YouTuber 3D prints his own model car tires and tests their performance

YouTuber Angus Deveson from the Maker’s Muse channel investigated whether 3D-printed foam, specifically expanding TPU filaments, is suitable as a material for custom-made tires for small robots. The aim was to find out whether wheels and tires can be printed directly instead of using commercially available components. In the field of robotics in particular, it is often difficult to find suitable tire sizes and axle mounts, which is why building your own using additive manufacturing is an obvious solution.

Various flexible filaments were used in the test, which were examined on a motorized test bench under realistic conditions. A small drive ran on a dust-covered MDF board to simulate typical workshop conditions or a robot combat arena. Deveson compared several filaments in terms of traction, flexibility, and general driving behavior.

The most convincing result was delivered by Siraya Tech TPU Air, a thermoplastic polyurethane with a Shore hardness of about 70A. The material contains a heat-activated additive that foams during printing. This creates a structure that is softer and more elastic than conventional TPU. The printed tire resembles real foam rubber in appearance and feel and demonstrated stable driving performance with good cushioning in the tests.

PEBA Air from the same manufacturer, which was also tested, achieved similar but slightly weaker results. Both materials performed better than classic DIY alternatives such as simple TPU without additives or tires laser-cut from EVA foam. In addition, the additive method eliminates the need for a complex casting process.

The issue of tread design was also investigated. Surprisingly, smooth tires offered more grip on smooth surfaces than treaded variants. Nevertheless, the advantage remains that tread patterns can be integrated into 3D printing without additional effort.