3D Printing Info

Filament comparison

HIPS vs PA12

Compare printing settings, strength, heat resistance, dated prices and sources.

HIPS guidePA12 (Nylon 12) guide

2 selected · all documented properties

Open these two in the interactive comparisonMore HIPS comparisonsMore PA12 comparisons
HIPS vs PA12 — documented properties and sources
PropertyHIPSABSPA12 (Nylon 12)PA
Market snapshot
Listing priceUSD/kg; dated snapshots$29.99/kg median; $27.99–$32.00/kg across 3 dated product listings$64.33/kg median; $36.00–$170.67/kg across 3 dated product listings
Identity & Market
Base polymer / chemistryHigh-impact polystyrene — polystyrene toughened with a butadiene rubber phase[1][2]Polyamide 12 — the longest-chain common nylon, with the fewest amide groups per unit mass and so the least moisture uptake[3][4]
Densityg/cm³1.04 (ISO 1183)[1]1.01 specific gravity (Stratasys FDM Nylon 12, ASTM D792)[5]
Typical priceUSD/kg1 kg spools cluster near 31[6][7]1 kg-equivalent spools span 36–171; the middle of the market is about 64[8][9]
Price range across brandsUSD/kg28–32 across brands; YXPOLYER 28, Push Plastic 30, 3DXTech 32[7][6][10]36–171 across brands; IEMAI 3D 36, Fiberlogy 64 at 3DJake, 3DXTech AmideX Nylon 12 171[8][6][9]
Market availability1–5Available from several mainstream brands[6][7]Available from several mainstream brands[8][6]
Spool sizes & diameters1.75 and 2.85 mm; 1 and 3 kg spools[7][6]1.75 and 2.85 mm; 750 g and 1 kg spools[6][8]
Typical applicationsBreak-away and d-limonene-soluble support for ABS and ASA, and a light model material in its own right[2]Dimensionally stable functional parts, ducting and living hinges where PA6 would move too much with humidity[3][11]
Printing Parameters
Nozzle temperature°C230–245 (Simplify3D)[12]260–290 (Extrudr DURAPRO PA12)[13]
Bed temperature°C100–115 (Simplify3D)[12]110 (Extrudr DURAPRO PA12)[13]
Enclosure / chamber requirement1–5Enclosure recommended[14]Enclosure required (passive)[3]
Part cooling fanPart cooling fan not required[12]Part cooling fan not required (Simplify3D)[15]
Bed surface & adhesion aidGlue stick, glass plate, Kapton tape or PET sheets[12]PEI sheet with a glue stick, or a dedicated adhesive such as Magigoo[15][3]
Maximum volumetric flow (mm³/s; see test conditions)mm³/sNot documented12 at Extrudr's 150 mm/s cap on a 0.4 mm nozzle at 0.2 mm layer[13][16]
Warping tendency1–5Moderate — needs adhesion aid or draught shield[14]Not documented
Bed-adhesion difficulty1–5Needs a specific surface plus adhesive[12]Needs a specific surface plus adhesive[15][3]
Stringing / oozing tendency1–5Slight — HIPS oozes less than ABS[12][17]Moderate — retraction tuning needed[3]
Overall printing difficulty1–5Intermediate — dry filament and a tuned profile[14]Advanced — enclosure, hardware upgrades, tuning[3]
Hardware Wear & Reliability
Nozzle hardness required1–4Brass fine indefinitely[14]Brass fine indefinitely for unfilled grades[3]
Abrasiveness1–5Non-abrasive[14]Non-abrasive when unfilled[3]
Nozzle clog risk1–5Low — no special hot-end required, no drybox and no hardened nozzle, and 3DXTech states drying is not needed[12][18][2]High — jams from moisture, heat creep or particles[11][19]
Heat-creep / jam sensitivity1–5Slightly sensitive[12]Moderate — good heatbreak cooling needed[15]
Hotend requirementNo special hot-end required[12]May require an all-metal hot end (Simplify3D)[15]
Moisture Behaviour
Moisture absorption (hygroscopicity)1–5Low (0.1–0.3 %) — Simplify3D lists water resistance as a headline property[12]High (0.8–2 %) — Polymaker's PA12-CF10 reaches 1.5 % equilibrium against 3.33 % for its PA6-GF25, and Polymaker developed the PA12 grade specifically for lower moisture sensitivity[4][11]
