TPE Flexible Filament: Robot applications

[seg9585]

I've been experimenting with different types of filaments in my Replicator 2.

We've all made use of PLA/ABS on our robots for various parts, and I've tested use of 3D printed nylon for drive belts and other bendable applications.

I recently came across and just started working with TPE filament (thermoplastic elastomer). It's effectively a VERY flexible filament -- just about equivalent to rubber. It can be stretched easily in any direction and always returns to its original form, while the layers seem to bond pretty well.
Seems to work on the Rep2 after a few mods and special slicing settings.

Here's an example of a print I made from this weekend:
(Pic 1 -- unstressed, original print)


(Pic 2 -- squeezing the part)


Has anyone found a good robot application for TPE filament? Seems like it would be great for custom-fitted padding, or even act as a damper or spring to protect a hard stop. Obviously it makes a fantastic iPhone case... but what other robot related ideas are out there?

[protoserge]

Wait for it...





Bumpers.




I would think this is a fantastic application for some form of a dextrous claw or manipulator. The shock absorption you mentioned might be something to consider - I'd be interested to see how well it holds up!

This is just another filament I'm going to have to try out... Thanks for sharing!

[Bald & Bearded]

I can see several applications for padding, protection, general shock absorption.

But it may be faster to just cut a piece of rubber or foam.

I would be really interested to see more about your belt tests with Nylon.

There are a lot more exotic filaments coming to the market this summer and I look forward to having time to test them.

[Woolly]

I'll throw some ideas out.
Custom form-fitting flywheel for launching game pieces.
Soft non-pneumatic wheels with custom tread for games that require you to go over large bumps.
Shock absorbing camera mount.
Protective cover on moving robot parts (reducing pinch points) or protective cover for pneumatic fittings.

[will4499]

We use our Taz 3 (http://www.lulzbot.com) for our 3d printed parts. On our robot, we use flexible filament for:

• Air tank mounts on the outside of the robot (the tank mount acts like shocks)
• "Ears" on the front of our intake to hold the ball up for backwards shots

We also print out flexible wristbands, just because they are cool (we may even have some to hand out, if you drop by our pit in Archimedes).

The flexible filament we use is called Ninjaflex, and its strong suit is taking impacts, yet returning back to its original shape. Consequently, we use the flexible filament for parts that are likely to take hits (such as tank mounts and pieces on the front of the intake). I will post pictures of these pieces when I can.

Swing by our pit in Archimedes to see our printed parts. We are Team # 4499.

*Disclaimer: Lulzbot is one of our new sponsors.