Table of Contents
Yousu Red TPU is relatively new on the Amazon USA storefront. Their USA TPU inventory typically includes Red, White and Black 1kg rolls. Positive experiences with Yousu’s PLA, Silk Pearlescent PLA (gold) and Yousu Iform liquid Resin grey, encouraged me to retry printing with TPU.
Guangzhou Yousu 3D Technology Co., Limited was established back in January 2013 and sells a variety of filament types. Yousu’s full line up of filaments includes: ABS, PLA, Silk, PETG, TPU, HIPS, PC, Nylon, PEI and PEEK. Even though you may not be familiar with the brand, keep reading to see if their TPU is worth trying.
Yousu TPU Filament Packaging
Filament rolls are often shipped in blank and unsecured cartons with basic black spools. Yousu continues to provide professional looking packaging, spool winding and sealing. The various types of filaments are contained in a custom printed box with easy to read labels that perform double duty to seal the boxes shut. Personally I have received several rolls intact, when the box was shipped by itself without an outer container.
Yousu’s filaments are wound around a (wide – 75mm) clear plastic spool. These spools use clear labels in four languages that include: percentage available marks, material type, diameter, temperature ranges and multiple social media addresses. Filaments are neatly wrapped around the spool, packaged with a desiccant pack and tightly vacuumed in an oversized resealable bag. Save that bag for storage and enjoy the smooth unwinding of your new roll.
NOTE: Random boxes from Yousu might be packaged with a free 0.4 MK8 nozzle and/or a 0.4 cleaning needle. May the odds be in your favor!
3D Printing Comments
3D printing with TPU is more difficult that printing with common PLA, which most hobbyists start out with. Slower print speeds, hotter print beds, various hotend temperatures, minimal retractions and filament moisture must all be considered when setting up a slicer profile. Direct Drive extruder setups are preferred when printing TPU. However machines with Bowden setups can be used, if the print speed and retractions are turned down significantly.
Personally I have only tried one other roll of TPU, since starting my 3D printing hobby. Those prints were successful, yet simple key chains. While printing Yousu’s Red TPU I challenged myself to make more complex items. Additionally I used the new-to-me Biqu BX printer with their dual geared H2 direct drive hotend setup.
Yousu TPU Filament Slicer Setup
Setting up a newly released printer to use Yousu Red TPU was not difficult, but it did require some trial and error. Biqu’s BX is the first printer I own that has both a direct drive and dual gear extrusion setup. Since the BX was brand new from its Kickstarter campaign, built in profiles did not exist yet for Cura. After setting up the basic machine size and extruder information, tweaking of temperature, speed and retraction settings were required to minimize stringing and surface defects. Yousu TPU stuck to the print surface and had great layer adhesion for the entire suggested temperature range. Speed and layer height did not affect the print quality any differently than it would for PLA.
Adjustments to retraction length affected the amount and thickness of stringing the most. Mistakenly I tried retractions all the way upto 2mm, which did in fact cause jams on my Biqu BX. Apparently direct drive setups should have retractions between zero and 1mm. Using lower retractions did help help reduce stringing.
Printing with TPU, much like PETG, can be frustrating. Various tips are available in regards to temperatures and retraction settings. Using someone else’s profile will get your started towards tuning for your own machine. Realistically though, each machine’s profile still needs to be setup and tuned.
Yousu Red Printing Experiments
Shortly after opening my roll of Yousu RED TPU, I realized I didn’t know what flexible designs I wanted to print. Key chains, simple shapes and fidget/squish objects is what I started with. Flatter items typically string less and are simple to clean up. Squish specific designs like the octopus can be torture tests for you profile, but are fun when successful. Typically squishy projects don’t use (many) supports. With some testing and tweaking Yousu TPU and my Biqu BX succeeded in printing removable supports.
In the slideshow are various shapes that were printed while experimenting with my Cura profile. Most of them were successful with minimal stringing. Practice and minor adjustments will help create nearly perfect prints!
TIP: Don’t let your TPU filament rolls absorb to much moisture. Typically it will affect your print’s outer surfaces. In addition you may get EXCESSIVE stringing. Before you return or throw away a roll of TPU (regardless of brand), try drying the filament and print again. My final print while “testing” Yousu Red TPU was this customized Metallica statue I cobbled together. Eventually I will print it again. Rock on!!!
Yousu TPU Filament Conclusion
If you are in the market for some flexible filament or just want to experiment, Yousu TPU is a good brand to use. Bed adhesion was excellent using the entire suggested temperature range. Layer adhesion was strong while testing multiple layer heights. Yousu’s Red is vibrant and matches their PLA filament. Once you dial in your slicer profile, Yousu RED TPU will be a pleasure to print with. Just be sure to keep your filament dry!
Note: The Metallica key chain has been in my pocket for two months, without any tears or peeling. It makes a nice fidget while bored at work!!
If you have made it this far, why not check out some more articles from me Mechanical Bob as well as some of these below.
Related Articles:
- Michael introduces us to the Voxelab Aquila in his review
- William checks out the Wainlux L3 laser via kickstarter in his article
- Carl tempts me to modify one of my machines talking about the WhamBam Mutant Quick Change Tool System in this news blur
- Lynne showcased some printable projects for moms that can be shared year round in her presentation
Yousu Red TPU is another excellent quality filament to add to your collection. The custom packaging, spool labeling and windings match Yousu's other types and colors of filaments. Regardless of temperature and speed, while creating a new profile, the TPU stuck to the bed and itself every time! Yousu TPU Red matches their PLA Red and is a pleasant and consistent shade of red. With a 95 shore hardness your prints will be flexible yet firm depending on the shape, wall thickness and infill percentage. Printing with TPU can be challenging with a bowden or direct drive set. With the great adhesion and a wide temperature range, Yousu filament prints exceptionally with a tuned slicer profile. If you are in need of some TPU, give Yousu a try.
