A Foundation of Advancing Materials and Elevating Performance
Lubrizol Engineered Polymers invented thermoplastic polyurethane (TPU) in 1959. For decades, we have continued to innovate our polymers portfolio to optimize opportunities for product engineers and designers. As the inventor and industry leader of TPU, Lubrizol Engineered Polymers is proud to offer one of the most comprehensive, versatile portfolios in the marketplace. All with the commitment of delivering reliability, efficiency and wellness through advanced material science expertise and innovative solutions.
Collaborative Total Solutions Provider
Firm believers that your success is our success, we work in close collaboration with each of our customers. As a total solutions provider, we encourage designers to explore new materials and push boundaries to achieve next level innovations. From sharing technical expertise and processing optimization, to customizing materials to meet specific needs, we provide innovative solutions across several industries including automotive, footwear, electronics, performance apparel and 3D printing. From prototyping to mass production, Lubrizol is proud to be a collaborative, development partner.
Our Solutions for 3D Printing
Offering specialized commercial TPU grades for fused filament fabrication and multi-jet fusion printing applications, we can deliver material properties suited for a customer’s specific 3D printing needs. Our polymer portfolio meets strict market requirements for 3D printed parts, while offering soft, flexible properties in comparison to traditional 3D printer polymers.
Our ESTANE® 3D TPU is a highly versatile elastomer with unique properties and offers superior performance and processing stability. These properties offer more design flexibility and are of great value to product designers and end users. Offering a range as soft as rubber to as rigid as hard plastics, ESTANE® 3D TPU delivers exceptional abrasion resistance, as well as exceptional flexibility across a wide temperature range.
The Advantages of 3D Printing and Lubrizol
One of the many advantages of 3D printing is that 3D printers feature the capability to achieve significantly more complex designs than traditional manufacturing. However, the ability to design parts that feature specific properties or meet performance requirements is a new skill that many product designers are actively learning. Lubrizol has the knowledge and resources to assist customers through every step of the 3D printing process, including material selection, 3D printing settings, post-processing and application testing.
Material Selection: All TPUs are not created equal, and with over 1200 distinct TPUs currently manufactured by Lubrizol, selecting the correct grade of TPU for the specific application is essential to achieve the desired solution. Hardness, UV resistance, chemical resistance, abrasion resistance, static dissipation and temperature performance are just a few of the many material attributes that can change depending on the type of TPU being used.
3D Printer Settings: We understand there a lot of variables involved with 3D printing technology. We assist our customers by reducing trial and error and using our materials to set recommendations and extrusion parameters.
3D Post Processing: There are several ways to post-process 3D parts. We can recommend the solution fit for customer’s specific levels of surface smoothing and desired colors.
Application Testing: Lubrizol offers a wide range of in-house application testing. These extensive application testing capabilities help customers ensure that specific materials meet performance requirements.
Interested in learning more about Lubrizol’s 3D printing solutions? Contact a member of our 3DP team.
