Printing tyres and tracks
So a general question on printing tyres and tracks (relating to a model I have published).
The standard traditional answer is TPU 95A but they do not grip the ground very well.
I have taken to using TPU 60-65A but it's extremely challenging to print and also not that grippy.
I have taken to using foaming filaments whose shore hardness is changed by heating, as these come rigid int o the extruder and then become flexible in the nozzle. Now I get a muich softer tyre which deforms to the road better, and depending on the material, grippier than TPU of similar shore, but they're still not as good as rubber. (It's almost like tyres are rubber for a reason ... )
Grip sprays don't work and my days of gluing rubber to printed wheels and tracks are over.
So any suggestions on this?
Apart from buying tyres and printing wheels to fit them?
What about casting wheels with foam? Print a mould and pour the liquid in?
Thanks!
RE: Printing tyres and tracks
Siraya Tech has a new(ish) flexible called PEBA that has better elastic rebound than TPU, but I don't know about grip. I tried asking at their booth during the last 3DPrintopia, but the Siraya Tech representative either didn't understand my question or couldn't clearly hear my question over the show floor noise. Siraya Tech also has a foaming PEBA variant. They have also come out with another blend that they claim to be better for footwear called Roamr. Lots of talk on the about page of comfort and "elastic rebound", but I don't see any mention about traction/grippyness.
Just some ideas for you to experiment with.
See my (limited) designs on:
Printables - https://www.printables.com/@Sembazuru
Thingiverse - https://www.thingiverse.com/Sembazuru/designs