So, then....
Which flexible filament should be used when making a flexible cup to drink from?
Are any "food-safe"? (Just thinking here of all of those water bottles that are now labeled as "BHA/PBA free")
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I'd use polyflex.
it's as safe as everything else - which is to say that it's down to the individual to take reponsibility for drinking from a 3d printed cup.
But shouldn't taint the water as much as a tpu based material.
Actually there IS a safe flexible material that is not only anti-bacterial but also anti-viral.
No it's not certified - but it'll kill any microbes that come minto contact with it.
reprapper techs flexible pla with copper.
Copper kills any and all microbes that come into contact with it.
http://reprapper.en.made-in-china.co...-Filament.html
Not sure how it would effect the taste of any liquid - but it would be safe from a bug point of view.
TPUs can be FDA approved, but I haven't seen any filaments so far with the approval. Would be interesting to know.
There is no such thing as FDA "approval" for a material per se', however medical devices can be cleared for marketing through the 510(k) process for class II devices and with clinical trials for class III devices. When FDA reviews a device for marketing, materials of manufacture are among the characteristics that are evaluated by the FDA reviewer. In the case of pharmaceuticals, both the formulary and the manufacturing process are evaluated, including materials that may come in contact with the pharmaceutical during manufacture and packaging.
There is however a list FDA-approved of materials called "GRAS" which stands for "Generally Regarded As Safe". These are for food ingredients and additives rather than materials such as TPU.