Drying temperature & timeNot documented60–80 °C for 8–12 h (Extrudr DURAPRO PA12); 100 °C for 8 h (Polymaker CoPA)[13][20]
Symptoms when wetBubbling and popping at the nozzle, stringing and a rough surface[19]Popping and cracking during extrusion, then hard-to-diagnose defects[11]
Effect of moisture on strengthPolymaker rates ABS moderate-sensitivity and publishes no dry-versus-conditioned figures; absorbed water flashes to steam in the hotend and shows as bubbling and poor layer adhesion[19]Polymaker states its PA12 grade changes little between wet and dry, unlike its PA6-based materials; the CoPA dry-to-wet reference shows what the PA6-type response looks like[11][20]
Storage requirementSealed with desiccant; less critical than for the polyamides[19]Sealed below 20 % RH with desiccant[19]
Hydrolysis at melt temperatureNot documentedPolymaker requires a 100 °C dry for 8 h and storage below 20 % RH; no molecular-weight loss figure is published, and the published wet data is conditioning rather than melt hydrolysis[20][21]
Mechanical Properties
Tensile strength (XY)MPa40 at break (printed XY, ISO 527)[1]49.3 at yield and 33.4 at break printed XZ (Stratasys FDM Nylon 12, ASTM D638)[5]
Young's modulusMPa1350 (printed XY, ISO 527) — the lowest modulus of the styrenics here[1]1510 printed XZ and 1250 ZX (Stratasys FDM Nylon 12, ASTM D638)[5]
Elongation at break%18 at break (printed XY, ISO 527)[1]30 at break printed XZ against 6.5 in ZX (Stratasys FDM Nylon 12, ASTM D638)[5]
Flexural strengthMPa70 (printed XY, ISO 178)[1]Not documented
Flexural modulusMPa1600 (printed XY, ISO 178)[1]Not documented
Charpy impact, notchedkJ/m²Not documented11 at +23 °C and 6.0 at -30 °C (Extrudr DuraPro PA12, ISO 179/1eA); unnotched does not break[13]
Other impact dataNot documentedIzod notched 138 J/m printed XZ against 71.0 J/m in ZX (Stratasys FDM Nylon 12, ASTM D256)[5]
Layer adhesion / Z tensileMPaNot documented41.8 at yield and 41.2 at break printed ZX (Stratasys FDM Nylon 12, ASTM D638) — higher than the XZ break figure, because XZ specimens draw and neck first[5]
Brittleness1–5Tough — absorbs impact, yields before breaking[1]Tough — absorbs impact, yields before breaking[3]
Creep resistance / sustained load1–5Moderate — no printed-HIPS creep test found; Tg of 100 °C keeps room-temperature service far below softening[1][12]Moderate — the long-chain polyamides hold load better than PLA but below PC[3]
Fatigue / repeated-flex resistance1–5Moderate[1]Excellent — living hinges viable. Stratasys sells FDM Nylon 12 specifically for repetitive-flex parts such as snap-fit clips and press-fit inserts on the strength of its fatigue properties[3][5]
Elasticity / flexibility1–5Rigid[1]Semi-flexible[11]
Z strength as % of XY%Not documented85 (Stratasys FDM Nylon 12, ZX against XZ tensile yield, ASTM D638) — one of the least anisotropic unfilled filaments measured[5]
Thermal Properties
HDT at 0.45 MPa°CNot documented94.7 printed XY and 91.9 in XZ/ZX (Stratasys FDM Nylon 12, ASTM D648 at 66 psi)[5]
HDT at 1.8 MPa°CNot documented84.3 printed XY and 75.3 in XZ/ZX (Stratasys FDM Nylon 12, ASTM D648 at 264 psi)[5]
Glass transition (Tg)°C100 (DSC)[1]34.0 (Stratasys FDM Nylon 12, ASTM D7426 inflection point)[5]
Melting point / Vicat°CAmorphous — no melting point[1]Vicat A 142 (Extrudr DURAPRO PA12, ISO 306)[13]
Continuous service temperature°CBounded by a glass transition of 100 °C; no loaded-bar service figure is published for HIPS[1]Bounded by a Vicat softening point of 142 °C (Extrudr DURAPRO PA12); no loaded-bar service figure is published[13]
