3D printing of tyres

Neil I was most interested in your editors article on 3D printing of a model tyre using TPU, a flexible filament that gives very tough parts.

My question is does this material give a high friction rubber-like material comparable to a full-size tyre that is vulcanised rubber?

Godfrey Greeves

Well I see Neil is active on the forum today so maybe will see this query. Or one of the other printing experts.

For those who have been to the Ally Pally exhibition in the last few years Godfrey is the person demonstrating a radio controlled tracked buldozer on the St Albans stand.

Hi Godfrey,

TPU is quite 'shiny' and not particularly like rubber, so 'slick' tyres do not grip as well as soft rubber ones, but treaded TPU tyres work well on rough surfaces.

There are lots of you-tube videos showing RC cars with TPU tyres working well.

Neil

And for those watching in B&W Godfrey's bulldozer was featured in ME a few years ago

Hi Neil

Thanks for your info on 3D printing of TPU for rubber tyres.

Just what I wanted to know.

I want to convert my tracked tractor to four-wheel drive with rubber tyres.

These tyres need to be of rubber and have substantial rubber lugs.

The front wheel tyres need to be about 3.5 " diameter and the rear wheel tyres about 5.5" diameter.

So I think I will stick my original plan to make the tyres out of several pieces of rubber bonded with super glue.

After experiments I have found that my sliding mitre saw can give straight clean cuts of neoprene rubber sheet of 3 - 5 mm thick.

Godfrey

I've used a filament called Ninja-Flex for printing rubbery things. It's not a hard rubber like car tyres, more like the rubber used for elastic bands.