3D Printing Info

Filament comparison

HIPS vs PC-ABS

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

HIPS guidePC/ABS blend guide

2 selected · all documented properties

Open these two in the interactive comparisonMore HIPS comparisonsMore PC-ABS comparisons
HIPS vs PC-ABS — documented properties and sources
PropertyHIPSABSPC/ABS blendPC
Market snapshot
Listing priceUSD/kg; dated snapshots$29.99/kg median; $27.99–$32.00/kg across 3 dated product listings$45.99/kg median; $34.99–$84.00/kg across 5 dated product listings
Identity & Market
Base polymer / chemistryHigh-impact polystyrene — polystyrene toughened with a butadiene rubber phase[1][2]Polycarbonate/ABS alloy — PC stiffness and heat resistance with ABS processability[3][4]
Densityg/cm³1.04 (ISO 1183)[1]1.10 (Polymaker) and 1.24 (3DXTech FR grade), ISO 1183; Stratasys specific gravity 1.10 (ASTM D792)[3][4][5]
Typical priceUSD/kg1 kg spools cluster near 31[6][7]1 kg spools cluster near 50[8][6]
Price range across brandsUSD/kg28–32 across brands; YXPOLYER 28, Push Plastic 30, 3DXTech 32[7][6][9]35–84 across brands; Reli3D 35, SUNLU 46, Polymaker 50, 3DXMAX 84[8][6][10][11]
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; 0.5 and 1 kg spools[8][6]
Typical applicationsBreak-away and d-limonene-soluble support for ABS and ASA, and a light model material in its own right[2]Automotive interior and electronics housings that need PC heat resistance without PC's warping[3]
Printing Parameters
Nozzle temperature°C230–245 (Simplify3D)[12]250–270 (Polymaker)[3]
Bed temperature°C100–115 (Simplify3D)[12]90–105 (Polymaker)[3]
Enclosure / chamber requirement1–5Enclosure recommended[13]Enclosure required (passive) — Polymaker specifies a 90–100 °C chamber[3]
Recommended chamber temperature°CNot documented90–100 (Polymaker)[3]
Part cooling fanPart cooling fan not required[12]Off (Polymaker)[3]
Bed surface & adhesion aidGlue stick, glass plate, Kapton tape or PET sheets[12]PEI with a glue stick or a commercial adhesive[14]
Maximum volumetric flow (mm³/s; see test conditions)mm³/sNot documented20 at Polymaker's 250 mm/s cap on a 0.4 mm nozzle at 0.2 mm layer[3][15]
Warping tendency1–5Moderate — needs adhesion aid or draught shield[13]High — enclosure needed for reliable large parts[3][13]
Bed-adhesion difficulty1–5Needs a specific surface plus adhesive[12]Needs a specific surface plus adhesive[14][16]
Stringing / oozing tendency1–5Slight — HIPS oozes less than ABS[12][17]Moderate — retraction tuning needed; Polymaker flags stringing as a common PC problem[16]
Overall printing difficulty1–5Intermediate — dry filament and a tuned profile[13]Advanced — enclosure, hardware upgrades, tuning[3][13]
Hardware Wear & Reliability
Nozzle hardness required1–4Brass fine indefinitely[13]Brass fine indefinitely[13]
Abrasiveness1–5Non-abrasive[13]Non-abrasive[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]Moderate — needs dry filament and a clean nozzle; 3DXTech lists no special nozzle concerns but a 120 °C pre-dry of 4 h or more[19]
Heat-creep / jam sensitivity1–5Slightly sensitive[12]Slightly sensitive[14]
Hotend requirementNo special hot-end required[12]All-metal hot end required (Simplify3D)[14]
Moisture Behaviour
Moisture absorption (hygroscopicity)1–5Low (0.1–0.3 %) — Simplify3D lists water resistance as a headline property[12]Low (0.1–0.3 %) — the PC matrix takes up 0.15–0.25 % and 3DXTech specifies a 120 °C, 4 h or more pre-dry[20][21][19]
Drying temperature & timeNot documented75 °C for 6 h (Polymaker)[3]
Symptoms when wetBubbling and popping at the nozzle, stringing and a rough surface[22]Bubbling and popping at the nozzle, stringing and a rough surface[22]
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[22]No dry-versus-conditioned figures are published. Polymaker calls PC highly hygroscopic and requires a 70–80 °C dry for 6–8 h; run wet, the loss shows as surface defects and poor layer adhesion[16][22]
Storage requirementSealed with desiccant; less critical than for the polyamides[22]Airtight containers with desiccant to prevent reabsorption[16]
Mechanical Properties
Tensile strength (XY)MPa40 at break (printed XY, ISO 527)[1]39.9 ± 1.0 printed XY, ISO 527 (Polymaker); 3DXTech quotes 60 at break for its FR PC/ABS[3][4]
Young's modulusMPa1350 (printed XY, ISO 527) — the lowest modulus of the styrenics here[1]1835 ± 65 printed XY, ISO 527 (Polymaker); 3DXTech quotes 2250[3][4]
Elongation at break%18 at break (printed XY, ISO 527)[1]4.2 ± 0.3 printed XY, ISO 527 (Polymaker); 3DXTech quotes 10 at break[3][4]
Flexural strengthMPa70 (printed XY, ISO 178)[1]66.3 ± 0.9 printed XY, ISO 178 (Polymaker); 3DXTech quotes 85[3][4]
Flexural modulusMPa1600 (printed XY, ISO 178)[1]2081 ± 106 printed XY, ISO 178 (Polymaker); 3DXTech quotes 2300[3][4]
Charpy impact, notchedkJ/m²Not documented25.8 ± 1.3 printed XY, ISO 179, notched (Polymaker) — above both unfilled PC and ABS[3]
Other impact dataNot documentedNotched Charpy still 13 ± 2 kJ/m² at −30 °C printed XY (Polymaker, ISO 179-1/1eA), against 1.5 in Z. Stratasys prints Izod notched at 241 J/m XZ against 34.0 J/m ZX, and unnotched 655 against 101 J/m (ASTM D256, F900 T16).[3][5]
