{"id":165051,"date":"2022-07-08T17:23:30","date_gmt":"2022-07-08T09:23:30","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/facfox.com\/docs\/?post_type=kb&p=165051"},"modified":"2022-12-09T11:30:36","modified_gmt":"2022-12-09T03:30:36","slug":"how-to-3d-print-rubber-like-materials","status":"publish","type":"kb","link":"https:\/\/facfox.com\/docs\/kb\/how-to-3d-print-rubber-like-materials","title":{"rendered":"How to 3D Print Rubber-Like Materials"},"content":{"rendered":"
\n
\n

3D printing isn’t just limited to hard plastics — from phone cases to adorable octopuses, rubber-like filaments open up a whole new world of printable ideas. But how do you print with flexible filament? Here are some tips and tricks.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

\n
\n
\n
\n
\n
\n
\n

Before You 3D Print Rubber-Like Filament<\/h3>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n
\n
\"\"
3D printed flexible pliers? Why not! Source: All3DP<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n
\n

So you have an exciting idea for a rubber-like 3D printed model. Great! Before rushing off to print it, keep these modelling tips in mind:<\/p>\n

    \n
  1. Prepare for some cleanup.<\/strong>\u00a0Since most rubber-like filaments must print with little or no retraction, models can come out very stringy. If possible, orient or edit your model so that it\u2019s easy to clean up where needed.<\/li>\n
  2. Anticipate stretching.<\/strong>\u00a0If you\u2019re printing something that needs a snug fit (eg. a phone case) model it slightly smaller than needed. This way, you won\u2019t need to worry so much about the model stretching out over time. About two to three millimeters can really make a difference, though it depends on the elasticity of the rubber-like filament you use. Feel free to experiment in this area.<\/li>\n
  3. Pick your filament.<\/strong>\u00a0There are many different blends and brands of flexible filaments, all with different\u00a0elasticities\u00a0and price tags. Find one that\u2019s right for you! For more detailed information, check out our\u00a0filament guide<\/a>\u00a0for more information on rubber-like filaments such as TPE or TPU.<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n<\/div>\n
    \n
    \n
    \n

    While 3D Printing Rubber-Like Filament<\/h3>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n
    \n
    \n
    \"\"
    Prevent things like this from happening. Source: All3DP<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n
    \n

    Printing with flexible filaments can be tough for most 3D printers. Generally, the more elastic the filament is, the more difficult it is to print with. To ease the pain, follow these steps:<\/p>\n

      \n
    1. Reduce or turn off retraction on your printer.<\/strong>\u00a0With sturdier, plastic filaments, printers usually retract the plastic back into the nozzle while travelling so the melted plastic doesn\u2019t ooze all over the place. With elastic,\u00a0rubber\u00a0filaments, retraction tends to simply bend the filament and cause jams.<\/li>\n
    2. Print slowly.<\/strong>\u00a03D printed rubber models take much longer to print than typical hard prints since rubber-like filaments don\u2019t do well under high speeds. Since 3D printing rubber filaments requires more traction from the extruder, slow things way down. For most, 15-20 mm\/s is a good place to start.<\/li>\n
    3. Reduce travels outside the model.\u00a0<\/strong>Make\u00a0the print head travel within the model walls instead of taking the shortest path over open air. This allows the oozing from the rubber-like filament to stay inside the model, where it can\u2019t be seen, rather than scar the outside. Most slicers have a setting for this. In Simplify3D, enable \u201cAvoid crossing outline for travel movement\u201d under Advanced settings. In Ultimaker Cura, turn on \u201cCombing mode\u201d under Travel settings.<\/li>\n
    4. Get the temperature just right.\u00a0<\/strong>When 3D printing with rubber-like filaments, hitting the Goldilocks temperature of not-too-hot and not-too-cold is vital. Start off within the recommended temperature for your rubber-like filament. Go up or down three degrees until you reach your desired print quality. If the print looks underextruded\u00a0or separates easily between layers, it\u2019s likely too cold. If the print suffers from lots of blobs on the edges or extreme stringiness, it\u2019s likely too hot.<\/li>\n
    5. Look for help.<\/strong>\u00a0Search online to read about other people\u2019s experiences with your particular 3D printer or rubber-like filament brand. Often you can find specific settings and tips that they found worked best.<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n

      Print still not looking good? Don\u2019t fret \u2014\u00a0this article on\u00a0common 3D printing problems<\/a>\u00a0can help you troubleshoot.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

      \n
      \n
      \n

      Alternative: Hire a 3D Printing Service<\/h3>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n
      \n
      \n
      \"\"
      Compare the best 3D printing services here! Source: All3DP<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n
      \n

