| HS Code | 594269 |
| Product Name | Prodways TPU-70 A Powder for Laser Sintering |
| Material Type | Thermoplastic Polyurethane (TPU) |
| Processing Technology | Laser Sintering (SLS) |
| Hardness | Shore A 70 |
| Color | White |
| Particle Size | 20-80 µm |
| Bulk Density | 0.45 g/cm³ |
| Solid Density | 1.15 g/cm³ |
| Tensile Strength | 7 MPa |
| Elongation At Break | 250% |
| Tear Strength | 30 kN/m |
| Melting Temperature | 155-160 °C |
| Flexural Modulus | 25 MPa |
| Compression Set | 25% |
| Rebound Resilience | 50% |
As an accredited Prodways TPU-70 A Powder for Laser Sintering factory, we enforce strict quality protocols—every batch undergoes rigorous testing to ensure consistent efficacy and safety standards.
| Packing | Prodways TPU-70 A Powder is supplied in a sealed 10 kg moisture-barrier foil bag inside a labeled fiberboard box. |
| Container Loading (20′ FCL) | Prodways TPU-70 A Powder for Laser Sintering loaded in 20′ FCL: palletized, moisture-protected bags/drums, secured, labeled, with necessary transport documentation. |
| Shipping | Prodways TPU-70 A Powder for Laser Sintering is typically shipped as a non-DG-regulated solid in sealed, moisture-resistant containers. Keep dry and away from heat, ignition sources, and strong oxidizers. Avoid dust generation. Transport according to applicable local, national, and international regulations; no special UN hazard class is normally assigned. |
| Storage | Store in a cool, dry, well-ventilated area away from heat, ignition sources, direct sunlight, moisture, and strong oxidizers. Keep containers tightly closed when not in use. Prevent dust generation and static buildup; use grounded equipment. Protect from contamination and store separately from acids, bases, and food. Recommended temperature: 15–25°C. Always follow the SDS. |
| Shelf Life | Typically 12 months when stored unopened in original packaging in a cool, dry place, protected from moisture and heat. |
Custom foot orthoses and ankle-foot orthosis shells are produced from Prodways TPU-70 A powder when patient-specific geometry and variable wall thickness cannot be economically moulded from EVA or silicone. The addition ratio for definitive skin-contact devices is set at 100% virgin powder because the repeated thermal history of reclaimed powder can shift Shore hardness and increase microporosity at thin sections; diagnostic fitting models used only in gait assessment receive up to 30 wt% reclaimed overflow powder after sieving to remove particles above 150 µm and below 20 µm. Compliance is anchored to ISO 13485:2016 for the manufacturing quality system, EU MDR 2017/745 for Class I custom devices, ISO 10993-5:2009 for cytotoxicity, ISO 10993-10:2013 for skin sensitisation, and FDA 21 CFR Part 820 where US distribution occurs. The downstream process sequence consists of laser sintering in 0.1 mm layers with the powder bed temperature held within ±2 °C of the powder-specific setpoint; on production equipment, deviation above the setpoint produces fused powder cake that must be manually broken, while deviation below the setpoint generates edge curl and interlayer delamination. Powder moisture is maintained below 0.1% by storage in dry-air hoppers because higher moisture levels create steam porosity in the melt pool and reduce tensile elongation. After build, components are force-air cooled to below 40 °C before breakout to limit anisotropic shrinkage, then glass-bead blasted at 3–5 bar and optionally dip-coated with a waterborne polyurethane dispersion to close residual surface pores. Terminal product types include full-contact orthotic shells, accommodative foot orthoses, and lightweight ankle-foot orthosis components where calf-shell wall thickness is reduced to 1.2 mm without losing flexural fatigue resistance. Published long-term cyclic fatigue data for this specific orthotic configuration under ISO 22675 are limited; design verification therefore relies on patient-specific gait trials rather than a universal load limit.
