Part of the Month | Air Intake Hose

If anyone works with 3D printed parts the most, its our Post Processing Team. Which is why I had Jerriel, one of our Post Processing Technicians, pick out October’s Part of the Month. He chose an air intake hose printed in TPU 92A.

Jerriel was drawn to this part soley because it was made from TPU 92A, which is flexible compared to other materials printed on FDM printers. “Usually parts printed on FDM machines are more solid, so being able to print in TPU for other manufacturing applications is pretty cool,” says Jerriel.

TPU 92A is a thermoplastic polyurethane that is used on FDM machines and exhibits high elongation, durability, abrasion resistance, and superior toughness.

This air intake hose took 9 hours to print on a F123 Series printer. The flex between the ribs is made possible with QSR soluble support. The F123 Series printers are great because they allow users to quickly print complex geometries and large flexible parts with a wide range of materials.

“We print with TPU pretty frequently at Purple, mostly for automotive customers,” said Jerriel. “We are currently printing a part that will be used for a component of a car’s gas cap.” While we wouldn’t recommend making Slinkys out of TPU, you could use the material for handle grips, seals, and protective covers.

To learn more about your printer or material options, stop by our office or give us a call at 949.474.9222.

Meet Jerriel De Jesus

Meet Post-Processing Technician, Jerriel De Jesus. Jerriel cleans and finishes printed parts for Purple Porcupine, prior to shipment. He also maintains the printers in our showroom, keeping them ready for production. Jerriel’s favorite thing about working at Purple is how he can express his skills in detailing craftmanship. He enjoys his work and knowing that Purple’s customers are getting quality parts.

In his free time, Jerriel enjoys making DIY woodworking projects, particularly guitar restoration and refinishing. He enjoys crafting music including writing songs, singing, and playing the guitar. If you haven’t had the chance to meet Jerriel yet, stop by the office and say hi!