Materials / Compare
FDM HIPS vs. Steel AISI 1018
Compare FDM HIPS vs. Steel AISI 1018 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) | 372MPasourceproducer-stated, cold drawn |
| Ultimate tensile strength | 18.4MPasourcetypical | 441MPasourceproducer-stated, cold drawn |
| Flexural strength | 31.8MPasourcetypical | not sourced |
| Elongation at break | 1.4%sourcetypical | 15%sourcein 2 in (50.8 mm) |
| Young's modulus (stiffness) | 1.59GPasourcetypical | 200GPasourcebase material: AISI 1025 plain carbon steel (MIL-HDBK-5J design value; ASTM A108 bar is the cold-finished carbon-steel bar spec that also covers 1018) |
| Density | 1,023kg/m³sourcetypical | 7,861kg/m³sourcebase material: AISI 1025 plain carbon steel (MIL-HDBK-5J design value; ASTM A108 bar is the cold-finished carbon-steel bar spec that also covers 1018) |
| Strength to weight | 18kN·m/kg | 47.3kN·m/kg2.63x higher |
| Stiffness to weight | 1.55MN·m/kg | 25.4MN·m/kg16.4x higher |
| Poisson's ratio | not sourced | 0.32sourcebase material: AISI 1025 plain carbon steel (MIL-HDBK-5J design value; ASTM A108 bar is the cold-finished carbon-steel bar spec that also covers 1018) |
| Shear modulus | not sourced | 75.7GPa |
| Bulk modulus | not sourced | 185GPa |
| Speed of sound | 1,246m/s | 5,043m/s |
| Thermal | ||
| Thermal conductivity | 0.17W/m·Ksourcebase material: INEOS Styrolution PS 486N injection-molding HIPS, typical | 51.9W/m·Ksourcebase material: AISI 1025 plain carbon steel (MIL-HDBK-5J design value; ASTM A108 bar is the cold-finished carbon-steel bar spec that also covers 1018) |
| Thermal expansion | 80µm/m·Ksourcebase material: INEOS Styrolution PS 486N injection-molding HIPS, typical | 12µm/m·Ksourcebase material: unalloyed carbon steel, Ovako family table (S275JR, 'none alloyed structural steels', C <= 0.21%); mean 20-300 °C |
| 100 mm part over a 50 °C swing | 400µm growth | 60µm growth6.67x less |
| Specific heat | not sourced | 486J/kg·Ksourcebase material: AISI 1025 plain carbon steel (MIL-HDBK-5J design value; ASTM A108 bar is the cold-finished carbon-steel bar spec that also covers 1018) |
| Heats up and cools (diffusivity) | not sourced | 13.6mm²/s |
| Thermal shock resistance | not sourced | 5,473W/m |
| Glass transition | 99°Csourcetypical | not sourced |
| Max service temperature | 86°CsourceHDT 1.8 MPa | not sourced |
| 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. | AISI 1018 cold drawn bar (Niagara LaSalle, cold-finished bar producer) |
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 is 3D printed: its properties depend on build direction and print settings; these are typical values.
Questions
Is FDM HIPS stronger than Steel AISI 1018?
Steel AISI 1018 is stronger: its yield strength is 372 MPa against tensile strength 18.4 MPa for FDM HIPS (20.2x).
Which is lighter, FDM HIPS or Steel AISI 1018?
FDM HIPS is lighter: 1,023 kg/m³ against 7,861 kg/m³ for Steel AISI 1018.
Which is stiffer, FDM HIPS or Steel AISI 1018?
Steel AISI 1018 is stiffer: Young's modulus 200 GPa against 1.59 GPa for FDM HIPS, so the same part in Steel AISI 1018 deflects less under the same load.
Which is lighter for the same job, FDM HIPS or Steel AISI 1018?
For the same stiffness or strength: FDM HIPS is lighter for a stiff panel or plate, strong beam, strong panel or plate; Steel AISI 1018 is lighter for a stiff rod or tie (tension), stiff beam (bending), strong rod or tie.
| Part that must be | FDM HIPS | Steel AISI 1018 |
|---|---|---|
| Stiff rod or tie (tension) | 16.4x heavier | lighter |
| Stiff beam (bending) | 46% heavier | lighter |
| Stiff panel or plate | lighter | 1.53x heavier |
| Strong rod or tie | 2.63x heavier | lighter |
| Strong beam | lighter | 4% heavier |
| Strong panel or plate | lighter | 1.71x heavier |
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 conducts heat better, FDM HIPS or Steel AISI 1018?
Steel AISI 1018 conducts heat better: 51.9 W/m·K against 0.17 W/m·K for FDM HIPS.
Which expands less with temperature?
Steel AISI 1018 expands less: 12 µm/m·K against 80 µm/m·K for FDM HIPS.