General Purpose TPU-ET
Matrix
TPU-ET = tPU polyether-based
Use where parts see hot water, humidity or microbial attack, or must stay flexible below −40 °C.
Values for the TPU-ET condition
Other General Purpose grades and fills
General Purpose is listed in 15 conditions; see the grade overview at General Purpose.
Compare all 15 grades and fillsHide
| Grade · open for datasheet | Best for | Yield MPa | Tensile MPa | Elong. % | Hardness |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
slabstock/moulded PU foam (~30–60 kg/m³) | For cushioning, seating, packaging and acoustic absorption where load-bearing is minimal. | 0.15 | 150 | ||
closed-cell PU/PIR insulation (~30–60 kg/m³) | Best-in-class insulation core for panels, cold-chain and spray-applied insulation; not a load-bearing structural material. | 0.3 | 6 | ||
Shore A 40 | Choose for soft printing/conveying rolls, vibration pads and gaskets needing high conformability. | 18 | 700 | 10 Shore D | |
Shore A 60 | Good compromise of cushioning and load capacity for rolls, wipers and shock pads. | 30 | 620 | 16 Shore D | |
FR V-0 | Specify for cable jacketing, rail/transport interiors and electrical parts needing UL 94 V-0. | 30 | 400 | 35 Shore D | |
ESD / antistatic polyurethane | Carbon-black or ionic-additive grade for rollers, wheels and mats in electronics and explosive-atmosphere areas. | 32 | 400 | 35 Shore D | |
Lubricated / low-friction PU | Pick where sliding wear or stick-slip is the problem — dynamic seals, wear strips, guide rails. | 34 | 350 | 38 Shore D | |
Shore A 70 | Standard hardness for drive rollers, scrapers and low-noise wheels. | 35 | 580 | 22 Shore D | |
TPU-ETThis page TPU polyether-based | Use where parts see hot water, humidity or microbial attack, or must stay flexible below −40 °C. | 38 | 560 | 85 Shore A | |
GP-A80Default GP Shore A 80 | Default all-round grade for rollers, pads, bushings and seals needing high abrasion and tear resistance with useful flexibility. | 40 | 520 | 30 Shore D | |
TPU polyester-based | Melt-processable grade for injection-moulded and extruded parts (hose, cable jacket, wheels) needing top abrasion and oil resistance. | 45 | 500 | 35 Shore D | |
Shore A 90 | Pick for heavy-load wheels, mill liners, cyclone parts and stripper plates where abrasion and load dominate over flexibility. | 48 | 450 | 40 Shore D | |
Shore D 60 | For structural bushings, dies, prototype tooling and stripper/forming pads that must hold shape under high load. | 50 | 300 | 60 Shore D | |
Shore D 75 | Rigid unfilled PU for machinable tooling blocks, jigs, fixtures and cast prototype parts. | 55 | 30 | 75 Shore D | |
30% glass-fiber reinforced rigid PU / RIM | Structural RIM/cast grade for stiff, dimensionally stable housings and panels replacing sheet metal. | 80 | 4 | 82 Shore D |
What is General Purpose TPU-ET?
General Purpose TPU-ET is General Purpose in the TPU-ET condition — use where parts see hot water, humidity or microbial attack, or must stay flexible below −40 °C. General Purpose TPU-ET has a tensile strength of 38 MPa (5.51 ksi), weaker than 62% of polyurethane grades. Elongation at break is 560% and the elastic modulus is 0.03 GPa (0.0044 Msi). General Purpose TPU-ET has a density of 1.13 g/cm³ (0.0408 lb/in³), lighter than 55% of polyurethane grades. Its glass-transition temperature is -50°C (-58 °F). GP-A80 is the default condition FabDigit quotes; TPU-ET is available on request or by drawing note.
Advantages
- Readily welded — 80/100, better than 106% of polyurethane grades
- Ductile — tolerates forming and impact — 560%, better than 105% of polyurethane grades
- Good UV / weathering resistance — 35/100, better than 83% of polyurethane grades
- Forms and bends easily — 72/100, better than 75% of polyurethane grades
Limitations
- High mold shrinkage — 1.2%, worse than 97% of polyurethane grades
- Absorbs moisture — dry before molding — 1%, worse than 95% of polyurethane grades
- Hard to polish — 30/100, worse than 82% of polyurethane grades
- Low stiffness — 0.03 GPa (0.0044 Msi), worse than 81% of polyurethane grades
- Difficult to machine — 45/100, worse than 76% of polyurethane grades
General Purpose TPU-ET properties
Typical room-temperature values for General Purpose TPU-ET; 13 are specific to this condition. Other listed values are General Purpose reference data and may not represent this condition. Bars are the position among polyurethane grades.
Physical4
General Purpose TPU-ET has a density of 1.13 g/cm³ (0.0408 lb/in³), lighter than 55% of polyurethane grades. Its glass-transition temperature is -50°C (-58 °F).
Mechanical10
General Purpose TPU-ET has a tensile strength of 38 MPa (5.51 ksi), weaker than 62% of polyurethane grades. Elongation at break is 560% and the elastic modulus is 0.03 GPa (0.0044 Msi).
Thermal8
General Purpose TPU-ET is rated for continuous service to 80°C (176 °F). It conducts heat at 0.22 W/m·K (0.127 BTU/hr·ft·°F), better than 83% of polyurethane grades. Thermal expansion is 180 µm/m·K (100 µin/in·°F).
Electrical7
General Purpose TPU-ET is an electrical insulator with a dielectric strength of 22 kV/mm (558.8 V/mil) and a resistivity of 1×10¹⁰ Ω·m.