      Due to the difficulty of printing with rubber-like filaments, it\u2019s often much easier to\u00a0hire a 3D printing service<\/strong>. Services such as Shapeways or\u00a0i.Materialise have high-end printers, quality filament, and professionals\u00a0with experience in 3D printing.<\/p>\n

      If you\u2019re looking for a truly high-quality model mailed to your door, this is the way to go. You can save not only money buying\u00a0a whole roll of rubber-like filament, but also time fine-tuning settings on your printer.<\/p>\n

      Provided the model fits within their guidelines, these services\u00a0provide\u00a0excellent prints for reasonable prices. To find the best deals, use our\u00a03D printing price comparison service<\/a>. Simply upload the 3D model file digitally, choose which material to print it in (in this case, flexible plastic), and instantly compare prices between different services.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

      Source: https:\/\/all3dp.com\/2\/3d-print-rubber-is-rubber-3d-printing-possible\/<\/a><\/div>\n
      <\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

      3D printing isn’t just limited to hard plastics — from phone cases to adorable octopuses, rubber-like filaments open up a whole new world of printable ideas. But how do you print with flexible filament? Here are some tips and tricks. Before You 3D Print Rubber-Like Filament So you have an exciting idea for a rubber-like […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":4,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","template":"","meta":{"footnotes":""},"kbtopic":[122],"kbtag":[126,354,61,352],"class_list":["post-165051","kb","type-kb","status-publish","hentry","kbtopic-mtl","kbtag-3d-printing","kbtag-filament","kbtag-material","kbtag-rubber"],"yoast_head":"\nHow to 3D Print Rubber-Like Materials - FacFox Docs<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"3D printing isn't just limited to hard plastics -- from phone cases to adorable octopuses, rubber-like filaments open up a whole new world of printable 3D printing isn't just limited to hard plastics -- from phone cases to adorable octopuses, rubber-like filaments open up a whole new world of printable ideas. But how do you print with flexible filament? Here are some tips and tricks.\" \/>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/facfox.com\/docs\/kb\/how-to-3d-print-rubber-like-materials\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"How to 3D Print Rubber-Like Materials\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"3D printing isn't just limited to hard plastics -- from phone cases to adorable octopuses, rubber-like filaments open up a whole new world of printable 3D printing isn't just limited to hard plastics -- from phone cases to adorable octopuses, rubber-like filaments open up a whole new world of printable ideas. But how do you print with flexible filament? Here are some tips and tricks.\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:url\" content=\"https:\/\/facfox.com\/docs\/kb\/how-to-3d-print-rubber-like-materials\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:site_name\" content=\"FacFox Docs\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:publisher\" content=\"https:\/\/facebook.com\/facfox3d\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:modified_time\" content=\"2022-12-09T03:30:36+00:00\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:image\" content=\"https:\/\/img.facfox.com\/imgs\/2022\/06\/24\/1d7d7bb221ccca2b.png\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:card\" content=\"summary_large_image\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:site\" content=\"@facfox3d\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:label1\" content=\"Est. reading time\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data1\" content=\"4 minutes\" \/>\n<script type=\"application\/ld+json\" class=\"yoast-schema-graph\">{\"@context\":\"https:\/\/schema.org\",\"@graph\":[{\"@type\":\"WebPage\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/facfox.com\/docs\/kb\/how-to-3d-print-rubber-like-materials\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/facfox.com\/docs\/kb\/how-to-3d-print-rubber-like-materials\",\"name\":\"How to 3D Print Rubber-Like Materials - FacFox Docs\",\"isPartOf\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/facfox.com\/docs\/#website\"},\"primaryImageOfPage\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/facfox.com\/docs\/kb\/how-to-3d-print-rubber-like-materials#primaryimage\"},\"image\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/facfox.com\/docs\/kb\/how-to-3d-print-rubber-like-materials#primaryimage\"},\"thumbnailUrl\":\"https:\/\/img.facfox.com\/imgs\/2022\/06\/24\/1d7d7bb221ccca2b.png\",\"datePublished\":\"2022-07-08T09:23:30+00:00\",\"dateModified\":\"2022-12-09T03:30:36+00:00\",\"description\":\"3D printing isn't just limited to hard plastics -- from phone cases to adorable octopuses, rubber-like filaments open up a whole new world of printable 3D printing isn't just limited to hard plastics -- from phone cases to adorable octopuses, rubber-like filaments open up a whole new world of printable ideas. But how do you print with flexible filament? Here are some tips and tricks.