Trying to print TPU

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makerbiles6
Posts: 3
Joined: Mon Jul 13, 2020 9:21 pm

Trying to print TPU

Post by makerbiles6 » Sat Sep 25, 2021 4:11 pm

I have the A30, all stock with some printed add ons for ease of leveling and z-stability.

I want to print TPU and there has to be a way to do it with a bowden set-up, if the CR-10 can do it, the A30 should be able to. I'm even using Geeetech TPU. The TPU keeps clogging up in the hot end, or throat area, it doesn't bunch or pop out by the feed wheel. I'm using a 0.6mm tip, so not sure if I need to go back to a 0.4mm tip, or increase the temp to 245+ from 235, or decrease my flow rate from 130 to 120 +/-... I have tried other temps and flow rates, but after couple passes during the printing of the skirt it stops flowing and I can see the filament reel not moving. I pull the bowden from the hot end assembly and the filament is curled and I can push my plunger tool down through the hot end assembly and the filament oozes out the tip with a little pressure. not sure why it is curling and not flowing out 192.168.0.1 router login 192.168.1.1
the hot end. I have been following various guides and CURA profiles from others with bowden setups who have had success with TPU.

Anyone have any luck or tricks to push TPU through the A30??? or do I need a different hot end assembly???
Last edited by makerbiles6 on Thu Sep 30, 2021 11:10 pm, edited 1 time in total.

Agoodevans
Posts: 10
Joined: Tue Sep 22, 2020 12:32 pm

Re: Trying to print TPU

Post by Agoodevans » Sun Sep 26, 2021 12:22 pm

One little trick that I've found useful is to keep a small length of PTFE tube just for flexibles and keep your print job as close to the Bowden drive. The less distance to push, the less friction and the greater likelihood of success. Make sure your extruder is really clean particularly if you've been using other materials. Nylon cold pulls should do the trick. Remember that if you were using a higher temperature material then you will only shift this out of the extruder with a higher temperature. Hope I've helped and happy printing.

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