CoexFlex TPE - More Than Just Flexible

CoexFlex TPE - More Than Just Flexible

At Coex 3D we pride ourselves on producing engineering-grade 3D printing filament right here in the USA. One of our lines of high end filament is CoexFlex™ TPE. Derived from DuPont's Hytrel base material, CoexFlex™ TPE filaments offer excellent strength and chemical resistance. Parts printed with CoexFlex™ can withstand higher temperatures while maintaining its mechanical properties, and remains flexible at low temperatures. This makes CoexFlex™ TPE a great option for the oil and gas, automotive, chemical, and any other manner of demanding industries.

CoexFlex™ TPE is offered in three levels of hardness on the Shore durometer scale: 30D, 40D and 60D, from softest to hardest. These materials range from producing parts that are very soft and flexible, to quite hard and rigid. Also keep in mind that the way a part is designed and the settings used when printing will have a large impact on the stiffness of the final part.

Not only are these materials flexible, they also offer incredible layer bonding properties. While the bond between layers is usually thought of as a weak point when printing with filaments such as PLA, PETG or ABS, the layer adhesion of parts printed with CoexFlex™ TPE is incredibly strong. This makes CoexFlex™ TPE perfect for parts that need to hold up to a lot of abuse.

All of our CoexFlex™ TPE offerings print at a temperature of 215°C - 240°C - no special high-temperature printing setup is required. These materials can also be printed on an unenclosed printer - using Magigoo Flex is a spectacular choice to aid with bed adhesion.

Let's go over the benefits and applications of each of these materials.

CoexFlex™ 30D TPE

CoexFlex™ 30D TPE is the second-softest of all our CoexFlex™ filaments (the softest is CoexFlex™ 60A TPU, which is a different category of material). It is a very soft and flexible material, and boasts a wide usable temperature range. Its melting point is 177°C and its glass transition temperature (the temperature at which the material begins to soften) is -60°C.

This very low glass transition temperature makes this material spectacular for applications where flexibility at a low temperature must be maintained, such as refrigeration seals, gaskets or flexible fittings. It also holds up to elevated temperatures very well, making it great for automotive applications.

The soft nature of this material makes it perfect for plugs, seals and gaskets. It can also be used to make covers for grips and handles, and is fantastic if those grips or handles need to stand up to harsh chemicals.

CoexFlex™ 40D TPE

CoexFlex™ 40D TPE is the next softest of the CoexFlex™ TPE lineup. It has a narrower temperature range than 30D TPE, with a melting point of 152°C and a glass transition temperature of -50°C, but still offers a great temperature range overall. As the durometer change implies, this material is more firm than 30D TPE. CoexFlex™ 40D TPE also offers great resistance to creep and flex fatigue.

Applications of 40D TPE include CV joint boots, automotive intake ducting, industrial seals and gaskets, and any other usage where strength, chemical resistance and flexibility are required.

CoexFlex™ 60D TPE

With a shore hardness of 60D, CoexFlex™ 60D TPE is our hardest flexible filament offering. The material behaves similarly to a hard rubber like one would find on a shopping cart wheel. It also stands up to many solvents and hydrocarbons, making it perfect for industrial uses. It has incredible layer bonding like our other CoexFlex™ materials, giving parts printed with it great durablility and resistance to wear.

This material is perfect for any use where great durability and chemical resistance are required. Fittings, adapters, bushings, and spacers that are in harsh locations and need to be very durable are great applications of 60D TPE.

60D TPE also has the benefit of being very easy to print with - even a printer with a Bowden-style extruder setup can print it. Disabling retractions and printing slowly is the trick - just like with all flexibles.

Conclusion

The CoexFlex™ TPE lineup is a spectacular choice for a wide range of industrial uses, as these engineering-grade materials are specifically formulated to stand up to chemicals and extreme temperatures. If you have any questions about what material would be best for your application, or to request samples, contact us at support@coex3d.com!