Footwear midsole and insole manufacturing adopts TPU-70 A for lattice structures that vary Shore hardness by cell density rather than by changing base polymer. The addition ratio is defined at the powder mixing station: visible white midsoles use 100% virgin powder to avoid yellowing from thermal history, while hidden insole inserts and fit prototypes use 20–30 wt% reclaimed powder from overflow bins. The reclaimed fraction passes through 150 µm upper and 20 µm lower sieves and is sampled for melt flow index before blending; batch-to-batch drift greater than ±1.5 Shore A in moulded sheet controls triggers adjustment of the virgin/reclaim ratio. Compliance for footwear components references REACH Regulation (EC) No 1907/2006, Annex XVII restrictions, RoHS 2011/65/EU where electronic fitness sensors are integrated, ISO 868:2003 for hardness, ISO 527-2:2012 and ASTM D638-14 for tensile properties, and ISO 4649:2017 for abrasion. The downstream process is fully additive: SLS build in 0.12 mm layers, nitrogen-atmosphere cooling, and powder breakout are followed by glass-bead tumbling at 3–5 bar to remove partially fused particles. Optional waterborne PU topcoating is applied only to visible surfaces where stain resistance and moisture barrier are required; it is omitted on flexure-dominated lattice regions to avoid stiffening. Terminal product types include running shoe midsoles with gradient-density lattices, interchangeable comfort insoles for work boots, and orthotic-friendly insole blanks supplied to podiatry laboratories for post-machining.
Low-volume replacement and prototype constant-velocity joint boots require oil resistance and flex fatigue without the cost of injection transfer moulding. Prodways TPU-70 A is printed at 100% virgin powder for under-hood boots with wall thickness between 1.0 mm and 1.5 mm because grease contact demands a contamination-free melt phase; for cabin-side air ducts and grommet prototypes that do not contact petroleum-derived grease, the blend ratio is limited to 40 wt% reclaimed powder after closed-loop sieving. Compliance for automotive elastomer parts is established under ISO 3795:1989 for horizontal flammability, ASTM D471-16a for fluid resistance, ASTM D412-16 for tension-elongation, ISO 1431-1:2022 for ozone resistance where under-hood ozone attack is possible, RoHS 2011/65/EU, and EU End-of-Life Vehicles Directive 2000/53/EC. The production process uses SLS with 0.12 mm layer height and a nitrogen chamber to reduce thermal oxidation; after build, loose powder is removed with low-pressure compressed air and the boot is bead blasted. Because SLS surfaces retain porosity, grease-retaining areas are optionally sealed with a two-component polyurethane coating applied at 50–100 µm dry film thickness; uncoated wall sections in lithium-complex grease environments may show measurable mass uptake under ASTM D471-16a, so seal-coat validation is mandatory for under-hood use. Terminal product types include steering rack bellows, CV joint boots for low-volume service programmes, and flexible air intake connectors where ozone exposure and repeated flexing occur simultaneously.
In impact-absorbing lattice structures for shin guards and joint protectors, the addition ratio is 100% virgin powder for parts tested under EN 1621-1:2012 or EN 1621-2:2014; fit-trial prototypes use up to 30 wt% sieved reclaimed powder. Compliance is managed within EU PPE Regulation (EU) 2016/425, REACH Regulation (EC) No 1907/2006, RoHS 2011/65/EU, and the cited impact standards. The downstream process uses 0.1 mm layers, cooling below 40 °C, and vibratory tumbling with non-abrasive ceramic media to clear internal lattices. Terminal product types include motorcycle limb protectors, shin guards with ventilation lattices, and goalkeeper hip pads. Build orientation is controlled so primary struts are perpendicular to impact because parallel struts can plastic-buckle at lower peak force.