Layer adhesion / Z tensileMPaNot documented25.9-30.2 at break printed ZX (Stratasys, ASTM D638 on the F900 and Fortus 450mc); 22.9 +/- 1.2 printed Z, ISO 527 (Polymaker)[3][5]
Brittleness1–5Tough — absorbs impact, yields before breaking[1]Tough — absorbs impact, yields before breaking[3]
Hardness (scale-specific)Shore A / Shore D / RockwellNot documentedRockwell 70 (118) — the source does not name the scales and Shore D 79 on extruded unfilled PC stock (ASTM D785, D2240); no figure is published for a PC/ABS filament[23]
Creep resistance / sustained load1–5Moderate — no printed-HIPS creep test found; Tg of 100 °C keeps room-temperature service far below softening[1][12]Good. Room-temperature tensile creep of moulded PC/ABS was still running unbroken at 30 MPa when the experiment was stopped for time; specimens failed within the test window at 39-47 MPa (ASTM D638)[24]
Fatigue / repeated-flex resistance1–5Moderate[1]Not documented
Elasticity / flexibility1–5Rigid[1]Rigid[3]
Z strength as % of XY%Not documented75-86 (Stratasys ZX against XZ tensile at break, ASTM D638) against 57 (Polymaker, printed Z against XY tensile)[3][5]
Thermal Properties
HDT at 0.45 MPa°CNot documented112 (ISO 75 at 0.45 MPa, Polymaker); Stratasys prints 117.9 in XY and 126.1 in XZ (ASTM D648 Method B at 66 psi), against 125.0 moulded[3][5]
HDT at 1.8 MPa°CNot documented106 (ISO 75 at 1.8 MPa, Polymaker); Stratasys prints 107.5 in XY and 112.0 in XZ (ASTM D648 Method B at 264 psi), against 102.9 moulded[3][5]
Glass transition (Tg)°C100 (DSC)[1]109 (Polymaker) and 137 (3DXTech FR grade), DSC; Stratasys measures 105.3 (ASTM D7426 inflection point)[3][4][5]
Melting point / Vicat°CAmorphous — no melting point[1]Amorphous — no melting point; Vicat 135 (Polymaker, ISO 306)[3]
Continuous service temperature°CBounded by a glass transition of 100 °C; no loaded-bar service figure is published for HIPS[1]113 — Prusa publishes this as the temperature resistance of Prusament PC Blend[21]
Annealing responseNot documented90 °C for 2 h (Polymaker)[3]
Thermal expansion (CTE)µm/m·KNot documented59.9 over -50 to 35 °C and 73.0 over -50 to 95 °C (printed XY, ASTM E831)[5]
Flammability / UL 94Flammable; no UL 94 rating published[1]Not documented
Environment & Chemical
UV resistance1–5Months outdoors before embrittlement — polystyrene yellows and chalks under UV[25]Degrades within weeks outdoors[16]
Chemical resistanceDissolves completely in d-limonene — the basis of its use as a soluble support[2]Withstands oils, solvents and fuels; Polymaker rates it good against weak acids[16]
Food contactNot food safe[25]Bisphenol-A polycarbonate is not offered as food-contact filament[16]
Biodegradability / compostabilityNot biodegradable[25]Not biodegradable[16]
RecyclabilityNot accepted in household plastic collection[25]Mechanically recyclable but not accepted in household plastic collection[16]
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[26]Moderate — measurable VOCs and UFPs, ventilation advised[26]
VOC emission rateµg/min12–113 styrene, the range measured across ABS and the one HIPS filament tested[26]Not documented
Ultrafine-particle emission rateparticles/min≈4 × 10⁹ median for the HIPS filament tested, an order of magnitude below ABS but forty times PLA[26]≈4 × 10¹⁰ median — the highest ultrafine-particle rate of the nine filaments in the chamber study, above every ABS tested[26]
Hazardous species emittedStyrene was the only dominant VOC identified for the HIPS filament tested[26]Not documented
Ventilation / filtration requirement1–5Enclosure with carbon and HEPA filtration[26]Ventilated room or enclosure recommended[26][13]
Post-Processing
Sanding & machiningSands and paints readily, like ABS[25]Sands and machines well; the toughness means it cuts rather than chips[14]
Gluing & solvent weldingSolvent-welds with d-limonene, and with acetone via its polystyrene backbone[12][2]Cyanoacrylate; dichloromethane solvent-welds PC but is a laboratory reagent[14]
Vapour / chemical smoothingd-limonene attacks the surface; acetone smoothing is far less effective than on ABS[2][12]Acetone attacks the ABS phase, so surface smoothing is partial rather than full[3]
Support material pairingUsed as the support material itself — dissolves in d-limonene, or breaks away from ABS and ASA[2]Prints its own supports; 3DXTech sells a dedicated PC break-away support[14]
Solvents & Solubility
Soluble ind-limonene, 12–24 h submerged with occasional agitation; acetone also dissolves it, and xylene does so at 23 °C.[27][28][29]Dichloromethane and chloroform dissolve the PC phase; acetone, MEK and THF dissolve the ABS phase.[30][28]
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.[31]Petrol, esters, ether and 1 % alkali stress-crack the PC phase; aromatics and esters soften the ABS phase.[30][28]
Solvent welding & smoothing agentLimonene welds and lightly etches it; acetone welds through the polystyrene backbone but smooths less well than ABS.[27][31]Acetone attacks only the ABS phase, so smoothing is partial; a dichloromethane cement welds the whole section.[3][32]

