Summary of "How to print TPU with H2D (Which TPU is the best for footwear?)"
Test summary
- Hardware: Bamboo Lab H2D dual‑nozzle printer (AMS / AMS HD feeding options). Hotends swapped between 0.4 mm and 0.6 mm multiple times. Presenter: Lucy (Lucy’s 3D Studio).
- Goal: Print one shoe model using five TPU filaments of varying shore hardness to determine the best TPU for 3D‑printed footwear.
Main findings (overall verdict)
- Top recommendations:
- Bichu Morlex (also shown as “Morflex” in the video): best overall balance of comfort, shape retention, and walking support.
- Bamboo Lab TPU 85A: extremely soft and very comfortable indoors, but may lack long‑term/outdoor support.
- Poor choices for footwear:
- TPU4 AMS: very stiff and uncomfortable for shoes.
- TPU95A: more flexible than TPU4 but still somewhat hard for footwear.
- Printer reliability: The H2D printed five different TPUs over ~17 days with multiple hotend swaps and zero clogging — impressive reliability.
Detailed notes by filament
1. TPU4 AMS
- Feature: AMS‑compatible filament; the least flexible of the five tested.
- Pros: Easy to load via AMS; likely good for non‑wearable TPU prints.
- Cons: Too hard for footwear — shoes were uncomfortable to walk in and lace loops felt rigid.
- Verdict: Not recommended for shoes.
2. TPU95A (high flow)
- Feature: More flexible than TPU4; not AMS‑compatible (requires external spool / top‑mounted AMS HD or rear TPU port).
- Pros: Easier to lace and wear than TPU4; prints OK when fed correctly.
- Cons: Rear spool loading is inconvenient; still a bit hard on the foot.
- Verdict: Better than TPU4 but still not ideal for footwear.
3. TPU (blue gradient) — referenced as TPU9A / gradient filament
- Feature: Striking color gradient; excellent adhesion to textured PEI.
- Pros: Very squishy and attractive; more comfortable than TPU95A.
- Cons: Support removal can be difficult because parts/support adhere strongly to the plate; still a bit firmer than the softest option.
- Verdict: Good aesthetics and squish, but support removal and slight firmness are drawbacks.
4. TPU 85A (very soft)
- Feature: Softest tested; printing required switching to 0.6 mm hotends.
- Pros: Extremely flexible and comfortable (especially indoors, often comfortable without socks); PLA supports can be removed easily after tuning.
- Cons: Very squishy → poor walking support and a “wobbly” feel for extended walks. Experienced under‑extrusion/gaps initially due to filament drag and spool resistance; required careful spool setup and slower speeds to fix.
- Fixes/notes: Ensure smooth spool rotation (position spool above printer or use AMS HD / dry box with short tube), match hotend sizes for dual‑extrusion, and slow down print speeds.
- Verdict: Super comfy and lightweight; best for casual/indoor use but questionable for long‑term/outdoor support unless compensated by design.
5. Bichu Morlex (Morflex in video)
- Feature: Claimed printed hardness ~75A (video text inconsistent); prints on 0.4 mm hotends; volumetric flow similar to Bamboo Lab 98 TPU.
- Pros: Softer than higher‑hardness TPUs but not as squishy as 85A. Comfortable even without socks, holds shape well, and provides better walking support. Prints cleanly using the same profile as Bamboo 98 TPU.
- Cons: Not as soft as 85A (if maximum squish is desired).
- Verdict: Well‑rounded TPU for footwear — the recommended first choice.
Printer / workflow & practical tips
- Use a dedicated nozzle for TPU to reduce clogging risk. Bamboo Lab recommends using the right nozzle exclusively for TPU.
- After swapping hotends on the H2D, use “read nozzle info” to update nozzle size in firmware/settings.
- For very soft TPU, consider a larger nozzle diameter (0.6 mm) and match both hotends to the same size in dual‑extrusion setups.
- AMS compatibility varies: AMS‑compatible spools load easily; non‑AMS spools must be fed via rear port or top mount.
- Feeding tips:
- Avoid 3D‑printed tube holders (they failed in testing).
- Provide a smooth, low‑resistance spool path: position the spool above the printer, use AMS HD/dry box, or temporarily stack boxes.
- Use a short guiding tube into the bypass port to reduce filament drag and under‑extrusion.
- Dry filament before printing: 70–75°C for 8–18 hours, then cool to room temperature before loading.
- Bed & chamber:
- Textured PEI plate adheres well to TPU — glue is unnecessary.
- Bed temperature ~35°C recommended.
- Keep chamber set to 0°C to avoid heat creep.
- Use PLA for supports: PLA does not stick strongly to TPU and is easier to remove.
- Slicer settings: For dual‑nozzle multi‑material prints, disable any restriction that forces a single temperature so each nozzle can run its own temperature.
- Loading: Use ~250°C for manual loading and cold pulls when needed; avoid repeatedly pressing the extruder feed button.
- Print speed: Reduce speeds for flexible materials. (Speaker reduced speed when troubleshooting 85A.)
Performance metrics & costs
- Print times: Long — individual prints ranged roughly 2 to 5 days depending on TPU, nozzle, and flow settings. The whole test run took ~17 days of continuous printing.
- Power cost: Speaker measured power and used $0.30/kWh as a baseline; noted filament drawing power ≈ $0.05/hour. Exact per‑shoe costs were shown visually in the video but are not fully available in subtitles.
- Reliability: Zero clogging across multiple filaments and hotend swaps — strong evidence of H2D reliability.
Problems encountered & fixes
- Under‑extrusion/gaps with TPU85A: Caused by filament drag and poor spool rotation.
- Fix: Relocate spool for free rotation, shorten guiding tube, reduce print speed.
- Strong bed adhesion (some TPUs): Made print and support removal delicate.
- Fix: Remove slowly, use a heat gun or patience.
- Non‑AMS spools: Required inconvenient rear loading.
- Fix: Use top mount attachment + tube guide or AMS HD for easier feeding.
Unique/other practical points
- H2D supports easy hotend swapping; spare hotend included.
- Bamboo recommends a dedicated TPU nozzle and using only the right extruder for TPU.
- AMS HD top‑mount and tube guide printable models are helpful for top feeding.
- TPU adheres extremely well to textured PEI; glue unnecessary.
- Cold pulls are useful when changing materials.
- For very soft TPU, match nozzle sizes to avoid dual‑extruder material/flow mismatch.
- Morlex printed with similar volumetric flow to Bamboo 98 TPU, so the same profile worked.
- Overall H2D reliability: zero clogs across long continuous runs with multiple filaments.
Speakers / viewpoints
- Single presenter: Lucy (no other differing viewpoints in the subtitles).
Bottom‑line recommendation
- Best balance of comfort and support: Bichu Morlex (Morflex).
- For maximum squish/indoor comfort: Bamboo Lab TPU 85A — requires careful spool/feed setup and may give poor long‑term/outdoor support.
- Avoid TPU4 AMS for footwear; TPU95A is an intermediate option.
- Use the H2D dual‑nozzle setup with a dedicated TPU nozzle, dry filaments, proper spool feeding, and PLA supports for the best results.
Category
Product Review
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