Thermal expansion (CTE)µm/m·KNot documented84-103 printed (Stratasys FDM Nylon 12, ASTM E831: 84.4 in XY and 85.6 in XZ/ZX over -50 to 10 °C, 89.1 over 10-45 °C, 98.2 over 45-70 °C); Extrudr quotes 100 for DURAPRO PA12 (ISO 11359-2)[13][5]
Flammability / UL 94Flammable; no UL 94 rating published[1]Flammable; no UL 94 rating published for the unfilled grades surveyed[13]
Environment & Chemical
UV resistance1–5Months outdoors before embrittlement — polystyrene yellows and chalks under UV[22]Months outdoors before embrittlement[3]
Chemical resistanceDissolves completely in d-limonene — the basis of its use as a soluble support[2]Withstands oils, fuels and alkalis[3]
Water / humidity resistance in service1–5Not documentedGood — minor absorption; the least moisture-sensitive of the common nylons[11]
Food contactNot food safe[22]Not food-contact certified as filament[3]
Biodegradability / compostabilityNot biodegradable[22]Not biodegradable[3]
RecyclabilityNot accepted in household plastic collection[22]Mechanically recyclable but not accepted in household plastic collection[3]
Electrical & ESD propertiesSurface resistance above 10¹³ ohm/sq — insulating (ASTM D257)[1]Not documented
Health & Safety
Fume toxicity1–5High — hazardous VOC such as styrene; enclosure and filtration needed[23]Moderate — measurable VOCs and UFPs, ventilation advised[23]
VOC emission rateµg/min12–113 styrene, the range measured across ABS and the one HIPS filament tested[23]Up to 180 caprolactam, the dominant VOC from nylon; total VOC reached nearly 200 µg/min, the highest of the nine filaments tested[23]
Ultrafine-particle emission rateparticles/min≈4 × 10⁹ median for the HIPS filament tested, an order of magnitude below ABS but forty times PLA[23]≈2 × 10⁸ median — low for ultrafine particles despite the highest VOC mass of any filament tested[23]
Hazardous species emittedStyrene was the only dominant VOC identified for the HIPS filament tested[23]Caprolactam, at up to 180 µg/min from nylon filament — the largest single-VOC emission rate measured in the study[23]
Ventilation / filtration requirement1–5Enclosure with carbon and HEPA filtration[23]Ventilated room or enclosure recommended[23]
Post-Processing
Sanding & machiningSands and paints readily, like ABS[22]Sands poorly — gums rather than powders[15]
Gluing & solvent weldingSolvent-welds with d-limonene, and with acetone via its polystyrene backbone[12][2]Cyanoacrylate; no common solvent welds polyamide[15]
Vapour / chemical smoothingd-limonene attacks the surface; acetone smoothing is far less effective than on ABS[2][12]No practical vapour smoothing[15]
Support material pairingUsed as the support material itself — dissolves in d-limonene, or breaks away from ABS and ASA[2]Polymaker sells a break-away PolySupport matched to PA12[15]
Dimensional accuracy & detailNot documentedHolds dimensions better than PA6 after conditioning — Polymaker singles its PA12 grade out on exactly this point[11]
Solvents & Solubility
Soluble ind-limonene, 12–24 h submerged with occasional agitation; acetone also dissolves it, and xylene does so at 23 °C.[24][25][26]Dissolved at 23 °C by formic acid, phenol, m-cresol, 96 % sulphuric acid or hexafluoroisopropanol — all laboratory reagents.[27][25]
Softened or crazed byLimonene also disrupts layer adhesion in some ABS and ASA grades, so an ABS model can flake apart in the same bath.[28]Not resistant to 10 % formic acid, phenol, chloroform or dichloromethane (Ensinger); zinc chloride stress-cracks nylon.[25][27]
Solvent welding & smoothing agentLimonene welds and lightly etches it; acetone welds through the polystyrene backbone but smooths less well than ABS.[24][28]None — nylon's only solvents are formic acid, phenol and HFIP, all of which degrade the part they wet.[27]