Pneumatic couplings and vacuum gripper bellows are produced by SLS when the seal geometry includes undercut retaining lips or integrated mounting flanges that cannot be demoulded without flash. TPU-70 A is processed at 100% virgin powder for sealing faces because reclaimed powder increases microvoid density and reduces pressure retention at low clamping loads; non-critical dust boots and trial gaskets may contain up to 20 wt% reclaimed powder after sieving. Compliance for industrial sealing uses ISO 815-1:2014 for compression set at room and elevated temperature, ASTM D395-18 for compression set under constant deflection, ISO 1183-1:2019 for density, REACH Regulation (EC) No 1907/2006, and RoHS 2011/65/EU. The production process includes 0.12 mm layer SLS build, slow nitrogen cooling, and post-build vacuum extraction to remove powder from narrow sealing lips. An optional thermal relaxation step at 60–80 °C for 2–4 h is used on critical parts to stabilise compression set before installation; published data for this specific configuration is limited, so lot-specific validation is performed. Sealing lips are nested with the sealing face parallel to the build plane to minimise anisotropy in compression set; lips printed perpendicular to the build plane can show higher set after 22 h at 70 °C under ISO 815-1:2014. Terminal product types include vacuum suction cups with integrated mounting threads, pneumatic cylinder flange gaskets, and low-pressure coupling seals for automated assembly cells.
Body-worn medical and industrial data terminals, extended-reality headset cushions, and wrist-mounted sensor housings use TPU-70 A because the material can be formed into breathable lattice pads with 70 Shore A surface compliance. The addition ratio for skin-contact cushions is 100% virgin powder to minimise extractable and leachable species; non-contact structural covers and harness components use up to 30 wt% reclaimed powder after sieving. Compliance for skin-contact wearable parts is assessed under ISO 10993-5:2009 for cytotoxicity and ISO 10993-10:2013 for skin sensitisation; electronic product integration falls under IEC 62368-1:2020 for electrical safety and RoHS 2011/65/EU for restricted substances. REACH Regulation (EC) No 1907/2006 Annex XVII restrictions apply to any skin-contact plasticised compound, although TPU-70 A is processed without phthalate plasticisers. The downstream process uses 0.12 mm SLS layers followed by low-pressure compressed air cleaning and ultrasonic washing in deionised water at 25–35 °C to remove residual powder from lattice cells; loose powder remaining in open-cell lattices can increase extractable content and trigger skin irritation in sensitive users. Build chamber temperature stability within ±2 °C is maintained to control surface porosity, because elevated porosity increases the surface area available for contaminant retention on skin-contact surfaces. Terminal product types include face cushions for extended-reality headsets, body-worn sensor straps, and protective sleeves for portable industrial scanners.
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Prodways TPU-70 A powder is a thermoplastic polyurethane formulated for selective laser sintering of flexible parts with nominal hardness of 70 Shore A when measured according to ISO 868:2003. The material is supplied as a free-flowing powder intended for polymer laser sintering platforms using CO₂ laser sources. Manufacturer-published data indicate a sintered density in the range of 1.08 g/cm³ to 1.12 g/cm³ under ISO 1183-1:2019 and a particle size distribution centred near D50 55 µm when measured by ISO 13320:2020 laser diffraction. The grade is positioned for applications requiring repeated flexural deformation, impact recovery, and low-temperature flexibility rather than rigid structural load bearing.
Supplier-reported mechanical values include tensile strength in the range of 4.5 MPa to 6.0 MPa and elongation at break between 350% and 450% when tested according to ISO 37:2017. Tear strength is reported in the range of 30 kN/m to 38 kN/m using ISO 34-1:2015. Compression set after 24 h at 23 °C is typically below 20% under ISO 815-1:2019. These values refer to X-Y oriented tensile specimens; Z-direction properties can be lower and should be validated with application-specific test coupons. The powder has a processing window above the soft-segment melting range and below the onset of hard-segment thermal degradation.
Thermal analysis by differential scanning calorimetry under ISO 11357-3:2018 shows a broad endothermic melting signal for the soft-segment phase beginning near 100 °C. This broad melting range supports part-bed set points in the 90 °C to 100 °C range, but the hard-segment phase remains structurally intact through the sintering process. The powder surface becomes tacky if the bed is held too close to the upper end, which increases the probability of recoating defects. Published data for this specific configuration is limited, so starting parameters should be validated with sacrificial tensile bars from each build envelope zone.
