3D Printing Info

Filament comparison

HIPS vs TPU 98A

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

HIPS guideTPU 98A / hard TPU guide

2 selected · all documented properties

Open these two in the interactive comparisonMore HIPS comparisonsMore TPU 98A comparisons
HIPS vs TPU 98A — documented properties and sources
PropertyHIPSABSTPU 98A / hard TPUFLEX
Market snapshot
Listing priceUSD/kg; dated snapshots$29.99/kg median; $27.99–$32.00/kg across 3 dated product listings$94.99/kg median; $34.99–$149.99/kg across 3 dated product listings
Identity & Market
Base polymer / chemistryHigh-impact polystyrene — polystyrene toughened with a butadiene rubber phase[1][2]Hard thermoplastic polyurethane at 98 Shore A to about 60 Shore D — the rigid end of the TPU range[3][4]
Densityg/cm³1.04 (ISO 1183)[1]1.23 (Fillamentum Flexfill 98A); 1.2 (Extrudr FLEX HARD, ISO 2781)[3][4]
Typical priceUSD/kg1 kg spools cluster near 31[5][6]1 kg spools cluster near 150[6]
Price range across brandsUSD/kg28–32 across brands; YXPOLYER 28, Push Plastic 30, 3DXTech 32[6][5][7]95–150 across brands; Proto-pasta Clear Rigid TPU 95, Push Plastic TPU 100A 150[8][6]
Market availability1–5Available from several mainstream brands[5][6]Available from several mainstream brands[6][8][4]
Spool sizes & diameters1.75 and 2.85 mm; 1 and 3 kg spools[6][5]1.75 and 2.85 mm; 0.5, 0.75 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]Drive belts, wheels, snap-fits and bumpers that need to flex but hold shape under load[3]
Printing Parameters
Nozzle temperature°C230–245 (Simplify3D)[9]230–260 (Extrudr FLEX HARD)[4]
Bed temperature°C100–115 (Simplify3D)[9]50–90 (Extrudr FLEX HARD)[4]
Enclosure / chamber requirement1–5Enclosure recommended[10]Open frame is fine[4]
Part cooling fanPart cooling fan not required[9]0–30 % (Extrudr FLEX HARD)[4]
Bed surface & adhesion aidGlue stick, glass plate, Kapton tape or PET sheets[9]PEI sheet or painter's tape; Polymaker warns TPU can over-stick and advises a glue stick as a release agent[11][12]
Maximum volumetric flow (mm³/s; see test conditions)mm³/sNot documented4.6 (Extrudr FLEX HARD, stated max volumetric speed on a 0.4 mm nozzle)[4]
Warping tendency1–5Moderate — needs adhesion aid or draught shield[10]None[4]
Bed-adhesion difficulty1–5Needs a specific surface plus adhesive[9]Not documented
Stringing / oozing tendency1–5Slight — HIPS oozes less than ABS[9][13]Not documented
Overall printing difficulty1–5Intermediate — dry filament and a tuned profile[10]Easy — minor profile tuning; at this hardness the filament pushes like a rigid material[4]
Extruder requirementNot documentedBowden viable at this hardness — Extrudr rates FLEX HARD to 100 mm/s where its soft grades cap lower[4]
Hardware Wear & Reliability
Nozzle hardness required1–4Brass fine indefinitely[10]Brass fine indefinitely[4]
Abrasiveness1–5Non-abrasive[10]Non-abrasive[4]
Nozzle clog risk1–5Low — no special hot-end required, no drybox and no hardened nozzle, and 3DXTech states drying is not needed[9][14][2]Low[15]
Heat-creep / jam sensitivity1–5Slightly sensitive[9]Moderate — good heatbreak cooling needed[12]
Hotend requirementNo special hot-end required[9]No special hot-end required, but a direct-drive extruder is (Simplify3D)[11]
Moisture Behaviour
Moisture absorption (hygroscopicity)1–5Low (0.1–0.3 %) — Simplify3D lists water resistance as a headline property[9]Moderate — the TPU family absorbs readily; Extrudr specifies a 12 h dry at 60 °C for FLEX HARD[4][15]
Drying temperature & timeNot documented60 °C for 12 h (Extrudr FLEX HARD)[4]
Symptoms when wetBubbling and popping at the nozzle, stringing and a rough surface[15]Bubbling and popping at the nozzle, stringing and a rough surface[15]
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[15]Polymaker groups TPU with the highly hygroscopic materials; no dry-versus-conditioned figures are published[15]
Storage requirementSealed with desiccant; less critical than for the polyamides[15]Sealed with desiccant; often kept in a dryer during the print[15]
Mechanical Properties
Tensile strength (XY)MPa40 at break (printed XY, ISO 527)[1]53.7 at break (Fillamentum Flexfill 98A, DIN 53504)[3]
Young's modulusMPa1350 (printed XY, ISO 527) — the lowest modulus of the styrenics here[1]Not documented
Elongation at break%18 at break (printed XY, ISO 527)[1]318 at break (Fillamentum Flexfill 98A, DIN 53504); Extrudr FLEX HARD 490 (ISO 527-2)[3][4]
Flexural strengthMPa70 (printed XY, ISO 178)[1]Not documented
Flexural modulusMPa1600 (printed XY, ISO 178)[1]Not documented
Brittleness1–5Tough — absorbs impact, yields before breaking[1]Very ductile — bends far before failing[3]
Hardness (scale-specific)Shore A / Shore D / RockwellNot documented98 Shore A and 60 Shore D (Fillamentum, ISO 7619-1); Extrudr FLEX HARD 58 Shore D (ISO 868)[3][4]
Creep resistance / sustained load1–5Moderate — no printed-HIPS creep test found; Tg of 100 °C keeps room-temperature service far below softening[1][9]Poor — no 98A creep test; a printed 95A TPU bar crept from 74.5 to 82.7 mm over 5 days at 1.25 kg[16]
Fatigue / repeated-flex resistance1–5Moderate[1]Excellent — living hinges viable[12]
Elasticity / flexibility1–5Rigid[1]Semi-flexible[3][4]
Wear resistance & frictionNot documentedAbrasion 23 mm³ (Fillamentum, ISO 4649 method A) and 26 mm³ (Extrudr FLEX HARD, ISO 4649-A) — the best abrasion figures in the group[3][4]
Thermal Properties
Glass transition (Tg)°C100 (DSC)[1]Not documented
Melting point / Vicat°CAmorphous — no melting point[1]190–210 melting (Extrudr FLEX HARD, ISO 3146-C); Vicat A 140 (ISO 306)[4]
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[17]Good — years with some colour shift; Polymaker lists UV exposure among the conditions TPU withstands[12]
Chemical resistanceDissolves completely in d-limonene — the basis of its use as a soluble support[2]Withstands industrial solvents and UV exposure (Polymaker)[12]
Food contactNot food safe[17]Not food safe without specific certification (Polymaker)[12]
Biodegradability / compostabilityNot biodegradable[17]Not biodegradable[12]
RecyclabilityNot accepted in household plastic collection[17]Not accepted in household plastic collection[12]
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[18]Low hazard — minimal VOC and particle emission; TPU was not among the nine filaments in the chamber study[18]
VOC emission rateµg/min12–113 styrene, the range measured across ABS and the one HIPS filament tested[18]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[18]Not documented
Hazardous species emittedStyrene was the only dominant VOC identified for the HIPS filament tested[18]Not documented
Ventilation / filtration requirement1–5Enclosure with carbon and HEPA filtration[18]Open a window / occasional ventilation[18]
Post-Processing
Sanding & machiningSands and paints readily, like ABS[17]Difficult to sand or smooth; Polymaker limits post-processing to trimming or tumbling[12]
Gluing & solvent weldingSolvent-welds with d-limonene, and with acetone via its polystyrene backbone[9][2]Cyanoacrylate bonds TPU; no common solvent welds it[12]
Vapour / chemical smoothingd-limonene attacks the surface; acetone smoothing is far less effective than on ABS[2][9]No practical vapour smoothing[12]
Support material pairingUsed as the support material itself — dissolves in d-limonene, or breaks away from ABS and ASA[2]Polymaker warns TPU supports are often very difficult to remove[12]
Dimensional accuracy & detailNot documentedTear strength 170 kN/m (Fillamentum, ISO 34-1) and 175 kN/m (Extrudr FLEX HARD, ISO 34-1B)[3][4]
Solvents & Solubility
Soluble ind-limonene, 12–24 h submerged with occasional agitation; acetone also dissolves it, and xylene does so at 23 °C.[19][20][21]DMF, DMSO, NMP and THF dissolve TPU; acetone, MEK and cyclohexanone are partial solvents. All laboratory reagents.[22]
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.[23]Toluene and benzene swell it up to +50 % by weight at 23 °C; esters swell it severely; ethanol and IPA soften it.[22]
Solvent welding & smoothing agentLimonene welds and lightly etches it; acetone welds through the polystyrene backbone but smooths less well than ABS.[19][23]None practical — the true solvents (DMF, THF, NMP) are laboratory reagents and leave the joint swollen and weak.[22]

