We found a squishy 3D printing material back in early 2012 that was not quite ready for us to use with our 3D printers so we found another flexible alternative that unfortunately was not up to our standards so we had to stop supporting the material when the trial ended.
We are super excited to learn the original flexible material is finally ready and we are preparing our 3D printers so that we can offer it to everyone to 3D print.
Do you want more flexible 3D printing for your designs?
Woohoo! I almost deleted my model I made last year for this material today! Now I know why its stayed.
Bring it on!
Whats next? Higher resolution steel print?
We may auto enable all designs that were previously enabled in Black Elasto Plastic…
I want. I cant help waiting for it.
You should not need to wait long…
I am very excited about this.
“Do You Want More Flexible 3D Printing at Shapeways?” Hell yeah ! Of course we do.
Will this material be available in different colors?
We’re currently experimenting with dye and other colored processes. However, to get it into your hands as quickly as possible, we’re going to release it with its natural color to start and improve from there.
A flexible 3D printing material sounds like a great idea. This’ll widen the possible applications of 3D printing even further, good work…
Yes, there is still a need for these material! Would be nice to use it. Looking forward to testing it…
Is this the one that was described as food safe when it was first mentioned?
That is right, we will quadruple check before we specify it as foodsafe on the Shapeways site, but that was what we were told in our initial briefing.
We did try ice cubes when we first had access but they did not release so well due to the texture, maybe it will work after polishing.
Exxxxxcellent.
A versatile 3D publishing material appears to be like a smart idea. This’ll expand the possible applications of 3D publishing even further, great work..
must… have… black…
Working on it!
Now I will have to try and remember the ideas I had before?
Give us some details, like tear strength, heat distortion, colors, dishwasher safe?
With any material the properties do change the the geometry of the design but here are some indicative details.
Tensile Modulus of 60MPa / 8700 PSI
Tensile Strength 8MPa / 1160 PSI
Elongation at Break 200%
Shore D Hardness 35
Melting Point 150c
Density 0.95 g/cm3
We will confirm all of these when we are ready to launch.
Can you comment on maximum size? I have a prototype I would like to produce in this material…
At the moment it looks to be a 300x300x300mm build area, we will confirm after further testing.
I need this! When will it be available?
How does this compare with that new flexible TPU 92A-1 material at i.Materialize? I presume it is not the same thing… but any clues?
Hey Alienology, we do not have any samples of their material yet but it looks to have very similar qualities.
Whats with comments #6 and then #9? And what the frick is 3d publishing supposed to be?
VERY excited! Hopefully it will come in black!
I am concerned about whether or not this material will become brittle when exposed to UV or with little wear. I some of us that order all the time, could get samples of this material along with our orders.
We do have some samples in the office we have had for over a year now and they are quite inert, no delaminating or major change in coloration.
Do you have design guides made up for the material yet?
Min Thickness? Holes? etc
Rubber baby buggy bumpers
Not yet, but it may be around 1mm wall thickness, more for wires.
1mm sounds good, yes please bring it to as fast as you can…
Yes please bring it on!
When? I’ve got anew phone I want to design a case for!
VERY soon
I am also very interested in the rubber-like material and would like to know when it will be available. Is there somewhere we can subscribe for updates? The day it is released, I will be submitting several designs, and until then, I am just waiting.
Thanks!
Hey David,
If you start designing for it now you can be ready to order when we begin the trial soon.
allow for 1mm wall thickness to be safe, we will post on the blog and most likely send out a email to newsletter subscribers so make sure you are signed up.
You’ve already got a date when it’ll be released?
I would be really interested in flexbile material.
What about a bellow? I would like to 3d print mine.
Any news about the release date?
I have some things that I need to print, would like to know if I can order all together.
Thanks