On laser sintering equipment with a 60 W CO₂ laser and beam diameter near 0.40 mm, productive starting conditions for TPU-70 A powder include part-bed set points in the 90 °C to 100 °C range, layer thickness of 0.10 mm to 0.12 mm, and laser energy density between 0.04 J/mm² and 0.06 J/mm² as measured at the part surface. The exact setting must be tuned to the specific machine geometry, thermal imaging system, and build packing density. A conservative start with low energy density followed by porosity inspection is preferable to high-energy processing because excessive energy produces yellowing and fused edge defects. Recoat speed is typically reduced to 80 mm/s to 120 mm/s to avoid triboelectric charging and surface defects common with low-hardness TPU powders. The feed bed temperature is often held 10 °C to 15 °C below the part-bed set point to maintain powder flow stability.
Thermal conditioning of the build chamber is critical because the powder’s melt viscosity and recoat homogeneity are sensitive to small deviations. A part-bed temperature below 90 °C may produce insufficient particle coalescence and porous layers, while set points above 105 °C can initiate powder ageing, edge feathering, and poor feature resolution. Operators should monitor infrared images for hot spots near thick sections larger than 15 mm. Such sections retain heat and may require contour scanning adjustments. Powder removed from the build should be cooled below 50 °C before sieving to prevent agglomeration on mesh screens.
Failure modes observed on production-grade machines include orange-peel part walls when the melt pool overheats, delamination at layer interfaces when the energy density is too low, and dark spots from burnt powder particles near the recoat blade gap. These defects are typically reduced by decreasing scan speed by 10% to 15% or by increasing layer time to allow thermal relaxation. Z-direction tensile strength of sintered TPU-70 A is commonly 50% to 70% of the X-Y value when tested on ISO 37:2017 type 1 dumbbells. This anisotropy is caused by interlayer diffusion limitations and should be accounted for in design. Holes and living hinges should be oriented in the X-Y plane where possible.
Substitution of Prodways TPU-70 A powder for a rigid polyamide 12 powder changes part design rules, post-processing requirements, and dimensional stability expectations. The most direct comparison is hardness: TPU-70 A is tested at 70 Shore A under ISO 868, while a representative SLS polyamide 12 is approximately 75 Shore D. Tensile modulus of the TPU is roughly an order of magnitude lower, which permits snap-fit assembly, living hinges, and impact-absorbing structures but removes load-bearing capability in thin wall sections. Table 1 summarises representative manufacturer-reported values for the three material classes.
| Property | Test method | Prodways TPU-70 A | Representative SLS TPU 90 A | Representative SLS PA 12 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Hardness | ISO 868:2003 | 70 Shore A | 90 Shore A | 75 Shore D |
| Tensile strength | ISO 37:2017 / ISO 527-2:2012 | 4.5–6.0 MPa | 7.0–9.0 MPa | 45–50 MPa |
| Elongation at break | ISO 37:2017 / ISO 527-2:2012 | 350–450% | 250–350% | 10–20% |
| Tear strength | ISO 34-1:2015 | 30–38 kN/m | 45–60 kN/m | Not applicable |
| Sintered density | ISO 1183-1:2019 | 1.08–1.12 g/cm³ | 1.15–1.20 g/cm³ | 0.95–1.00 g/cm³ |
Differences from other products extend beyond flexural modulus. Compared with a representative SLS TPU 90 A, TPU-70 A offers higher elongation and lower hardness but also lower tensile and tear resistance, which reduces suitability for abrasive or high-contact-force applications. Compared with PA 12, TPU-70 A requires lower part-bed temperatures and shows higher powder moisture uptake. It also exhibits greater Z-direction property anisotropy because the low melt viscosity leads to different interlayer diffusion kinetics. Published data for this specific configuration is limited; users should not extrapolate PA 12 refresh ratios or thermal settings to TPU-70 A without a controlled build trial.
