The Dutch filament manufacturer colorFabb has added a new filament to its constantly growing portfolio. The 3D printing material called varioShore TPU is a filament with versatile, flexible properties that is suitable for applications in the shoe and sporting goods sector due to its soft feel.
One of the most interesting things about colorFabb’s newest filament is that its flexible properties can be adjusted to achieve different degrees of hardness on land. By adjusting the print settings, it is even possible, according to the company, to integrate multiple land hardnesses into a single print.
varioShore TPU was developed by the Belfeld-based filament maker using the same technology it used to make their lightweight foaming PLA (LW-PLA) material, which was launched earlier this year. This means that the TPU material has the added benefit of being lighter than other brands – although the weight reduction isn’t as drastic as that of the PLA-based filament.
The material is also characterized by its soft feel, which makes it suitable for applications in shoes such as shoe soles or in sporting goods such as bicycle handlebars.
The new varioShore TPU from colorFabb will be available from mid-October (pre-orders begin at the beginning of October). Before that, the Dutch company will present its new material – along with many other filaments – at the Kunststoffenbeurs 2019, a leading plastics and rubber fair in the Netherlands.
Material releases of the week
There has been a fair share of material releases from the 3D printing industry over the past week. In addition to the new varioShore TPU filament from colorFabb, the German 3D printing company EOS has introduced a new flexible material in industrial quality. TPU 1301;; Desktop 3D printer maker MakerBot has a Precision ASA filament ideal for outdoor use; Markforged started Inconel 625 for its Metal X metal 3D printing platform; and 3D Systems launched several new materials for its system in Figure 4, including Figure 4 PRO-BLK 10 for digital production parts.
