Application Note
Why “Correct Hardness” Still Fails in TPU / TPE Applications
In many TPU and TPE projects, material selection often begins with a single number: hardness.
While hardness is an important descriptor, it is frequently treated as a decision variable rather than a result.
This oversimplification is one of the most common reasons why applications fail even when the “correct” hardness has been selected.
Application Context
Hardness-based selection is common across extrusion, injection molding, overmolding, and soft-touch applications.
In early project stages, materials with similar Shore hardness values are often considered interchangeable.
However, field performance frequently diverges despite identical nominal hardness.
Key Constraints That Ha...
