3D Printing Info

Filament comparison

HIPS vs PLA Glow

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

HIPS guideGlow-in-the-dark PLA guide

2 selected · all documented properties

Open these two in the interactive comparisonMore HIPS comparisonsMore PLA Glow comparisons
HIPS vs PLA Glow — documented properties and sources
PropertyHIPSABSGlow-in-the-dark PLAPLA
Market snapshot
Listing priceUSD/kg; dated snapshots$29.99/kg median; $27.99–$32.00/kg across 3 dated product listings$24.99/kg median; $19.99–$49.16/kg across 5 dated product listings
Identity & Market
Base polymer / chemistryHigh-impact polystyrene — polystyrene toughened with a butadiene rubber phase[1][2]PLA with a phosphorescent additive at 2–20 wt% (Bambu Lab SDS, filler not named)[3]
Densityg/cm³1.04 (ISO 1183)[1]1.24 (colorFabb) to 1.26 (Bambu Lab), ISO 1183[4][5]
Typical priceUSD/kg1 kg spools cluster near 31[6][7]1 kg spools cluster near 25[8][9]
Price range across brandsUSD/kg28–32 across brands; YXPOLYER 28, Push Plastic 30, 3DXTech 32[7][6][10]20–49 across brands; ELEGOO 20, Bambu Lab 25, Polymaker 25, Filament PM 49 on 0.5 kg spools[11][8][9][12]
Market availability1–5Available from several mainstream brands[6][7]Stocked by most mainstream brands[8][9][11]
Spool sizes & diameters1.75 and 2.85 mm; 1 and 3 kg spools[7][6]1.75 and 2.85 mm; 0.75 and 1 kg spools[13][5]
Typical applicationsBreak-away and d-limonene-soluble support for ABS and ASA, and a light model material in its own right[2]Signage, novelty and cosplay parts that glow after light exposure[4]
Printing Parameters
Nozzle temperature°C230–245 (Simplify3D)[14]190–230 on the Bambu Lab TDS against 210–240 in its own material table; colorFabb advises 195–220[4][15][5]
Bed temperature°C100–115 (Simplify3D)[14]35–45 (Bambu Lab); 50–60 (colorFabb)[4][5]
Enclosure / chamber requirement1–5Enclosure recommended[16]Open frame is fine[4]
Part cooling fanPart cooling fan not required[14]Fan on; colorFabb allows 0–100 %[4][5]
Bed surface & adhesion aidGlue stick, glass plate, Kapton tape or PET sheets[14]Not documented
Warping tendency1–5Moderate — needs adhesion aid or draught shield[16]Not documented
Bed-adhesion difficulty1–5Needs a specific surface plus adhesive[14]Not documented
Stringing / oozing tendency1–5Slight — HIPS oozes less than ABS[14][17]Not documented
Overall printing difficulty1–5Intermediate — dry filament and a tuned profile[16]Easy — minor profile tuning; a hardened nozzle is mandatory[15][9]
Extruder requirementNot documentedBambu Lab: hardened steel and high-flow nozzles only, 0.2 mm excluded, AMS lite not compatible[15]
Hardware Wear & Reliability
Nozzle hardness required1–4Brass fine indefinitely[16]Hardened steel required[15][9][5]
Abrasiveness1–5Non-abrasive[16]Highly abrasive — the phosphor is a hard ceramic; Bambu Lab groups glow with carbon fibre as the materials that wear nozzles and grind AMS PTFE, and both Bambu Lab and Polymaker require a hardened nozzle[15][5]
Nozzle clog risk1–5Low — no special hot-end required, no drybox and no hardened nozzle, and 3DXTech states drying is not needed[14][18][2]Moderate — needs dry filament and a clean nozzle[15]
Heat-creep / jam sensitivity1–5Slightly sensitive[14]Not documented
Hotend requirementNo special hot-end required[14]Hardened steel nozzle; Bambu Lab lists glow-in-the-dark among the filaments its hardened-steel nozzle exists for[19][15]
Other hardware wearNot documentedBambu Lab reports the filament adds enough feeding resistance to fail prints on the AMS lite; colorFabb warns of brass nozzle wear[15][5]
Moisture Behaviour
Moisture absorption (hygroscopicity)1–5Low (0.1–0.3 %) — Simplify3D lists water resistance as a headline property[14]Moderate — 0.46 % saturated at 25 °C / 55 % RH[4]
Equilibrium moisture content at ~50 % RH%Not documented0.46 saturated at 25 °C / 55 % RH (Bambu Lab)[4]
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]32 ± 3 printed XY, ISO 527 (Bambu Lab); colorFabb quotes 61.5 by ISO 527 on its own specimens[4][5]
Young's modulusMPa1350 (printed XY, ISO 527) — the lowest modulus of the styrenics here[1]2030 ± 210 printed XY, ISO 527 (Bambu Lab); colorFabb 2960[4][5]
Elongation at break%18 at break (printed XY, ISO 527)[1]8.6 ± 1.2 printed XY, ISO 527 (Bambu Lab); colorFabb 10.5 at break[4][5]
Flexural strengthMPa70 (printed XY, ISO 178)[1]76 ± 4 printed XY, ISO 178 (Bambu Lab)[4]
Flexural modulusMPa1600 (printed XY, ISO 178)[1]2640 ± 130 printed XY, ISO 178 (Bambu Lab); colorFabb 3295[4][5]
Charpy impact, notchedkJ/m²Not documented2.8 (colorFabb, ISO 179-1/1eA) and 8.8 ± 1.7 (Bambu Lab, ISO 179) printed XY, notched[4][5]
Other impact dataNot documentedCharpy unnotched 27.3 (Bambu Lab) and 30.8 (colorFabb), printed, ISO 179[4][5]
Layer adhesion / Z tensileMPaNot documented26 ± 3 printed Z, ISO 527 (Bambu Lab)[4]
Brittleness1–5Tough — absorbs impact, yields before breaking[1]Brittle — snaps with little warning[4]
Creep resistance / sustained load1–5Moderate — no printed-HIPS creep test found; Tg of 100 °C keeps room-temperature service far below softening[1][14]Poor — no glow-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 the glow filler leaves a brittle, highly abrasive compound[24][4]
Elasticity / flexibility1–5Rigid[1]Rigid[4]
Z strength as % of XY%Not documented81 by tensile, 72 by flexural (printed, Bambu Lab)[4]
Thermal Properties
HDT at 0.45 MPa°CNot documented55 (ISO 75, 0.45 MPa)[4]
HDT at 1.8 MPa°CNot documented52 (ISO 75, 1.8 MPa)[4]
Glass transition (Tg)°C100 (DSC)[1]55 (DSC)[4]
Melting point / Vicat°CAmorphous — no melting point[1]155 peak melt (DSC); colorFabb quotes above 155 by ISO 3146-C[4][5]
Continuous service temperature°CBounded by a glass transition of 100 °C; no loaded-bar service figure is published for HIPS[1]Not documented
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]
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[14][2]Not documented
Vapour / chemical smoothingd-limonene attacks the surface; acetone smoothing is far less effective than on ABS[2][14]Not documented
Support material pairingUsed as the support material itself — dissolves in d-limonene, or breaks away from ABS and ASA[2]Support for PLA (Bambu Lab)[4]
Dimensional accuracy & detailNot documentedGlow brightness rises with wall thickness; 0.2 mm nozzles are not usable[15]
Solvents & Solubility
Soluble ind-limonene, 12–24 h submerged with occasional agitation; acetone also dissolves it, and xylene does so at 23 °C.[28][29][30]Chloroform dissolves the PLA matrix (10 % w/v, 2–4 h at 23 °C) and leaves the filler as loose sludge; laboratory reagent.[31]
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.[32]Acetone, ethyl acetate and toluene plasticise the matrix but dissolve <1 % even at 65 °C; acetone submersion crazes parts.[31][33]
Solvent welding & smoothing agentLimonene welds and lightly etches it; acetone welds through the polystyrene backbone but smooths less well than ABS.[28][32]Chloroform vapour attacks only the resin fraction, so the filler is left standing proud; no workshop-safe agent exists.[34][33]