Compared with cast or injection-moulded TPU of similar Shore A hardness, laser-sintered TPU-70 A typically has lower density and lower tensile strength due to residual porosity. The powder-bed process does not produce fully dense parts; sintered density is in the range of 1.08 g/cm³ to 1.12 g/cm³, whereas injection-moulded TPU may be nearer 1.15 g/cm³ to 1.20 g/cm³ depending on formulation. This porosity also affects fluid sealing; seals may require post-sealing with a compatible polyurethane coating if low leakage rates are required.
Processing experience on production-scale SLS lines indicates that TPU-70 A powder is more sensitive to ageing than rigid PA 12 powders. At part-bed temperatures above 100 °C, the soft segment can undergo progressive molecular weight increase and yellowing during long builds. This alters melt flow and may reduce tensile strength by more than 15% when compared with virgin powder. To maintain process stability, operators commonly run with a 30% to 50% fresh-powder refresh ratio and monitor melt flow rate under ISO 1133-1:2022. A lower refresh ratio may still yield parts, but the probability of orange-peel surface defects and reduced tear strength increases. The powder should be sieved through a 150 µm mesh after each build cycle; particles above this size are typically fused agglomerates and must not be returned to the feed hopper.
Moisture uptake is a further boundary condition. When storage relative humidity exceeds 60%, the powder should be dried at 80 °C for 4 h to 6 h in a circulating-air dryer before loading. Wet powder can generate steam at the melt surface, producing pores and reducing Z-direction tensile strength. Drying should not exceed 90 °C to avoid particle agglomeration. The material should not be combined with amine-based additives or low-melting polyamide powders in the same build chamber; cross-contamination can shift crystallisation kinetics and create delamination at material interfaces. These incompatibilities are not detectable by visual inspection alone and require tensile testing of sacrificial build coupons.
Post-processing of TPU-70 A parts requires lower bead-blast pressures than PA12, typically in the range of 2 bar to 3 bar, because aggressive blasting can abrade the low-hardness surface. Dyeing is possible, but colour saturation is lower than with PA12. Use polyurethane-compatible dyes and verify colour fastness under the intended exposure conditions. Minimum wall thickness for self-supporting flexible walls on a 0.12 mm layer machine is approximately 0.8 mm; below this, walls may curl or fuse. Unsupported spans over 10 mm should be avoided without support structures or corrugation. Lattice strut diameters below 0.6 mm have shown inconsistent mechanical response in X-Y versus Z.
Typical application areas for TPU-70 A powder include footwear midsoles, orthotic insoles, protective bellows, seals, gaskets, and thin-walled snap-fit housings. In orthotic applications, parts built with 1.0 mm to 2.0 mm wall thickness and open-cell lattice structures have been evaluated under repeated compression according to ISO 1856:2018; the material showed measurable recovery after 72 h of static loading, though published data for this specific configuration is limited. For footwear prototypes, the powder is used to produce midsole lattices with 70 Shore A cushioning properties, but abrasion resistance is not equivalent to injection-moulded TPU outsole grades. Wear testing under ISO 4649:2017 should be performed before production release. Protective bellows and ducting produced from TPU-70 A can be evaluated using the De Mattia flex test ISO 132:2017 for repeated flexing.
Seals and gaskets produced from TPU-70 A powder should be validated for compression set and chemical exposure in the intended service fluid. The polyurethane backbone offers resistance to nonpolar oils and greases but can degrade in strong alkaline solutions, hot water above 60 °C, or polar solvents such as ketones and esters. Continuous-use temperature is typically below 80 °C; higher temperatures can soften the part and reduce dimensional stability. No standard food-contact or implantable medical claim is included in the base grade documentation. If a medical or skin-contact application is required, the user must verify compliance with EU 2017/745 or FDA 21 CFR in accordance with final device classification.
Supplier documentation for TPU-70 A powder lists compliance with REACH Regulation (EC) No 1907/2006 and RoHS Directive 2011/65/EU as of the date of issue. No SVHC above 0.1% w/w is declared. These declarations are supplier self-certified, not third-party tested. Users requiring UL 94 flammability ratings should note that polyurethane elastomers are generally rated HB; no UL Yellow Card data is supplied with the base grade.