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. Polymaker PC-ABS Technical Data Sheet V5.4 Polymaker · 2024-11 · tds
  4. Firewire Flame Retardant PC/ABS Technical Data Sheet Rev 3.0 3DXTech · 2026-08 · tds
  5. PC-ABS — FDM Material Data Sheet Stratasys · 2023-08 · tds
  6. 3DXTech product catalogue 3DXTech · 2026-08 · vendor
  7. Push Plastic product catalogue Push Plastic · 2026-08 · vendor
  8. Polymaker product catalogue Polymaker · 2026-08 · vendor
  9. YXPOLYER HIPS product page YXPOLYER · 2026-08 · vendor
  10. Reli3D PC-ABS Filament, Black, 1000 g spool Reli3D (Amazon US) · 2026-08 · vendor
  11. SUNLU PC-ABS 3D Printer Filament 1 kg SUNLU · 2026-08 · vendor
  12. HIPS — Ultimate 3D Printing Materials Guide Simplify3D · 2026-08 · doc
  13. ABS / ASA / PC Usage Guide Bambu Lab Wiki · 2026-08 · doc
  14. Polycarbonate — Ultimate 3D Printing Materials Guide Simplify3D · 2026-08 · doc
  15. Max volumetric speed Prusa Knowledge Base · 2026-08 · doc
  16. PC — material basics Polymaker Wiki · 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. 3DXTech 3DXMAX ABS product page 3DXTech · 2026-08 · vendor
  20. Bambu Filament Technical Data Sheet V2.0 — PC Bambu Lab · 2026-08 · tds
  21. Prusament PC Blend Technical Datasheet v1.1 Prusa Polymers · 2022-02 · tds
  22. Wet Filament — signs, causes and drying Polymaker Wiki · 2026-08 · doc
  23. TECANAT natural (PC) — stock shape properties Ensinger · 2026-08 · tds
  24. Experimental data for creep and dynamic mechanical properties of polycarbonate and polycarbonate/ABS Data in Brief 42:108264 · 2022-06 · paper
  25. ABS — material basics Polymaker Wiki · 2026-08 · doc
  26. 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
  27. D-Limonene — FDM post-processing guide Filament2Print · 2026-08 · review
  28. Chemical resistance — resistance of Ensinger plastics to chemicals (DIN 50 014, 23/50) Ensinger · 2026-08 · tds
  29. US 5,278,282 Polymer recycling by selective dissolution — xylene dissolution temperatures Nauman & Lynch, Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute · 1994-01 · paper
  30. Makrolon — The chemical resistance (Makrolon 2800, 6 days at 23 °C and 50 °C) Covestro · 2016-12 · tds
  31. HIPS — Knowledge Base Prusa Research · 2026-08 · doc
  32. Weld-On 3 Acrylic Plastic Cement — technical data sheet (shipped as dichloromethane) IPS Corporation · 2002-07 · tds