\",\"breadcrumb\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/facfox.com\/docs\/kb\/how-to-3d-print-rubber-like-materials#breadcrumb\"},\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"potentialAction\":[{\"@type\":\"ReadAction\",\"target\":[\"https:\/\/facfox.com\/docs\/kb\/how-to-3d-print-rubber-like-materials\"]}]},{\"@type\":\"ImageObject\",\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/facfox.com\/docs\/kb\/how-to-3d-print-rubber-like-materials#primaryimage\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/img.facfox.com\/imgs\/2022\/06\/24\/1d7d7bb221ccca2b.png\",\"contentUrl\":\"https:\/\/img.facfox.com\/imgs\/2022\/06\/24\/1d7d7bb221ccca2b.png\"},{\"@type\":\"BreadcrumbList\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/facfox.com\/docs\/kb\/how-to-3d-print-rubber-like-materials#breadcrumb\",\"itemListElement\":[{\"@type\":\"ListItem\",\"position\":1,\"name\":\"Home\",\"item\":\"https:\/\/facfox.com\/docs\/\"},{\"@type\":\"ListItem\",\"position\":2,\"name\":\"How to 3D Print Rubber-Like Materials\"}]},{\"@type\":\"WebSite\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/facfox.com\/docs\/#website\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/facfox.com\/docs\/\",\"name\":\"FacFox Docs\",\"description\":\"Knowledgebase of manufacturing\",\"publisher\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/facfox.com\/docs\/#organization\"},\"potentialAction\":[{\"@type\":\"SearchAction\",\"target\":{\"@type\":\"EntryPoint\",\"urlTemplate\":\"https:\/\/facfox.com\/docs\/?s={search_term_string}\"},\"query-input\":{\"@type\":\"PropertyValueSpecification\",\"valueRequired\":true,\"valueName\":\"search_term_string\"}}],\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\"},{\"@type\":\"Organization\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/facfox.com\/docs\/#organization\",\"name\":\"FACFOX,INC.\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/facfox.com\/docs\/\",\"logo\":{\"@type\":\"ImageObject\",\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/facfox.com\/docs\/#\/schema\/logo\/image\/\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/facfox.com\/docs\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/11\/foxdoc-favicon.png\",\"contentUrl\":\"https:\/\/facfox.com\/docs\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/11\/foxdoc-favicon.png\",\"width\":132,\"height\":133,\"caption\":\"FACFOX,INC.\"},\"image\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/facfox.com\/docs\/#\/schema\/logo\/image\/\"},\"sameAs\":[\"https:\/\/facebook.com\/facfox3d\",\"https:\/\/x.com\/facfox3d\",\"https:\/\/instagram.com\/facfox3d\"]}]}<\/script>\n<!-- \/ Yoast SEO Premium plugin. -->","yoast_head_json":{"title":"How to 3D Print Rubber-Like Materials - FacFox Docs","description":"3D printing isn't just limited to hard plastics -- from phone cases to adorable octopuses, rubber-like filaments open up a whole new world of printable 3D printing isn't just limited to hard plastics -- from phone cases to adorable octopuses, rubber-like filaments open up a whole new world of printable ideas. But how do you print with flexible filament? Here are some tips and tricks.","robots":{"index":"index","follow":"follow","max-snippet":"max-snippet:-1","max-image-preview":"max-image-preview:large","max-video-preview":"max-video-preview:-1"},"canonical":"https:\/\/facfox.com\/docs\/kb\/how-to-3d-print-rubber-like-materials","og_locale":"en_US","og_type":"article","og_title":"How to 3D Print Rubber-Like Materials","og_description":"3D printing isn't just limited to hard plastics -- from phone cases to adorable octopuses, rubber-like filaments open up a whole new world of printable 3D printing isn't just limited to hard plastics -- from phone cases to adorable octopuses, rubber-like filaments open up a whole new world of printable ideas. But how do you print with flexible filament? Here are some tips and tricks.","og_url":"https:\/\/facfox.com\/docs\/kb\/how-to-3d-print-rubber-like-materials","og_site_name":"FacFox Docs","article_publisher":"https:\/\/facebook.com\/facfox3d","article_modified_time":"2022-12-09T03:30:36+00:00","og_image":[{"url":"https:\/\/img.facfox.com\/imgs\/2022\/06\/24\/1d7d7bb221ccca2b.png","type":"","width":"","height":""}],"twitter_card":"summary_large_image","twitter_site":"@facfox3d","twitter_misc":{"Est. reading