3D Printing Info

Filament comparison

HIPS vs PLA-GF

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

HIPS guideGlass-fibre PLA (PLA-GF) guide

2 selected · all documented properties

Open these two in the interactive comparisonMore HIPS comparisonsMore PLA-GF comparisons
HIPS vs PLA-GF — documented properties and sources
PropertyHIPSABSGlass-fibre PLA (PLA-GF)PLA
Market snapshot
Listing priceUSD/kg; dated snapshots$29.99/kg median; $27.99–$32.00/kg across 3 dated product listings$44.99/kg median; $29.99–$59.99/kg across 2 dated product listings
Identity & Market
Base polymer / chemistryHigh-impact polystyrene — polystyrene toughened with a butadiene rubber phase[1][2]PLA filled with chopped glass fibre — 12 wt% (Polymaker HT-PLA-GF), 15–20 wt% (eSUN PLA-GF). Bambu Lab PLA Galaxy uses glass microspheres, not fibre, and is not equivalent[3][4][5]
Densityg/cm³1.04 (ISO 1183)[1]1.31 (eSUN) to 1.337 (Polymaker), ISO 1183 / GB/T 1033[3][4]
Typical priceUSD/kg1 kg spools cluster near 31[6][7]1 kg spools cluster near 30[8][9]
Price range across brandsUSD/kg28–32 across brands; YXPOLYER 28, Push Plastic 30, 3DXTech 32[7][6][10]30–60 across brands; Polymaker 30, Proto-pasta 60[8][9]
Market availability1–5Available from several mainstream brands[6][7]Niche, a handful of specialist brands[8][9][4]
Spool sizes & diameters1.75 and 2.85 mm; 1 and 3 kg spools[7][6]1.75 mm; 0.5 and 1 kg spools[9][11]
Typical applicationsBreak-away and d-limonene-soluble support for ABS and ASA, and a light model material in its own right[2]Stiff brackets and fixtures; the Polymaker grade is aimed at parts annealed for heat resistance[3]
Printing Parameters
Nozzle temperature°C230–245 (Simplify3D)[12]210–230 (Polymaker HT-PLA-GF)[3]
Bed temperature°C100–115 (Simplify3D)[12]25–60 (Polymaker HT-PLA-GF)[3]
Enclosure / chamber requirement1–5Enclosure recommended[13]Open frame is fine[3]
Part cooling fanPart cooling fan not required[12]Fan on — eSUN specifies 100 %[4]
Bed surface & adhesion aidGlue stick, glass plate, Kapton tape or PET sheets[12]Not documented
Maximum volumetric flow (mm³/s; see test conditions)mm³/sNot documented28 at Polymaker's stated 350 mm/s on a 0.4 mm nozzle at 0.2 mm layer; eSUN prints its specimens at 60 mm/s[3][4][14]
Warping tendency1–5Moderate — needs adhesion aid or draught shield[13]Not documented
Bed-adhesion difficulty1–5Needs a specific surface plus adhesive[12]Not documented
Stringing / oozing tendency1–5Slight — HIPS oozes less than ABS[12][15]Not documented
Shrinkage%Not documented0.05 in X-Y and Z, 0.10 diagonal (Polymaker HT-PLA-GF)[3]
Overall printing difficulty1–5Intermediate — dry filament and a tuned profile[13]Intermediate — dry filament and a tuned profile; hardened nozzle mandatory[3]
Hardware Wear & Reliability
Nozzle hardness required1–4Brass fine indefinitely[13]Hardened steel required[3]
Abrasiveness1–5Non-abrasive[13]Highly abrasive — standard GF composite[3]
Nozzle clog risk1–5Low — no special hot-end required, no drybox and no hardened nozzle, and 3DXTech states drying is not needed[12][16][2]Moderate — needs dry filament and a clean nozzle; Prusa lists higher risk of nozzle clogging for glass-filled composites[17]
Heat-creep / jam sensitivity1–5Slightly sensitive[12]Not documented
Hotend requirementNo special hot-end required[12]Hardened steel or ruby nozzle; Polymaker's own slicer preset sets a minimum nozzle hardness of 40 HRC[3]
Moisture Behaviour
Moisture absorption (hygroscopicity)1–5Low (0.1–0.3 %) — Simplify3D lists water resistance as a headline property[12]Moderate — the PLA matrix takes up 0.40–0.51 % saturated; no glass-filled grade publishes its own figure[18][19]
Drying temperature & timeNot documented60 °C for 6 h (Polymaker HT-PLA-GF)[3]
Symptoms when wetBubbling and popping at the nozzle, stringing and a rough surface[20]Not documented
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[20]Polymaker rates PLA low-sensitivity and publishes no dry-versus-conditioned figures for this grade; absorbed water flashes to steam and shows as bubbling and poor layer adhesion[20]
Storage requirementSealed with desiccant; less critical than for the polyamides[20]Not documented
Mechanical Properties
Tensile strength (XY)MPa40 at break (printed XY, ISO 527)[1]50.1 as printed and 50.2 annealed, printed XY, ISO 527 (Polymaker); eSUN quotes 59.3 by GB/T 1040[3][4]
Young's modulusMPa1350 (printed XY, ISO 527) — the lowest modulus of the styrenics here[1]3794 as printed, 4207 annealed, printed XY, ISO 527 (Polymaker)[3]
