How well does A1 or A1 Mini print super soft TPE?

Bambu Lab A1 Series General Discussions
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I’m looking to buy a printer that I would dedicate solely to printing just TPU and TPE. Why dedicated? Well, prices are now so darn cheap, the question is almost: why not? The lower you go in shore hardness, the more difficult it gets, and the higher the chance of a jam. I don’t won’t my mainline machine (presently an X1C) taken out by a jam. I hate jams. It’s just a big hassle, even on an X1C.

How well does either the A1 or A1 Mini handle low shore filament without jamming? I don’t own either one, or I would just test it myself, so I’m asking those of you who do own it and have tested it out on such filaments.

Just from reading, I see these as potential tradeoffs:

  1. A1 uses a reverse bowden tube. This is potentially problematic for a low shore TPE or TPU, because it adds potential friction… Can it be fed directly without using a bowden tube?
  2. In its favor, the quick change of nozzles in the event of a jam would be a huge win. A1 or A1 Mini score big in this area.
  3. The A1’s single pinch roller. This turns out to be an advantage over double pinch for non-flexible filaments because it greatly reduces artifacting. However, one of the youtubers claims that for very soft highly flexible filaments, like TPE, a double pinch is preferably, because it allows the extruder to grab harder onto the filaments and stuff it into the hotend.
  4. The real-time printhead pressure monitoring and adjustment of the A1 and A1 Mini (do they both have it) might help. Surely, it couldn’t hurt?

Opinions? Suggestions? Advice? Anyone with real world data?

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At time index 9:20 he illustrates the bowden tube problem using cooked spaghetti and a straw:

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Hello,
At the beginning, I had difficulties with TPU95A and 85 A: permanent under-extrusion. I modified the bobbin holder to limit friction by including ball bearings and making a smooth axle for cardboard bobbins. Since then, I’ve had no more problems with my A1.

2 Likes
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I’ve been thinking of doing this , can you share what you used?

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I use this one : A1 Spool Shaft with bearings by iRupert - MakerWorld

and for cardboard spool, I add this : Sunlu+Anycubic+Crealty Spool Adaper Bambu AMS Lite by Redsnapper - MakerWorld