time":"4 minutes"},"schema":{"@context":"https:\/\/schema.org","@graph":[{"@type":"WebPage","@id":"https:\/\/facfox.com\/docs\/kb\/how-to-3d-print-rubber-like-materials","url":"https:\/\/facfox.com\/docs\/kb\/how-to-3d-print-rubber-like-materials","name":"How to 3D Print Rubber-Like Materials - FacFox Docs","isPartOf":{"@id":"https:\/\/facfox.com\/docs\/#website"},"primaryImageOfPage":{"@id":"https:\/\/facfox.com\/docs\/kb\/how-to-3d-print-rubber-like-materials#primaryimage"},"image":{"@id":"https:\/\/facfox.com\/docs\/kb\/how-to-3d-print-rubber-like-materials#primaryimage"},"thumbnailUrl":"https:\/\/img.facfox.com\/imgs\/2022\/06\/24\/1d7d7bb221ccca2b.png","datePublished":"2022-07-08T09:23:30+00:00","dateModified":"2022-12-09T03:30:36+00:00","description":"3D printing isn't just limited to hard plastics -- from phone cases to adorable octopuses, rubber-like filaments open up a whole new world of printable 3D printing isn't just limited to hard plastics -- from phone cases to adorable octopuses, rubber-like filaments open up a whole new world of printable ideas. But how do you print with flexible filament? Here are some tips and tricks.","breadcrumb":{"@id":"https:\/\/facfox.com\/docs\/kb\/how-to-3d-print-rubber-like-materials#breadcrumb"},"inLanguage":"en-US","potentialAction":[{"@type":"ReadAction","target":["https:\/\/facfox.com\/docs\/kb\/how-to-3d-print-rubber-like-materials"]}]},{"@type":"ImageObject","inLanguage":"en-US","@id":"https:\/\/facfox.com\/docs\/kb\/how-to-3d-print-rubber-like-materials#primaryimage","url":"https:\/\/img.facfox.com\/imgs\/2022\/06\/24\/1d7d7bb221ccca2b.png","contentUrl":"https:\/\/img.facfox.com\/imgs\/2022\/06\/24\/1d7d7bb221ccca2b.png"},{"@type":"BreadcrumbList","@id":"https:\/\/facfox.com\/docs\/kb\/how-to-3d-print-rubber-like-materials#breadcrumb","itemListElement":[{"@type":"ListItem","position":1,"name":"Home","item":"https:\/\/facfox.com\/docs\/"},{"@type":"ListItem","position":2,"name":"How to 3D Print Rubber-Like Materials"}]},{"@type":"WebSite","@id":"https:\/\/facfox.com\/docs\/#website","url":"https:\/\/facfox.com\/docs\/","name":"FacFox Docs","description":"Knowledgebase of manufacturing","publisher":{"@id":"https:\/\/facfox.com\/docs\/#organization"},"potentialAction":[{"@type":"SearchAction","target":{"@type":"EntryPoint","urlTemplate":"https:\/\/facfox.com\/docs\/?s={search_term_string}"},"query-input":{"@type":"PropertyValueSpecification","valueRequired":true,"valueName":"search_term_string"}}],"inLanguage":"en-US"},{"@type":"Organization","@id":"https:\/\/facfox.com\/docs\/#organization","name":"FACFOX,INC.","url":"https:\/\/facfox.com\/docs\/","logo":{"@type":"ImageObject","inLanguage":"en-US","@id":"https:\/\/facfox.com\/docs\/#\/schema\/logo\/image\/","url":"https:\/\/facfox.com\/docs\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/11\/foxdoc-favicon.png","contentUrl":"https:\/\/facfox.com\/docs\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/11\/foxdoc-favicon.png","width":132,"height":133,"caption":"FACFOX,INC."},"image":{"@id":"https:\/\/facfox.com\/docs\/#\/schema\/logo\/image\/"},"sameAs":["https:\/\/facebook.com\/facfox3d","https:\/\/x.com\/facfox3d","https:\/\/instagram.com\/facfox3d"]}]}},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/facfox.com\/docs\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/kb\/165051","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/facfox.com\/docs\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/kb"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/facfox.com\/docs\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/kb"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/facfox.com\/docs\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/4"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/facfox.com\/docs\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=165051"}],"version-history":[{"count":2,"href":"https:\/\/facfox.com\/docs\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/kb\/165051\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":165300,"href":"https:\/\/facfox.com\/docs\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/kb\/165051\/revisions\/165300"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/facfox.com\/docs\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=165051"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"kbtopic","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/facfox.com\/docs\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/kbtopic?post=165051"},{"taxonomy":"kbtag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/facfox.com\/docs\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/kbtag?post=165051"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}