Elongation at break%18 at break (printed XY, ISO 527)[1]2.77 as printed, 2.3 annealed, printed XY, ISO 527 (Polymaker); eSUN quotes 7.99[3][4]
Flexural strengthMPa70 (printed XY, ISO 178)[1]86.4 printed XY, ISO 178 (Polymaker)[3]
Flexural modulusMPa1600 (printed XY, ISO 178)[1]3685 printed XY, ISO 178 (Polymaker); eSUN quotes 4415 flexural modulus by GB/T 9341[3][4]
Charpy impact, notchedkJ/m²Not documented5.31 ± 0.46 as printed and 4.92 ± 0.50 annealed (printed XY, ISO 179, notched); Z 4.28 ± 0.18[3]
Other impact dataNot documentedIzod 10.16 kJ/m² (eSUN, GB/T 1843)[4]
Layer adhesion / Z tensileMPaNot documented23.7 as printed, 22.5 annealed, printed Z, ISO 527 (Polymaker)[3]
Brittleness1–5Tough — absorbs impact, yields before breaking[1]Very brittle — elongation at break 2.77 % in XY and 0.85 % in Z[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]Poor — no GF-grade creep test; plain printed PLA sagged from 12 to 16.2–21.8 mm over 5 days at 1.25 kg[21][22][23]
Fatigue / repeated-flex resistance1–5Moderate[1]Poor — no grade-specific S-N curve; plain printed PLA ran 38 000–49 000 cycles at 30 % of tensile strength and elongation at break falls to 2.77 % in XY and 0.85 % in Z[24][3]
Elasticity / flexibility1–5Rigid[1]Rigid[3]
Z strength as % of XY%Not documented47 as printed (23.7 Z against 50.1 XY), printed[3]
Wear resistance & frictionNot documentedeSUN describes high wear resistance and positions the grade for wear parts[4]
Thermal Properties
HDT at 0.45 MPa°CNot documented75.5 as printed, 114.7 after annealing (ISO 75, 0.45 MPa) — the point of the material[3]
HDT at 1.8 MPa°CNot documented59.7 as printed, 84 after annealing (ISO 75, 1.8 MPa)[3]
Glass transition (Tg)°C100 (DSC)[1]59.8 (DSC)[3]
Melting point / Vicat°CAmorphous — no melting point[1]174.9 peak melt (DSC); Vicat 148.9 as printed, 148.3 annealed[3]
Continuous service temperature°CBounded by a glass transition of 100 °C; no loaded-bar service figure is published for HIPS[1]Not documented
Annealing responseNot documentedAnnealing lifts HDT at 0.45 MPa from 75.5 to 114.7 °C and modulus from 3794 to 4207 MPa[3]
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[26]
Chemical resistanceDissolves completely in d-limonene — the basis of its use as a soluble support[2]Not documented
Food contactNot food safe[25]Not documented
Biodegradability / compostabilityNot biodegradable[25]Not documented
RecyclabilityNot accepted in household plastic collection[25]Not documented
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[27]Low hazard — minimal VOC and particle emission[27]
VOC emission rateµg/min12–113 styrene, the range measured across ABS and the one HIPS filament tested[27]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[27]Not documented
Hazardous species emittedStyrene was the only dominant VOC identified for the HIPS filament tested[27]Not documented
Ventilation / filtration requirement1–5Enclosure with carbon and HEPA filtration[27]None needed in a normal room[27]
Dust & fibre handling hazardNot documentedGlass fibre is bound in the matrix; avoid inhaling sanding dust[28]
Post-Processing
Sanding & machiningSands and paints readily, like ABS[25]Not documented
Gluing & solvent weldingSolvent-welds with d-limonene, and with acetone via its polystyrene backbone[12][2]Not documented
Vapour / chemical smoothingd-limonene attacks the surface; acetone smoothing is far less effective than on ABS[2][12]Not documented
Support material pairingUsed as the support material itself — dissolves in d-limonene, or breaks away from ABS and ASA[2]Not documented
Dimensional accuracy & detailNot documentedNear-zero shrinkage — 0.05 % in X-Y and Z (Polymaker)[3]
Solvents & Solubility
Soluble ind-limonene, 12–24 h submerged with occasional agitation; acetone also dissolves it, and xylene does so at 23 °C.[29][30][31]Chloroform dissolves the PLA matrix (10 % w/v, 2–4 h at 23 °C) and leaves the filler as loose sludge; laboratory reagent.[32]
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.[33]Acetone, ethyl acetate and toluene plasticise the matrix but dissolve <1 % even at 65 °C; acetone submersion crazes parts.[32][34]
Solvent welding & smoothing agentLimonene welds and lightly etches it; acetone welds through the polystyrene backbone but smooths less well than ABS.[29][33]Chloroform vapour attacks only the resin fraction, so the filler is left standing proud; no workshop-safe agent exists.[35][34]

