From beginners to experts, NinjaTek 3D Printing Filament is a go-to source for when you’re ready to add some flexibility to your 3D printing projects. With filaments like Cheetah and the ever-rubbery Ninjaflex you can 3D print some impressively stretchy and compliant 3D designs, but flexible materials are not NinjaTek’s only focus; NinjaTek Armadillo is a powerful alternative to traditional rigid 3D printing materials, such as PLA and ABS, and offers so much more thanks to its particular chemical makeup. 

Let's break it down-

Shore Hardness

"Material Hardness, or Shore Hardness as it is most commonly referred to, is the unit of measurement for determining on a scale how hard each material is. Every object can be placed on one of the several scales (Shore 00, Shore A, and Shore D), with each becoming progressively harder. A hard hat would be 100D, but a rubber band would measure 30A.

To protect the wearer from falling debris, a hard hat is made of a plastic that measures 100D on the Shore Hardness scale.
To protect the wearer from falling debris, a hard hat is made of a plastic that measures 100D on the Shore Hardness scale.

Armadillo

Among NinjaTek’s 3D printing material offerings, NinjaTek Armadillo is the most familiar of the bunch. Made from specially formulated thermoplastic polyurethanes (TPU) and boasting a shore hardness of 75D, Armadillo is the only non-flexible TPU offered by NinjaTek -- it’s toughness, abrasion resistance, and virtually no warping issues make for an excellent alternative to PLA, ABS, and other commonly used rigid materials.  In fact, Armadillo is 84% more abrasion resistant than PLA and 60% better than ABS. Best of all, a heated bed is not required which means that with a little bit of MatterHackers Stick Stick applied to your print bed you’ll be ready to go.

NinjaTek Armadillo is fairly rigid material while still being a fully capable TPU.
NinjaTek Armadillo is fairly rigid material while still being a fully capable TPU.

Cheetah

With a name like NinjaTek Cheetah it’s no surprise that this flexible filament can be printed at twice the speed of other flexible materials on the market. Combine this with Cheetah’s high impact strength and abrasion resistance to find the perfect blend of speed, toughness, and strength. These materials are reinforced by Cheetah’s shore hardness of 95A and patented low friction surface for smooth feeding and supreme elongation capabilities. Cheetah is able to deliver all of this while still being accessible to even the most basic 3D printers; just like Armadillo, this filament can be successfully printed with or without a heated bed.

A simple strap 3D printed in NinjaTek Cheetah showcases the capability of this easy to 3D print material.
A simple strap 3D printed in NinjaTek Cheetah showcases the capability of this easy to 3D print material.

NinjaFlex

When it comes to flexible materials, NinjaTek gets it right with Ninjaflex, their original, and quite possibly, the first flexible material to hit the market. At 85A this 3D printing material is a fantastic choice for your projects and products that need to bend, flex, twist, and stretch; from phone cases to watch bands or even full-sized shoes. For optimal results, make sure your 3D printer features an extruder with a constrained filament path to ensure the best possible results.

Ninjaflex is one of if not the most flexible 3D printing filament on the market and makes for great 3D printed phone cases.
Ninjaflex is one of if not the most flexible 3D printing filament on the market and makes for great 3D printed phone cases.

If you’re looking to step into the world of flexible 3D printing NinjaTek 3D printing filament is the choice for you. To learn more about how you can succeed with flexible materials and to order your spool from NinjaTek today, check out the collection here.