Chemical & Environmental3
Corrosion resistance is very good (80/100), better than 82% of polyurethane grades. UV resistance is fair.
Sustainability4
Producing a kilogram of General Purpose TPU-ET takes about 105 MJ of energy and emits 5 kg of CO₂ — more than 64% of polyurethane grades. Typical recycled content is 3%.
Manufacturability6
General Purpose TPU-ET's machinability is fair (45/100, worse than 76% of polyurethane grades); weldability very good (80/100); formability very good (72/100).
Values are nominal handbook figures for design screening. Confirm any required mill or lot documentation when quoting.
Working with General Purpose TPU-ET
Is General Purpose easy to machine?
Machines like a tough rubber: use very sharp positive-rake carbide or single-flute tools, high surface speed with low feed pressure, air or water-mist cooling, and support thin walls to avoid deflection and tearing; hard D-scale grades cut almost like a rigid plastic.
Can General Purpose be welded?
Cast (thermoset) PU cannot be welded — join by adhesive bonding with polyurethane/epoxy or cyanoacrylate after abrasion and primer; TPU grades weld well by hot-plate, HF/ultrasonic and hot-air methods.
Can General Purpose be formed, bent or molded?
Open-cast, centrifugal or RIM processing of prepolymer at 70–110 °C mould temperature with post-cure 8–16 h at 100 °C; TPU is injection-moulded or extruded at 185–225 °C melt and must be dried 2–3 h at 80–100 °C to avoid hydrolysis and bubbles.
What surface finishes work on General Purpose?
Not platable or anodizable; parts are usually used as-cast or ground/lathe-finished, and can be painted with 2K polyurethane paints after solvent wipe and light abrasion — adhesion to metal cores requires blasting plus a PU bonding primer.
General Purpose chemical composition (wt %)
Limits by weight percent from the governing specification, written the way the spec states them — a single maximum for impurities, a range for alloying elements, and the base element as balance. Nominal is the typical mid-range value.
| Element | Spec limit (wt %) | Nominal |
|---|---|---|
| MDI (4,4'-diphenylmethane diisocyanate)TDI or aliphatic HDI/H12MDI used in some grades | 20 – 40 | 30 |
| chain extender (1,4-butanediol / MOCA / sets hard-segment content and hardness | 3 – 10 | 6 |
| catalyst, antioxidant, hydrolysis stabil | 0.2 – 2 | 1 |
| glass fiber0–30% in reinforced RIM/rigid variants | ≈ 0 | 0 |
| polyester or polyether polyoladipate polyester, PTMEG or PPG; determines hydrolysis and low-temperature behaviour | ≥ 50 (balance) |
General Purpose TPU-ET — frequently asked
What is General Purpose TPU-ET used for?
General Purpose TPU-ET is typically used for housings, enclosures and fixtures. In short: everyday rigid cast PU; ABS-like feel.
What is the tensile strength of General Purpose TPU-ET?
General Purpose TPU-ET has a typical tensile strength of 38 MPa (5.51 ksi) — weaker than 62% of polyurethane grades. Strength varies by condition: see the 15 listed tempers.
Is General Purpose TPU-ET easy to machine?
Reasonably — machinability is rated fair (45/100, worse than 76% of polyurethane grades). Machines like a tough rubber: use very sharp positive-rake carbide or single-flute tools, high surface speed with low feed pressure, air or water-mist cooling, and support thin walls to avoid deflection and tearing; hard D-scale grades cut almost like a rigid plastic.
Can General Purpose TPU-ET be welded?
Yes — weldability is rated very good (80/100). Cast (thermoset) PU cannot be welded — join by adhesive bonding with polyurethane/epoxy or cyanoacrylate after abrasion and primer; TPU grades weld well by hot-plate, HF/ultrasonic and hot-air methods.
What surface finishes work on General Purpose TPU-ET?
Not platable or anodizable; parts are usually used as-cast or ground/lathe-finished, and can be painted with 2K polyurethane paints after solvent wipe and light abrasion — adhesion to metal cores requires blasting plus a PU bonding primer.
Can General Purpose TPU-ET be formed, bent or molded?
Open-cast, centrifugal or RIM processing of prepolymer at 70–110 °C mould temperature with post-cure 8–16 h at 100 °C; TPU is injection-moulded or extruded at 185–225 °C melt and must be dried 2–3 h at 80–100 °C to avoid hydrolysis and bubbles.
What is the maximum service temperature of General Purpose TPU-ET?
General Purpose TPU-ET is rated for continuous use to about 80°C (176 °F), and briefly to 120°C. Strength falls off well before that limit — check the elevated-temperature data for load-bearing parts.
Can FabDigit make parts in General Purpose TPU-ET?
Yes — General Purpose TPU-ET is available for urethane casting with instant online pricing. Upload a STEP file to get a price and a DFM check.
Sources
- ASM Engineered Materials Handbook, Vol. 2: Engineering Plastics — ASM International (1988)
- Polyurethane Handbook (Oertel) — Hanser (1994)
- Desmopan / Texin TPU product datasheets — Covestro (2023)
- Adiprene / Vibrathane cast prepolymer selector guides — LANXESS (Chemtura) (2022)
- Elastollan TPU material properties brochure — BASF (2023)
- CAMPUS plastics database — TPU records — CWFG (2024)
- ASTM D412 / D624 / D395 / D2240 rubber test methods — ASTM (2022)
Property data is compiled from published supplier and standards handbooks and normalised for comparison. Nothing on this page is a certification — request mill certs, CoC or material test reports with your order.