Kimya Black TPU-92A Filament (2.85mm, 0.75kg)

TPU-92A OWA is part of the TPE family of materials; polymers that combine the elastic properties of elastomers with the reversible property of thermoplastics. They can in fact be softened by heating and hardened by cooling as many times as necessary. TPE materials can also be produced from a mechanical mixture of two polymers, called a blend or copolymerization of two monomers – these are called copolymer blocks.

Irrespective of the origin of TPEs, they are renowned for having a wide range of hardnesses measured on the Shore hardness scale. This scale is from 0 to 100, giving some TPEs the appearance of a gel, whereas others are extremely rigid. When considering TPU-92A OWA, it can be seen that it obtains a score of 92 on the Shore A hardness scale, confirming its high rigidity. By way of comparison, the sole of a shoe has a Shore A score of 30, and a tire has a score of 70. The hardness of the material varies according to the 3D printer and the chosen print settings.