Select the required Exaflex® TPU grade to open its technical data sheet and check key properties, processing conditions, and recommended application areas.
Exaflex® TPU is a range of thermoplastic polyurethanes for parts that require elastic deformation, abrasion resistance, shape stability after repeated cycles, and series processing by injection molding or extrusion without vulcanization.
Exaflex® TPU is worth considering for parts where elastic performance is combined with friction, impact, bending, contact with technical fluids, and series processing requirements. The first level of screening is not the material's general properties, but the operating mode of the specific part.
Rollers, wheels, bushings, guides, friction elements, parts with repeated contact. Abrasion, heat generation in the contact zone, and profile retention after load cycles are critical.
The part must perform like an elastomer but be manufactured as a thermoplastic: injection molding, extrusion, reprocessing of clean production scrap.
Polyester-based TPU is well suited for applications requiring mechanical durability and resistance to many mineral oils, greases, and technical media.
TPU selection accounts for part geometry, drying, temperature profile, melt flow, shrinkage, cycle repeatability, and the risk of moisture-related defects.
This block does not show the "best material overall". It compares the engineering profiles of TPU, TPV, TPE-S, TPO, TPEE, and PEBA against clear criteria: wear, tear, shape recovery, oils, moisture, heat, cold, processing, and cost efficiency.
TPU hardness is assessed together with the design of the product. The same Shore value performs differently in a part depending on wall thickness, rib geometry, service temperature, deformation rate, contact with grease, and processing conditions.
In the soft Shore A zone, the material provides elasticity, impact damping, and high elongation. In the hard Shore D zone, TPU approaches structural thermoplastics, yet retains tougher impact behavior than many conventional rigid plastics.
A pre-selection map: from elastic grades for rollers, seals, and hoses to rigid TPUs for parts with a higher modulus.
The table is intended for preliminary technical screening: it shows the differences between grades, the key comparison parameters, and the role of the technical data sheet for the design or process engineer.
| Grade | Hardness | Density | Melt flow rate | Strength / elongation | Abrasion | Typical application area | Grade page |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Exaflex® TPU 80A elastic |
80 Shore A | 1.21 g/cm³ | 30 200°C / 5 kg |
32 MPa / 550% | 36 mm³ ASTM D5963 |
Rollers, flexible parts, footwear elements, seals, shock-absorbing components. | Go to grade |
| Exaflex® TPU 83A versatile |
83 Shore A | 1.21 g/cm³ | 30 200°C / 5 kg |
32 MPa / 550% | 36 mm³ | Injection molding and extrusion, parts of medium elasticity, seals, technical products. | Go to grade |
| Exaflex® TPU 85A medium hardness |
85 Shore A | 1.21 g/cm³ | 30 200°C / 5 kg |
32 MPa / 550% | 36 mm³ | Technical elastic parts requiring slightly higher hardness without loss of elongation. | Go to grade |
| Exaflex® TPU 90A increased hardness |
90 Shore A | 1.23 g/cm³ | 50 cm³/10 min 200°C / 5 kg |
37 MPa / 648% | 36 mm³ | Hoses, profiles, cable jackets, parts with higher surface hardness. | Go to grade |
| Exaflex® TPU 95A hard Shore A |
95 Shore A 23 Shore D |
— | — | 42 MPa / 572% | — | Wear-resistant profiles, linings, industrial rollers, hydraulic hoses, protective profiles, and parts with high elastic rebound. | Go to grade |
| Exaflex® TPU 55D rigid TPU |
55 Shore D | 1.21 g/cm³ | — | 52 MPa / 280% | 95 mm³ | More rigid technical parts, sports components, seals with increased load-bearing capacity. | Go to grade |
| Exaflex® TPU 65D maximum rigidity |
65 Shore D | 1.21 g/cm³ | — | 55 MPa / 250% | 65 mm³ | Rigid TPU components requiring strength, tear strength, and a shorter molding cycle. | Go to grade |
Grade pages linking to the product cards:
For a production part, Shore A/D hardness is only a starting parameter. The decision is made on the full set of factors: deformation mode, wall thickness, contact with fluids, abrasion, temperature, cycle requirements, and drying before processing.
Start with 80A–85A. These grades deliver high elongation, good abrasion resistance, and better performance in parts that must flex, compress, or damp impact.
80A / 83A / 85ACheck 90A–95A. This is the zone for profiles, hoses, sheathing, roller and technical elements where deformation must be lower while an elastomeric nature is still required.
90A / 95AConsider 55D–65D. In this zone, the key factors are strength, tear strength, stiffness, and lower deformation under load.
55D / 65DThe examples below reflect real-world part operating scenarios where TPU properties directly affect service life and product consistency.
Require abrasion resistance, impact damping, resilience, and a stable contact surface after repeated cycles.
80A–95AKey factors are an elastic fit, tear strength, performance under compression, and contact with greases or technical fluids.
80A–90AExtrusion processing, kink resistance, wall control, and sufficient melt flow for a stable profile.
90A / 95AFlexibility, wear resistance, resistance to friction against surfaces, clean extrusion, and the ability to perform under dynamic conditions.
85A–95ARequire resilience, wear resistance, a stable molding cycle, surface aesthetics, and batch-to-batch repeatability.
80A–85AWhen a conventional elastomer is too soft, and a rigid plastic is too brittle or handles impact loads poorly.