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. Safety Data Sheet SDS20251127A12 — Bambu PLA Glow Bambu Lab · 2025-11 · msds
  4. Bambu Filament Technical Data Sheet — PLA Glow Bambu Lab · 2026-08 · tds
  5. glowFill technical data sheet colorFabb · 2026-08 · tds
  6. 3DXTech product catalogue 3DXTech · 2026-08 · vendor
  7. Push Plastic product catalogue Push Plastic · 2026-08 · vendor
  8. PLA Glow — product page Bambu Lab US Store · 2026-08 · vendor
  9. Panchroma Luminous PLA — product page Polymaker Shop · 2026-08 · vendor
  10. YXPOLYER HIPS product page YXPOLYER · 2026-08 · vendor
  11. ELEGOO product catalogue ELEGOO · 2026-08 · vendor
  12. Filament PM PLA GlowJet technical data sheet Filament PM (Plasty Mladec) · 2026-08 · tds
  13. Polymaker product catalogue Polymaker · 2026-08 · vendor
  14. HIPS — Ultimate 3D Printing Materials Guide Simplify3D · 2026-08 · doc
  15. PLA Usage Guide Bambu Lab Wiki · 2026-08 · doc
  16. ABS / ASA / PC Usage Guide Bambu Lab 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. Nozzles — material and compatibility Bambu Lab Wiki · 2026-08 · doc
  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. D-Limonene — FDM post-processing guide Filament2Print · 2026-08 · review
  29. Chemical resistance — resistance of Ensinger plastics to chemicals (DIN 50 014, 23/50) Ensinger · 2026-08 · tds
  30. US 5,278,282 Polymer recycling by selective dissolution — xylene dissolution temperatures Nauman & Lynch, Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute · 1994-01 · paper
  31. Solubility Study of Ingeo Biopolymer Grades in Common Organic Solvents (NWPD003) NatureWorks · 2019-10 · tds
  32. HIPS — Knowledge Base Prusa Research · 2026-08 · doc
  33. Improve your 3D prints with chemical smoothing Prusa Research · 2026-08 · doc
  34. 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