Materials / Compare
FDM HIPS vs. Plastic PLA
Compare FDM HIPS vs. Plastic PLA strength, stiffness, weight and thermal properties.
| Try it on a partA bracket to run stress or thermal on, free in your browser | Open in LessCAD | Open in LessCAD |
|---|---|---|
| Mechanical | ||
| Yield strength | not given (tensile used) | 52.5MPasourcetypical |
| Ultimate tensile strength | 18.4MPasourcetypical | 52.5MPasourcetypical, peak stress (= stress at yield) |
| Flexural strength | 31.8MPasourcetypical | 96.8MPasourcetypical3.04x stronger in bending |
| Elongation at break | 1.4%sourcetypical | 7.8%sourcetypical5.57x more ductile |
| Young's modulus (stiffness) | 1.59GPasourcetypical | 3.25GPasourcetypical2.05x stiffer |
| Density | 1,023kg/m³sourcetypical21% lighter | 1,240kg/m³sourcetypical |
| Strength to weight | 18kN·m/kg | 42.3kN·m/kg2.35x higher |
| Stiffness to weight | 1.55MN·m/kg | 2.62MN·m/kg1.69x higher |
| Poisson's ratio | not sourced | not sourced |
| Shear modulus | not sourced | not sourced |
| Bulk modulus | not sourced | not sourced |
| Speed of sound | 1,246m/s | 1,619m/s |
| Thermal | ||
| Thermal conductivity | 0.17W/m·Ksourcebase material: INEOS Styrolution PS 486N injection-molding HIPS, typical | 0.13W/m·Ksourcebase material: NatureWorks Ingeo biopolymer, amorphous sheet, 25 °C |
| Thermal expansion | 80µm/m·Ksourcebase material: INEOS Styrolution PS 486N injection-molding HIPS, typical | not sourced |
| 100 mm part over a 50 °C swing | 400µm growth | not sourced |
| Specific heat | not sourced | 1,200J/kg·Ksourcebase material: NatureWorks Ingeo biopolymer, amorphous sheet, 25 °C |
| Heats up and cools (diffusivity) | not sourced | 0.0874mm²/s |
| Thermal shock resistance | not sourced | not sourced |
| Melting point | not sourced | 152°Csourcetypical |
| Glass transition | 99°Csourcetypical | 59.1°Csourcetypical |
| Max service temperature | 86°CsourceHDT 1.8 MPa | 58.8°CsourceHDT 0.455 MPa (printed specimens) |
| Values for | BASF Forward AM (BASF 3D Printing Solutions) Ultrafuse HiPS, TDS v2.2 (13.11.2019), printed specimens, XY 'Flat'. Specimen print settings are not stated; recommended processing on the sheet: nozzle 240-260 °C, bed 100-120 °C, 40-80 mm/s. Product is discontinued (Forward AM product page) but the TDS is still served by Forward AM. | Ultimaker PLA, 3D-printed specimens, XY (flat) orientation; Ultimaker S5 Pro, engineering intent profile, 0.15 mm layer height, AA 0.4 print core, 100% infill, Cura 4.9, printed one-at-a-time, conditioned >=24 h at room temperature. TDS dated April 20, 2022. |
Every value links to the document that states it. "Not sourced" means no citable source states it (or only a specification minimum); figures computed from it are left out too.
FDM HIPS and Plastic PLA are 3D printed: their properties depend on build direction and print settings; these are typical values.
Questions
Is FDM HIPS stronger than Plastic PLA?
Plastic PLA is stronger: its yield strength is 52.5 MPa against tensile strength 18.4 MPa for FDM HIPS (2.85x).
Which is lighter, FDM HIPS or Plastic PLA?
FDM HIPS is lighter: 1,023 kg/m³ against 1,240 kg/m³ for Plastic PLA.
Which is stiffer, FDM HIPS or Plastic PLA?
Plastic PLA is stiffer: Young's modulus 3.25 GPa against 1.59 GPa for FDM HIPS, so the same part in Plastic PLA deflects less under the same load.
Which is lighter for the same job, FDM HIPS or Plastic PLA?
For the same stiffness or strength: Plastic PLA is lighter for a stiff rod or tie (tension), stiff beam (bending), stiff panel or plate, strong rod or tie, strong beam, strong panel or plate.
| Part that must be | FDM HIPS | Plastic PLA |
|---|---|---|
| Stiff rod or tie (tension) | 1.69x heavier | lighter |
| Stiff beam (bending) | 18% heavier | lighter |
| Stiff panel or plate | 5% heavier | lighter |
| Strong rod or tie | 2.35x heavier | lighter |
| Strong beam | 1.66x heavier | lighter |
| Strong panel or plate | 39% heavier | lighter |
For the same stiffness or strength, mass scales with density over stiffness (or strength) raised to a power set by how the part is loaded: 1 for a rod in tension, 1/2 for a beam in bending, 1/3 for a panel (the standard material-selection indices).
Which is more ductile, FDM HIPS or Plastic PLA?
Plastic PLA stretches further before it breaks: 7.8% elongation at break against 1.4% for FDM HIPS.
Which conducts heat better, FDM HIPS or Plastic PLA?
FDM HIPS conducts heat better: 0.17 W/m·K against 0.13 W/m·K for Plastic PLA.