55D / 65DTPU should be viewed as an engineering elastomer with a wide property range, not as a universal replacement for all elastomers or engineering plastics. At the selection stage, consider the grade's chemistry, temperature profile, environmental humidity, long-term dimensional requirements, and aging conditions.
For ester-based TPUs, hydrolytic degradation can become critical when elevated temperature and humidity combine. For such applications, consider ether-based or specially stabilized grades and verify service life in the actual environment.
Aromatic TPUs can discolor under UV radiation. If the part operates outdoors or must retain transparency/color, aliphatic, light-stabilized, or pigmented solutions are required.
When a part must hold its shape under constant load for a long time, TPU falls short of rigid engineering plastics. For housings, load-bearing brackets, and precision fits, PA, PBT, POM, PPA, or reinforced materials are often the more logical choice.
TPU performs well in many oils, greases, and technical media, but compatibility with solvents, plasticizers, acids, alkalis, and cleaning agents must be confirmed by testing the specific grade.
Stable TPU processing requires control of pellet moisture, the temperature profile, melt residence time in the barrel, and cooling conditions. Insufficient drying can cause bubbles, splay marks, degraded mechanical properties, and unstable surface quality.
Recommended: 90–100°C for 3–4 hours in a circulating-air or desiccant dryer. Target moisture content is below 0.02% before and during processing.
For 80A–95A, a typical zone profile is around 175–200°C; for 55D, 180–210°C; for 65D, 190–220°C. The actual profile is adjusted to the machine, part geometry, and melt residence time.
For most grades, the technical data sheet specifies an extrusion window of approximately 180–200°C with a die around 190–195°C. A stable profile depends not only on temperatures but also on pressure, cooling, haul-off speed, and calibration.
Clean, well-sorted production scrap can be reused after drying and verification of property stability. Blending different TPUs requires a compatibility check.
| Grade | Injection molding, °C | Extrusion, °C | Drying | Process engineer's note |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 55D | 180 / 185 / 190 / 195 / 200 / 205 / 210 | 185 / 190 / 195 / 200 / 195 | 90–100°C, 3–4 h | Rigid grade: monitor the filling of thin sections and the risk of residual stresses. |
| 65D | 190 / 195 / 200 / 205 / 210 / 215 / 220 | 185 / 190 / 195 / 200 / 195 | 90–100°C, 3–4 h | Higher processing temperature; controlling residence time in the barrel is important. |
| 80A | 175 / 180 / 185 / 190 / 195 / 200 / 200 | 185 / 190 / 195 / 200 / 195 | 90–100°C, 3–4 h | A good starting grade for elastic technical parts. |
| 83A / 85A | 175 / 180 / 185 / 190 / 195 / 195 / 190 | 180 / 185 / 190 / 195 / 190 | 90–100°C, 3–4 h | A versatile zone between softness and shape stability. |
| 90A | 175 / 180 / 185 / 190 / 195 / 195 / 190 | 180 / 185 / 190 / 195 / 190 | 90–100°C, 3–4 h | A grade for profiles, hoses, and denser elastic parts. |
| 95A | 185 / 190 / 195 / 200 / 195 | 180 / 185 / 190 / 195 / 200 | 80–100°C, 2–3 h | Hard Shore A grade: high modulus, elastic rebound, mandatory drying to a moisture content below 0.02%. |
TPU must be matched to the specific assembly, load mode, service environment, and processing technology.
Ester-based TPU offers a high mechanical performance level and good oil resistance; however, prolonged contact with hot water, steam, or microbiologically active environments requires separate verification of hydrolytic stability.
For parts that operate under constant compression or tension for long periods, verify compression set, creep, and shape recovery after repeated cycles.
For multi-material products, TPU compatibility with the second material, primer, paint, adhesive, or welding method is critical. Shore hardness alone does not guarantee it.
Material Wizard selects engineering polymers based on part design, load mode, and processing technology. For Exaflex® TPU, it is important to assess flexing, abrasion, oil contact, hose service, repeated impact, sliding, sealing, or thin-wall molding.
For fast selection, please specify the processing method, Shore A/D hardness, wall thickness, operating temperature, contact media, required cycle life, and the current material to be replaced.
That is only an initial filter. A technical replacement requires comparing tensile strength, elongation at break, tear strength, abrasion, melt flow, polyol backbone type, processing temperature, and the actual behavior in the finished part.
TPU is moisture-sensitive. Insufficiently dried material can cause surface defects, bubbles, unstable mechanical properties, and poor cycle repeatability. For Exaflex®, the technical data sheets specify a target moisture content below 0.02%.
80A suits softer, resilient parts; 85A covers the intermediate zone between resilience and shape stability; 90A gives a denser surface and lower deformation; 95A is for hard Shore A parts, wear-resistant profiles, rollers, and elements with high elastic rebound.
Yes, the technical data sheets for Exaflex® TPU grades include parameters for both injection molding and extrusion. Stable extrusion additionally requires fine-tuning the melt temperature, calibration, cooling, and haul-off speed.
Clean, well-sorted production scrap can be tested, but it must be dried and its property stability monitored. Blending different TPUs without verification is not recommended.
Describe the part, operating conditions, processing method, and desired Shore A/D hardness. We will help narrow the choice down to 1–2 grades and send a technical data sheet for trials.