Material entries describe families or representative grades, not an interchangeable specification for every spool. Test methods, orientations and conditions may differ. Unknown values are marked “Not documented”. Prices and source dates remain historical snapshots; check the linked guide for product details. Differences highlight text, not a universal winner.

Sources for this comparison

  1. 3DXMAX HIPS Technical Data Sheet 3DXTech · 2026-08 · tds
  2. 3DXMAX HIPS — product page 3DXTech · 2026-08 · vendor
  3. PA (Nylon) — material basics Polymaker Wiki · 2026-08 · doc
  4. Fiberon PA612-CF15 Technical Data Sheet V1.1 Polymaker · 2024-12 · tds
  5. FDM Nylon 12 — Material Data Sheet Stratasys · 2021-09 · tds
  6. 3DXTech product catalogue 3DXTech · 2026-08 · vendor
  7. Push Plastic product catalogue Push Plastic · 2026-08 · vendor
  8. Nylon PA12 — product listing 3DJake International · 2026-08 · vendor
  9. IEMAI 3D PA12 3D Printing Filament — store page IEMAI 3D · 2026-08 · vendor
  10. YXPOLYER HIPS product page YXPOLYER · 2026-08 · vendor
  11. Moisture Conditioning — effect on printed nylon properties Polymaker Wiki · 2026-08 · doc
  12. HIPS — Ultimate 3D Printing Materials Guide Simplify3D · 2026-08 · doc
  13. Extrudr Product Catalogue (DURAPRO PA12 data block) Extrudr · 2025-03 · tds
  14. ABS / ASA / PC Usage Guide Bambu Lab Wiki · 2026-08 · doc
  15. Nylon — Ultimate 3D Printing Materials Guide Simplify3D · 2026-08 · doc
  16. Max volumetric speed Prusa Knowledge Base · 2026-08 · doc
  17. ABS — Ultimate 3D Printing Materials Guide Simplify3D · 2026-08 · doc
  18. Filament Material Guide Prusa Knowledge Base · 2026-08 · doc
  19. Wet Filament — signs, causes and drying Polymaker Wiki · 2026-08 · doc
  20. PolyMide CoPA Technical Data Sheet V5.4 (dry and wet status blocks) Polymaker · 2024-11 · tds
  21. PolyMide CoPA — Technical Data Sheet page Polymaker Wiki · 2026-08 · tds
  22. ABS — material basics Polymaker Wiki · 2026-08 · doc
  23. Emissions of Ultrafine Particles and Volatile Organic Compounds from Commercially Available Desktop Three-Dimensional Printers with Multiple Filaments (Azimi et al.) Environmental Science & Technology 50(3) 1260-1268 · 2016-01 · paper
  24. D-Limonene — FDM post-processing guide Filament2Print · 2026-08 · review
  25. Chemical resistance — resistance of Ensinger plastics to chemicals (DIN 50 014, 23/50) Ensinger · 2026-08 · tds
  26. US 5,278,282 Polymer recycling by selective dissolution — xylene dissolution temperatures Nauman & Lynch, Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute · 1994-01 · paper
  27. Ultramid Nylon Chemical Resistance guide (unmodified PA6 B27E and PA66 A27E) BASF · 2026-08 · tds
  28. HIPS — Knowledge Base Prusa Research · 2026-08 · doc