TPU 90A Powder is a tough elastomer powder for SLS 3D printing, designed to produce flexible, resilient, and skin-safe prototypes and end-use parts. It stands out in the Formlabs SLS materials lineup as an elastomeric option with high tear strength (up to 66 kN/m in the XY orientation) and high elongation at break (up to 310% in XY), properties that nylon-based powders do not offer. It is well suited for parts that must flex, stretch, or compress repeatedly under real-world conditions.

TPU 90A Powder delivers the following tested properties: Ultimate Tensile Strength of 8.7 MPa (XY) and 7.2 MPa (Z); Elongation at Break of 310% (XY) and 110% (Z); Tear Resistance of 66 kN/m (XY) and 39 kN/m (Z); Shore Hardness of 90A; Compression Set of 20.5% at 23°C and 59.9% at 70°C; and a Vicat Softening Temperature of 94.3°C. Full specifications are available in the TPU 90A Powder Technical Data Sheet.

The material excels across a wide range of flexible and skin-contact applications, including wearables and soft-touch elements, soles, splints, orthotics, and prosthetics, gaskets, seals, masks, belts, and tubing, and padding, dampers, and cushions. Its combination of flexibility, abrasion resistance, chemical resistance, and validated biocompatibility makes it practical for both functional prototyping and production of end-use parts.

TPU 90A Powder is compatible with Fuse 1+ 30W and Fuse 1 SLS 3D printers. Fuse X1 compatibility will be available by June of 2027.

No. Unlike some Formlabs SLS powders such as Nylon 11 and Nylon 12 White, TPU 90A Powder is recommended to print in air on Fuse 1+ 30W, which simplifies setup and reduces operational complexity.

Compared to nylon-based options, TPU 90A Powder is rated "Good" for print speed, fine feature resolution, and dimensional accuracy, and "Fair" for dimensional accuracy, surface finish, and high aspect ratio or large cross-section parts. It shares a 20% refresh rate with Nylon 12 Tough, the lowest refresh rate in the SLS lineup. For a detailed side-by-side comparison, see the Choosing the Right Powder guide.

TPU 90A Powder has a 20% refresh rate, the lowest available among Formlabs SLS powders alongside Nylon 12 Tough. This means up to 80% of unfused powder from a previous print can be recycled into the next build, significantly reducing material waste and lowering the cost per part over time.

Yes. TPU 90A Powder is validated for both skin contact and mucosal membrane contact, making it appropriate for producing custom medical appliances, wearable accessories, prosthetics, orthotics, and other patient-specific devices. Its softness and precision are noted as beneficial for patient comfort and streamlining medical device manufacturing.

Yes. Bulk purchase discounts are available starting at 50 kg and scale up with order volume, reaching substantial savings at higher quantities. For current pricing and volume discount tiers, contact the Formlabs sales team.

Yes. Formlabs offers a 3D printed TPU 90A Powder sample part shipped directly to your office so you can evaluate the material's flexibility and quality firsthand. You can request a sample part through the Formlabs website.