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. Flexfill TPU 98A Technical Data Sheet Fillamentum · 2019-08 · tds
  4. Extrudr Product Catalogue (DURAPRO PA12 data block) Extrudr · 2025-03 · tds
  5. 3DXTech product catalogue 3DXTech · 2026-08 · vendor
  6. Push Plastic product catalogue Push Plastic · 2026-08 · vendor
  7. YXPOLYER HIPS product page YXPOLYER · 2026-08 · vendor
  8. Proto-pasta product catalogue Proto-pasta · 2026-08 · vendor
  9. HIPS — Ultimate 3D Printing Materials Guide Simplify3D · 2026-08 · doc
  10. ABS / ASA / PC Usage Guide Bambu Lab Wiki · 2026-08 · doc
  11. Flexible (TPE/TPU) — Ultimate 3D Printing Materials Guide Simplify3D · 2026-08 · doc
  12. TPU — material basics Polymaker Wiki · 2026-08 · doc
  13. ABS — Ultimate 3D Printing Materials Guide Simplify3D · 2026-08 · doc
  14. Filament Material Guide Prusa Knowledge Base · 2026-08 · doc
  15. Wet Filament — signs, causes and drying Polymaker Wiki · 2026-08 · doc
  16. BambuLab TPU 95A HF vs Qidi TPU 95A HF — results spreadsheet My Tech Fun (Igor Gaspar) · 2024-02 · test
  17. ABS — material basics Polymaker Wiki · 2026-08 · doc
  18. 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
  19. D-Limonene — FDM post-processing guide Filament2Print · 2026-08 · review
  20. Chemical resistance — resistance of Ensinger plastics to chemicals (DIN 50 014, 23/50) Ensinger · 2026-08 · tds
  21. US 5,278,282 Polymer recycling by selective dissolution — xylene dissolution temperatures Nauman & Lynch, Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute · 1994-01 · paper
  22. Elastollan — Chemical properties: swelling and chemical resistance BASF · 2026-08 · tds
  23. HIPS — Knowledge Base Prusa Research · 2026-08 · doc