Mechanical Properties of Additively Manufactured Thermoplastic Polyurethane (TPU) Material Affected by Various Processing Parameters

Thermoplastic polyurethane (TPU) is a polymer material that has high ductility, good biocompatibility and excellent abrasion resistance. These properties open a pathway to manufacturing functional TPU parts for applications in various fields such as aerospace engineering, medical devices and sports equipment. This study aims to investigate the mechanical properties of additively manufactured TPU material affected by three different processing parameters, including build orientation, mix ratio of the new and reused powders and post-processing. A series of material tests are conducted on TPU dumb-bell specimens. It is found that the mix ratio of the new powder is the most critical factor in improving the mechanical properties of the printed TPU parts. Compared to reused powder, new powder has better particle quality and thermal properties. Besides, build orientation is also a very important factor. TPU parts printed in flat and on-edge orientations show better tensile strength and deformability than those printed in upright orientation. In addition, post-processing is found to significantly enhance the deformability of TPU parts.