{
  "opening": "Bambu TPU 85A lists a nozzle of 200–250 °C (392–482 °F), a bed of 30–35 °C (86–95 °F), and a Shore A hardness of 85, which is a softness scale where a lower number bends more easily. Bambu TPU 90A uses that same nozzle and bed at Shore A 90. PolyLite PETG lists 220–250 °C (428–482 °F) and a bed of 70–90 °C (158–194 °F), and the catalog stores no Shore hardness for it. Pick the TPU when the part must bend. Pick the PETG when it should keep its shape.",
  "question": "PETG or TPU when the part has to flex?",
  "slug": "petg_vs_tpu",
  "useCase": "flexible",
  "useCaseLabel": "Flexible",
  "updated": "2026-10-27",
  "shortAnswer": "Bambu TPU 85A lists a nozzle of 200–250 °C (392–482 °F), a bed of 30–35 °C (86–95 °F), and a Shore A hardness of 85, which is a softness scale where a lower number bends more easily. Bambu TPU 90A uses that same nozzle and bed at Shore A 90. PolyLite PETG lists 220–250 °C (428–482 °F) and a bed of 70–90 °C (158–194 °F), and the catalog stores no Shore hardness for it. Pick the TPU when the part must bend. Pick the PETG when it should keep its shape.",
  "recommendedMaterials": [
    "tpu",
    "petg"
  ],
  "printerConsiderations": [
    "Shore A is a hardness scale for rubbery plastics. 85 bends more easily than 90. PETG on this page has no Shore number because it is not sold as that kind of rubber.",
    "A flexible filament still needs a path the extruder can push. [How to print TPU](/answers/flex) and [Shore hardness](/answers/tpu_hardness) cover the setup. [Flexible parts](/answers/flexible) is the use page. [How to print PETG](/answers/petg_print) is the stiffer material.",
    "The comments supplied for this question are about build plates. They do not measure how far a part bends."
  ],
  "pros": [
    "The hardness numbers are the Shore A values stored on the two Bambu TPU rows.",
    "PETG stays in the comparison as the stiffer polyester, with its own nozzle, bed, and heat-deflection figures."
  ],
  "cons": [
    "No bend test comparing these three spools is cited here. Shore A is hardness, not a flex-life count.",
    "Plate advice in the comments names smooth PEI, textured PEI, G10, and glue. Those are comments. They are not a Bambu or Polymaker setting."
  ],
  "community": "Comments on the supplied threads talk about build plates for TPU, PETG, and PLA. One says a smooth PEI plate plus a glue stick works as an interface. Another says textured PEI covers those materials, with glue sometimes used for TPU. Another splits PEI, G10, and a Glacier plate by material. None of those comments is a flex measurement.",
  "related": [
    "flex",
    "tpu_hardness",
    "flexible",
    "petg_print"
  ],
  "faq": [
    {
      "q": "PETG or TPU when the part has to flex?",
      "a": "Bambu TPU 85A lists a nozzle of 200–250 °C (392–482 °F), a bed of 30–35 °C (86–95 °F), and a Shore A hardness of 85, which is a softness scale where a lower number bends more easily. Bambu TPU 90A uses that same nozzle and bed at Shore A 90. PolyLite PETG lists 220–250 °C (428–482 °F) and a bed of 70–90 °C (158–194 °F), and the catalog stores no Shore hardness for it. Pick the TPU when the part must bend. Pick the PETG when it should keep its shape."
    },
    {
      "q": "Can PETG replace TPU if I only need a little flex?",
      "a": "PETG can spring a little and still return, but it is not the elastomer. The two TPU rows publish Shore A 85 and Shore A 90. PolyLite PETG publishes no Shore hardness. [TPU hardness](/answers/tpu_hardness), [flexible filament](/answers/flex), and [flexible parts](/answers/flexible) are the rubber pages. [PETG printing](/answers/petg_print) is the stiffer one."
    },
    {
      "q": "Do the comments pick a winner?",
      "a": "They pick plates. A smooth PEI plate with glue, textured PEI, and a split of PEI, G10, and Glacier all appear as comments. Treat them as plate notes, then use the hardness numbers above for the material."
