temp	18%	17%	50% deflection for 6 hrs
Compression set at 50°C	30%	19%	50% deflection for 6 hrs

More information is available from Lubrizol, the material manufacturer.

---

Designing Flexible TPU Parts

MJF TPU is especially well suited to lattice structures, which let you tune how soft or firm a part feels without changing the material. Lattice parts offer excellent accuracy, a strong, well-balanced property profile, and high flexibility and shock absorption.

For more design guidance, see our MJF part design guide.

---

Honeycomb Infill Weights

Approximate part weights for our standard honeycomb infill sizes, to help you estimate part weight:

Honeycomb	3″ × 3″ × 3″ block	1″ × 1″ × 1″ block
Light weight	182.2 g	10.83 g
Medium weight	241.7 g	13.62 g
Heavy weight	304.48 g	15.92 g

---

Finish and Color Options

Raw gray: the part is bead blasted and left in the natural gray color it comes off the printer.

Black dye: the part is bead blasted and dyed black.

Vapor smoothing: gives TPU a very smooth surface, similar to cast urethane. Vapor smoothing options.

Cerakote: TPU can be Cerakoted in many colors for a durable finish, and the coating flexes with the part. Cerakote on 3D printed parts.

See all of our finishing and post-processing options.

---

MJF TPU Part Gallery

---

MJF TPU Material Testing Videos

Is MJF TPU wear resistant?

Yes. Estane 3D TPU M95A has excellent abrasion resistance for a 3D printed elastomer, which makes it a good fit for jigs, fixtures, and parts that see a high number of use cycles. We have also done extensive sandblasting mask testing with this material.

Are TPU nests safe for Class A painted or chrome surfaces?

In this real-world test, a TPU nest held an injection-molded part during sonic welding. The nest had to be soft enough not to scratch the part, but stiff enough not to collapse while the welder pressed down on it. MJF TPU handled both.

Can MJF TPU make living hinges?

Can MJF TPU hold pressure or vacuum?

Can you 3D print TPU suction cups?

Is MJF TPU heat resistant?

For a 3D printed elastomer, yes. In our testing, MJF TPU parts survived 18 hours at 200°C.

What is the tensile strength of MJF TPU?

Tensile strength is about 17 MPa in XY, with up to 400% elongation before failure, so it works for a wide range of parts that need flexibility and elasticity.

How well does MJF TPU rebound after compression?

MJF TPU can show low levels of permanent deformation after long periods of compression, depending on part design and geometry.

---

Low-Volume and Bridge Production

Rubber parts have traditionally been made by injection molding or urethane casting. Larger volumes (5,000+ parts) still usually call for injection molding and expensive steel tooling, unless the part has features that cannot be molded. MJF TPU works well as a bridge to production tooling, or as the final production method for products whose volumes will never justify tooling. See 3D Printing for Low Volume Production; the examples there are Nylon 12, but the same approach applies to TPU.

---

Related Resources

• How HP Multi Jet Fusion works
• MJF part design guide
• TPU chemical compatibility
• Accuracy of 3D printed parts
• HP Multi Jet Fusion overview