Materials / Compare
FDM HIPS vs. Plastic TPU
Compare FDM HIPS vs. Plastic TPU 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) | not given (tensile used) |
| Ultimate tensile strength | 18.4MPasourcetypical | 23.7MPasourcetypical, stress at break |
| Flexural strength | 31.8MPasourcetypical7.76x stronger in bending | 4.1MPasourcetypical |
| Elongation at break | 1.4%sourcetypical | not sourced |
| Young's modulus (stiffness) | 1.59GPasourcetypical23.7x stiffer | 0.067GPasourcetypical |
| Density | 1,023kg/m³sourcetypical19% lighter | 1,220kg/m³sourcetypical |
| Strength to weight | 18kN·m/kg | 19.4kN·m/kg8% higher |
| Stiffness to weight | 1.55MN·m/kg28.3x higher | 0.0549MN·m/kg |
| 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 | 234m/s |
| Thermal | ||
| Thermal conductivity | 0.17W/m·Ksourcebase material: INEOS Styrolution PS 486N injection-molding HIPS, typical | not sourced |
| 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 | not sourced |
| Heats up and cools (diffusivity) | not sourced | not sourced |
| Thermal shock resistance | not sourced | not sourced |
| Melting point | not sourced | 217°Csourcetypical |
| Glass transition | 99°Csourcetypical | not sourced |
| Max service temperature | 86°CsourceHDT 1.8 MPa | 50.3°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 TPU 95A, 3D-printed specimens, XY (flat); 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 (file v5.00), April 29, 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 TPU are 3D printed: their properties depend on build direction and print settings; these are typical values.
Questions
Is FDM HIPS stronger than Plastic TPU?
Plastic TPU is stronger: its tensile strength is 23.7 MPa against 18.4 MPa for FDM HIPS (29%).
Which is lighter, FDM HIPS or Plastic TPU?
FDM HIPS is lighter: 1,023 kg/m³ against 1,220 kg/m³ for Plastic TPU.
Which is stiffer, FDM HIPS or Plastic TPU?
FDM HIPS is stiffer: Young's modulus 1.59 GPa against 0.067 GPa for Plastic TPU, so the same part in FDM HIPS deflects less under the same load.
Which is lighter for the same job, FDM HIPS or Plastic TPU?
For the same stiffness or strength: FDM HIPS is lighter for a stiff rod or tie (tension), stiff beam (bending), stiff panel or plate, strong panel or plate; Plastic TPU is lighter for a strong rod or tie.
| Part that must be | FDM HIPS | Plastic TPU |
|---|---|---|
| Stiff rod or tie (tension) | lighter | 28.3x heavier |
| Stiff beam (bending) | lighter | 5.81x heavier |
| Stiff panel or plate | lighter | 3.43x heavier |
| Strong rod or tie | 8% heavier | lighter |
| Strong beam | about equal | about equal |
| Strong panel or plate | lighter | 5% 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).