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 HT-PLA-GF Technical Data Sheet V1.1 Polymaker · 2026-08 · tds
  4. eSUN ePLA-GF Technical Data Sheet V1.0 (Nov 2023) eSUN (copy hosted on 3d.nice-cdn.com) · 2023-11 · tds
  5. Bambu Filament Technical Data Sheet V1.0 — PLA Galaxy Bambu Lab · 2026-08 · tds
  6. 3DXTech product catalogue 3DXTech · 2026-08 · vendor
  7. Push Plastic product catalogue Push Plastic · 2026-08 · vendor
  8. Polymaker HT-PLA-GF — product page Polymaker Shop · 2026-08 · vendor
  9. Proto-pasta product catalogue Proto-pasta · 2026-08 · vendor
  10. YXPOLYER HIPS product page YXPOLYER · 2026-08 · vendor
  11. Polymaker product catalogue Polymaker · 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. Max volumetric speed Prusa Knowledge Base · 2026-08 · doc
  15. ABS — Ultimate 3D Printing Materials Guide Simplify3D · 2026-08 · doc
  16. Filament Material Guide Prusa Knowledge Base · 2026-08 · doc
  17. Composite materials filled with carbon, kevlar or glass Prusa Knowledge Base · 2026-08 · doc
  18. Bambu Filament Technical Data Sheet V3.0 — PLA Basic Bambu Lab · 2026-08 · tds
  19. PolyLite PLA Technical Data Sheet V5.4 Polymaker · 2024-11 · tds
  20. Wet Filament — signs, causes and drying Polymaker Wiki · 2026-08 · doc
  21. BambuLab PLA Basic vs PLA Tough vs PLA-CF — results spreadsheet My Tech Fun (Igor Gaspar) · 2026-08 · test
  22. Polymaker PLA Pro vs PLA-CF — results spreadsheet My Tech Fun (Igor Gaspar) · 2026-08 · test
  23. Carbon Fiber PLA vs META-PLA vs PLA+ vs PLA by Sunlu — results spreadsheet My Tech Fun (Igor Gaspar) · 2026-08 · test
  24. Mechanical Properties of Additively Manufactured Polymeric Materials — PLA and PETG — For Biomechanical Applications Polymers 16(13):1868 · 2024-06 · paper
  25. ABS — material basics Polymaker Wiki · 2026-08 · doc
  26. PLA — material guide Prusa Knowledge Base · 2026-08 · doc
  27. 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
  28. StoneFil safety data sheet Formfutura · 2026-08 · msds
  29. D-Limonene — FDM post-processing guide Filament2Print · 2026-08 · review
  30. Chemical resistance — resistance of Ensinger plastics to chemicals (DIN 50 014, 23/50) Ensinger · 2026-08 · tds
  31. US 5,278,282 Polymer recycling by selective dissolution — xylene dissolution temperatures Nauman & Lynch, Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute · 1994-01 · paper
  32. Solubility Study of Ingeo Biopolymer Grades in Common Organic Solvents (NWPD003) NatureWorks · 2019-10 · tds
  33. HIPS — Knowledge Base Prusa Research · 2026-08 · doc
  34. Improve your 3D prints with chemical smoothing Prusa Research · 2026-08 · doc
  35. Effect of vapour smoothing in trichloromethane on 3D printed PLA — surface, mechanical and chemical structure Pitale, Keche & Chopra, Engineering Research Express 6(4) 045579 · 2024-12 · paper