Haptics, hand, and hardness are three descriptors of the feel of a material. While hardness is often used as a default measure for elastomers, it often provides the least information and can even be misleading. So what should you be considering?

Thermoplastic elastomers, or TPE, are a broad class of polymer that includes a multi-phase polymer system. With so many variations and corresponding differences in properties and cost, how do you know which is right for your application?

Adhesion, or bondability, is key when discussing thermoplastic elastomer materials because they are often overmolded onto a rigid substrate.