# Can I print TPU on a Bambu/direct drive vs bowden printer?

Print ordinary TPU from an external spool with a short feed path. Bambu's table marks TPU not compatible with the AMS and AMS lite, and lists TPU 95A, 85A, 83A, and 80A as too soft for that channel. The A1 record does not say whether the extruder is direct drive.

Print ordinary TPU from an external spool with a short feed path. Bambu's table marks TPU not compatible with the AMS and AMS lite, and lists TPU 95A, 85A, 83A, and 80A as too soft for that channel. The A1 record does not say whether the extruder is direct drive.

Feed ordinary TPU from the spool holder on a short tube. Do not send it through the AMS or AMS lite. Bambu marks that path not compatible, and the comments that actually answer the question say the same thing: dry the spool and keep the PTFE short. [Flexible filament](/answers/flex), the [AMS](/answers/ams), [drying](/answers/drying), and [storage](/answers/storage) are the rest. [Ender-3 filaments](/answers/ender_filament) is the Bowden case, where TPU is not even on the original model's list.

## The table and the printers

[Bambu's filament guide](https://wiki.bambulab.com/en/general/filament-guide-material-table) marks TPU compatible with open-frame and enclosed printers, and Not Compatible with the AMS and AMS lite. The soft-filament note names TPU 95A, 85A, 83A, and 80A. The nozzle table lists TPU for AMS, TPU 95A HF, TPU 85A, and TPU 90A at 200–250 °C (392–482 °F) and says a hardened nozzle is not required. It also says 0.2 mm is not recommended for TPU. The catalog rows are tighter than that wiki window: [TPU 95A HF](/brand/bambu-lab/tpu-95a-hf) and [TPU for AMS](/brand/bambu-lab/tpu-for-ams) both list 220–240 °C (428–464 °F) and a bed of 30–35 °C (86–95 °F), and both dry at 70 °C (158 °F) for 8 hours. [Prusament TPU 95A](/brand/prusament/tpu-95a) lists 220–240 °C (428–464 °F) and a bed of 55–75 °C (131–167 °F), dried at 60 °C (140 °F) for 6 hours. [TPU](/material/tpu) is the hub.

[A1](/printer/bambu-lab-a1) lists 300 °C (572 °F), a 100 °C (212 °F) bed, AMS lite, and a pre-installed 0.4 mm stainless nozzle. Direct drive is blank because the FAQ used for that record does not say. [A1 mini](/printer/bambu-lab-a1-mini) lists 300 °C (572 °F), an 80 °C (176 °F) bed, AMS lite, and a stainless nozzle. Hardened nozzles are sold separately on both. TPU does not need one, on Bambu's table.

A Bowden extruder is a long tube between the feeder and the hotend. Creality's comparison table calls the original Ender-3 Bowden and does not list TPU for that model. The score-62 comment on the TPU thread is the practical version of that geometry: minimal PTFE, filament fed toward the hotend, spool dried first.

## The threads

[r/BambuLab 1lyrd5i](https://www.reddit.com/r/BambuLab/comments/1lyrd5i/) is an A1 combo with no spool holder and an AMS that cannot take TPU. The score-55 comment says load TPU and pick a generic TPU profile. It does not say to force the AMS.

[r/BambuLab 1jrz7xv](https://www.reddit.com/r/BambuLab/comments/1jrz7xv/) is the start-here thread. The score-62 comment says dry it on arrival, use as little PTFE as possible, and prefer a dry box. Wet TPU bubbling in the hotend is the failure they name. The score-22 comment's 60A-to-60D span is a description of the material family, not a spec for the three rows above.

[r/FixMyPrint 14g1pmc](https://www.reddit.com/r/FixMyPrint/comments/14g1pmc/) is scarring. The score-12 comment says look at Z, grease, and dust. No excerpt was supplied for the other two Bambu links.

Updated 2026-10-19. Sources accessed 2026-10-19. Use case: Flexible.

## Ranked filaments

| Rank | Filament | Nozzle | Bed | Price per kg |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | Bambu Lab TPU 95A HF | 220–240 °C (428–464 °F) | 30–35 °C (86–95 °F) | — |
| 2 | Bambu Lab TPU for AMS | 220–240 °C (428–464 °F) | 30–35 °C (86–95 °F) | — |
| 3 | Prusament TPU 95A | 220–240 °C (428–464 °F) | 55–75 °C (131–167 °F) | — |

## What the community says

r/BambuLab 1lyrd5i asks how to print TPU on an A1 combo with no spool holder, because it will not go through the AMS. The score-55 comment says load TPU and use a generic TPU profile. r/BambuLab 1jrz7xv is about starting TPU. The score-62 comment says dry it, feed it straight into the hotend with as little PTFE as possible, and print from a dry box if you have one. The score-22 comment says hardness runs from about 60A to above 60D. That range is the comment. r/FixMyPrint 14g1pmc is scarring on a TPU print. The score-12 comment says check Z for a bad spot, grease, or dust. No excerpt was supplied for r/BambuLab 1qewlf8 or 1jwyyjg.

## Sources

- [Bambu Lab filament guide](https://wiki.bambulab.com/en/general/filament-guide-material-table) (manufacturer)
- [Bambu A1 FAQ](https://wiki.bambulab.com/en/a1/manual/faq) (manufacturer)
- [Bambu TPU 95A HF technical data sheet](https://cdn.shopify.com/s/files/1/0584/7236/6216/files/Bambu_TPU_95A_HF_Technical_Data_Sheet.pdf?v=1700101819) (datasheet)
- [Bambu TPU for AMS technical data sheet](https://cdn.shopify.com/s/files/1/0584/7236/6216/files/Bambu_TPU_for_AMS_Technical_Data_Sheet.pdf?v=1730944629) (datasheet)
- [Open Filament Database, Prusament TPU 95A](https://api.openfilamentdatabase.org/api/v1/brands/prusament/materials/TPU/filaments/tpu_95a/index.json) (other)
- [Community source, r/BambuLab 1lyrd5i](https://www.reddit.com/r/BambuLab/comments/1lyrd5i/) (reddit)
- [Community source, r/BambuLab 1jrz7xv](https://www.reddit.com/r/BambuLab/comments/1jrz7xv/) (reddit)
- [Community source, r/FixMyPrint 14g1pmc](https://www.reddit.com/r/FixMyPrint/comments/14g1pmc/) (reddit)
- [Community source, r/BambuLab 1qewlf8](https://www.reddit.com/r/BambuLab/comments/1qewlf8/) (reddit)
- [Community source, r/BambuLab 1jwyyjg](https://www.reddit.com/r/BambuLab/comments/1jwyyjg/) (reddit)

HTML: https://filamentfacts.com/answers/tpu_ams