Seals and dampers from 3D printing
Printed TPU seals, enclosure gaskets and damping elements for dust, splash and vibration protection. Quickly available for one-offs and small batches where a molded seal would not be economical.
TPU samples usually within 2 to 4 working days
Where printed seals work
Printed TPU seals suit static to mildly dynamic applications without high pressure. Beyond that we state the limit openly instead of delivering an unsuitable solution.
Enclosure sealing against dust and splash water
Continuous TPU seals on lids and covers, matched to the actual groove geometry of the enclosure.
Static flange gaskets
Flat gaskets between two static surfaces, for example on test rigs or small-batch enclosures.
Damping elements and bumpers
End stop bumpers and vibration dampers that absorb shocks where no media sealing is required.
Cable entries and grommets
Contoured grommets that seal a cable entry against dust, for non-standard diameters without a catalog part.
Suitable materials
For printed seals and dampers practically only TPU applies, a flexible filament with good recovery under moderate compression and reasonable resistance to dust, water and many oils.
Read the materials guideDetails for a working seal
- 01Groove geometry or sealing face as STEP data, so the seal fits precisely.
- 02Expected medium: air, dust, water, oil, so we can realistically assess TPU suitability.
- 03Clamping force or lid screw torque, to tune compression and wall thickness.
- 04Whether the sealing joint stays closed permanently or is opened regularly, due to compression set.
- 05Ambient temperature at the installation site, since TPU softens faster under heat.
What printed seals can do and where the limit lies
A printed TPU seal is built layer by layer, and that means it ages differently from a molded elastomer seal. The surface of a well-tuned TPU seal is smooth enough to reliably seal against dust and splash water, as long as the mating surface is flat and compression stays moderate. For purely static applications such as a lid seal on an electronics enclosure, this is sufficient in practice.
As soon as pressure comes into play, the picture changes significantly. Hydraulic or pneumatic systems at several bar operating pressure require a seal with a defined, tested material structure without layer boundaries that could act as potential leak paths. Permanently dynamic loading, for example on a moving shaft, also rules out a printed solution. We state that clearly here, because an unsuitable seal in operation costs more than the procurement time it would have saved.
Compression set is the effect that eventually limits printed seals when they stay permanently compressed. After weeks under constant clamping force, TPU no longer springs back fully, and the sealing gap leaks even though the geometry still looks unchanged. We counter this by designing compression deliberately lower than the material data would theoretically allow, and by using larger sealing cross-sections for lids that are opened rarely.
Manufacturing data at a glance
- Location
- Schleswig, Germany
- Part size
- up to approx. 250 x 250 x 250 mm, larger parts split and joined
- Quantities
- 1 to several thousand, no minimum order quantity
- Tolerances
- approx. ±0.2 mm for PLA, PETG and carbon grades, ±0.3 mm for ABS, ASA and PC
- Layer height
- 0.10 to 0.30 mm
- Materials
- 20 engineering filaments from PLA to PA12-CF and PC FR
- File formats
- STEP, STL, 3MF, OBJ, IGES up to 200 MB
- Lead time
- 2 to 4 working days for samples, 4 to 15 working days for series
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Seal FAQ
- Can a printed seal hold pressure?
- For static sealing against dust, splash water or light vacuum, TPU works well. For hydraulics, pneumatics at several bar or permanently dynamic sealing points, we do not recommend a printed solution, but a standard O-ring or molded elastomer seal.
- What shore hardness should I choose for a seal?
- Softer TPU grades conform better to uneven surfaces and need less compression force, but lose recovery faster under permanent compression. Harder grades hold shape and contours better but need a cleaner mating surface. We advise based on the installation situation and clamping force rather than fixing a shore value upfront.
- How do I prevent the seal from leaking after some time?
- The main cause is compression set: the seal stays partially compressed after sustained loading and no longer fully closes the gap. We therefore size compression deliberately moderate and avoid designs that keep the seal permanently near its maximum squeeze.
- Is a printed TPU seal food safe?
- We do not offer certified food-safe materials. For seals with food contact or exposure to aggressive chemicals, a printed part is not the right choice; a certified molded elastomer part should be used instead.
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