    }
  ],
  "sources": [
    {
      "title": "Bambu TPU 85A technical data sheet",
      "url": "https://cdn.shopify.com/s/files/1/0645/5876/0155/files/Bambu_TPU_85A_Technical_Data_Sheet_a7233668-497b-487f-af8a-3adb49fafaa1.pdf",
      "kind": "datasheet"
    },
    {
      "title": "Bambu TPU 90A technical data sheet",
      "url": "https://cdn.shopify.com/s/files/1/0645/5876/0155/files/Bambu_TPU_90A_Technical_Data_Sheet_582bf8f6-1f0a-474c-aeda-9e72af3689dc.pdf",
      "kind": "datasheet"
    },
    {
      "title": "PolyLite PETG technical data sheet V5.4",
      "url": "https://cdn.shopify.com/s/files/1/0548/7299/7945/files/PolyLite_PETG_TDS_EN_V5.4.pdf",
      "kind": "datasheet"
    },
    {
      "title": "Community source, r/BambuLab 1ngnb0h",
      "url": "https://www.reddit.com/r/BambuLab/comments/1ngnb0h/",
      "kind": "reddit"
    },
    {
      "title": "Community source, r/BambuLab 1lm8ohj",
      "url": "https://www.reddit.com/r/BambuLab/comments/1lm8ohj/",
      "kind": "reddit"
    },
    {
      "title": "Community source, r/prusa3d 1b0ys48",
      "url": "https://www.reddit.com/r/prusa3d/comments/1b0ys48/",
      "kind": "reddit"
    },
    {
      "title": "Community source, r/BambuLab 183nzbk",
      "url": "https://www.reddit.com/r/BambuLab/comments/183nzbk/",
      "kind": "reddit"
    },
    {
      "title": "Community source, r/BambuLab 1da4ewf",
      "url": "https://www.reddit.com/r/BambuLab/comments/1da4ewf/",
      "kind": "reddit"
    }
  ],
  "recommendations": [
    {
      "rank": 1,
      "note": "Catalog nozzle 200–250 °C (392–482 °F) and bed 30–35 °C (86–95 °F), Open Filament Database, verified 13 October 2026. Shore A hardness is 85. Drying stored from the technical data sheet is 70 °C (158 °F) for 8 h. The sheet URL is the Bambu TPU 85A technical data sheet.",
      "brand": "Bambu Lab",
      "product": "TPU 85A",
      "material": "TPU",
      "url": "/brand/bambu-lab/tpu-85a",
      "nozzle": "200–250 °C (392–482 °F)",
      "bed": "30–35 °C (86–95 °F)",
      "pricePerKg": null,
      "datasheetUrl": "https://cdn.shopify.com/s/files/1/0645/5876/0155/files/Bambu_TPU_85A_Technical_Data_Sheet_a7233668-497b-487f-af8a-3adb49fafaa1.pdf?v=1741314674",
      "affiliateUrl": null
    },
    {
      "rank": 2,
      "note": "Catalog nozzle 200–250 °C (392–482 °F) and bed 30–35 °C (86–95 °F), Open Filament Database, verified 13 October 2026. Shore A hardness is 90. Drying stored from the technical data sheet is 70 °C (158 °F) for 8 h. A higher Shore A number is the firmer of these two TPU rows. It is still an elastomer.",
      "brand": "Bambu Lab",
      "product": "TPU 90A",
      "material": "TPU",
      "url": "/brand/bambu-lab/tpu-90a",
      "nozzle": "200–250 °C (392–482 °F)",
      "bed": "30–35 °C (86–95 °F)",
      "pricePerKg": null,
      "datasheetUrl": "https://cdn.shopify.com/s/files/1/0645/5876/0155/files/Bambu_TPU_90A_Technical_Data_Sheet_582bf8f6-1f0a-474c-aeda-9e72af3689dc.pdf",
      "affiliateUrl": null
    },
    {
      "rank": 3,
      "note": "Catalog nozzle 220–250 °C (428–482 °F) and bed 70–90 °C (158–194 °F), Open Filament Database, verified 13 October 2026. Drying on the PolyLite PETG technical data sheet is 65 °C (149 °F) for 6 h, checked 18 October 2026. Heat-deflection temperature, checked 21 October 2026, is 78 °C (172 °F) at 0.45 MPa and 75 °C (167 °F) at 1.8 MPa, ISO 75. No Shore hardness is stored.",
      "brand": "Polymaker",
      "product": "Polylite PETG",
      "material": "PETG",
      "url": "/brand/polymaker/polylite-petg",
      "nozzle": "220–250 °C (428–482 °F)",
      "bed": "70–90 °C (158–194 °F)",
      "pricePerKg": null,
      "datasheetUrl": "https://cdn.shopify.com/s/files/1/0548/7299/7945/files/PolyLite_PETG_TDS_EN_V5.4.pdf",
      "affiliateUrl": null
    }
  ]
}