3D Printing InfoWhere it is used
Chemically resistant containers, packaging prototypes and consumer goods where HDPE is the production material
Sources
- Spectrum HDPE Technical Data Sheet · 2025-10 · tds
Polyolefins · Material guide
Polyethylene (PE)
Non-polar, chemically inert and effectively non-hygroscopic. One brand — Spectrum's low-warp HDPE — carries the whole retail market, at $87.72/kg; its published 1.1 g/cm3 density and 3.5…
Open in interactive comparisonUnderstand the material
At a glance
Before you print
- Setup difficulty
- Intermediate — dry filament and a tuned profile; Spectrum sells the grade as desktop-printable with no dry…
- Nozzle wear
- Non-abrasive
Read the full material overview
Non-polar, chemically inert and effectively non-hygroscopic. One brand — Spectrum's low-warp HDPE — carries the whole retail market, at $87.72/kg; its published 1.1 g/cm3 density and 3.5 GPa modulus put it well above plain polyethylene, so the formulation is clearly modified.
Applications
Polyethylene is used for chemically resistant containers, wear surfaces and packaging, but Spectrum HDPE filament is a modified low-warp formulation rather than ordinary bottle-grade HDPE. Spectrum recommends machine guides exposed to abrasion, housings and technical laboratory components. The useful combination is low moisture uptake, compatibility with many chemicals and resistance to rubbing; those properties matter more than a generic claim that polyethylene is flexible.
The formulation distinction changes the design decision. Spectrum's filament is substantially stiffer and less extensible than ordinary unfilled HDPE stock, so a printed squeeze part will not automatically behave like a molded bottle. Shrinkage still matters for broad flat parts. A container shape or chemical-resistant polymer also does not establish leak-tightness: joints, layer paths and the exact fluid exposure must be considered.
Abrasion-exposed machine guides ↗
FDM · Spectrum HDPE Low Warp filament, modified formulation rather than plain HDPE stock · Manufacturer-listed applications
Spectrum lists machine components and guides exposed to abrasion among the intended uses of its HDPE filament. Its low-warp formulation combines rigidity with wear resistance; this recommendation does not imply the friction or lifetime of a particular finished guide.
Sources
- Spectrum HDPE Technical Data Sheet · 2025-10 · tds
- TECAFINE HDPE natural — stock shape properties · 2026-08 · tds
Find printable models
Check the model’s material and process notes before choosing a filament.
Plan your printer setup
All print settings ↓Printing quick reference
Representative catalog values. Check the exact grade and its linked conditions before using a setting.
Nozzle temperature (°C)
240-290 (Spectrum HDPE)
Bed temperature (°C)
80-100 (Spectrum HDPE)
Enclosure
Enclosure recommended
Full value & sources
Enclosure recommended — Spectrum recommends a closed chamber for larger prints
- Spectrum HDPE Technical Data Sheet · 2025-10 · tds
Drying
No drying step published; Spectrum lists a dry box as not required
Full value & sources
No drying step published; Spectrum lists a dry box as not required
- Spectrum HDPE Technical Data Sheet · 2025-10 · tds
Go deeper when you need to
44 documented fieldsProperties & source data
Open a topic to explore the complete data. Each value keeps its original conditions, units and dated sources.
Material & market7 fields
| Property and unit | Published value and conditions | Sources and dates |
|---|---|---|
| Base polymer / chemistry | Polyethylene — the simplest polyolefin, non-polar and highly crystalline. The one retailed filament grade, Spectrum HDPE, uses what Spectrum calls Low Warp technology and is denser and stiffer than plain HDPE | 2 sources
|
| Density (g/cm³) | 1.10 (Spectrum HDPE filament, ISO 1183) against 0.95 for extruded HDPE stock — the filament is a modified formulation | 2 sources
|
| Typical price (USD/kg) | 1 kg-equivalent spools cluster near 88 | 1 source
|
| Price range across brands (USD/kg) | 87.72 — Spectrum's 500 g spools at 3DJAKE are the only PE filament listing found | 1 source
|
| Market availability (1–5) | Niche, a handful of specialist brands — Spectrum HDPE in six colours is the only PE filament in the 3DJAKE and igo3d product sitemaps, at MatterHackers or at Printed Solid, but it is a normal stocked item rather than a special order | 4 sources
|
| Spool sizes & diameters | 1.75 mm; 500 g spools in six colours | 2 sources
|
| Typical applications | Chemically resistant containers, packaging prototypes and consumer goods where HDPE is the production material | 1 source
|
Print settings8 fields
| Property and unit | Published value and conditions | Sources and dates |
|---|---|---|
| Nozzle temperature (°C) | 240-290 (Spectrum HDPE) | 1 source
|
| Bed temperature (°C) | 80-100 (Spectrum HDPE) | 1 source
|
| Enclosure / chamber requirement (1–5) | Enclosure recommended — Spectrum recommends a closed chamber for larger prints | 1 source
|
| Part cooling fan | 0-50 % part cooling (Spectrum HDPE) | 1 source
|
| Bed surface & adhesion aid | Spectrum states no adhesive is necessary for its low-warp HDPE, depending on geometry | 1 source
|
| Warping tendency (1–5) | Moderate — needs adhesion aid or draught shield. Spectrum's low-warp grade is sold as printable on desktop machines, which is not true of plain polyethylene | 1 source
|
| Bed-adhesion difficulty (1–5) | Needs the right surface or a thin adhesive; Spectrum states no adhesive is necessary but recommends a closed chamber for large parts | 1 source
|
| Overall printing difficulty (1–5) | Intermediate — dry filament and a tuned profile; Spectrum sells the grade as desktop-printable with no dry box and no hardened nozzle | 1 source
|
Nozzle wear & reliability3 fields
| Property and unit | Published value and conditions | Sources and dates |
|---|---|---|
| Nozzle hardness required (1–4) | Brass fine indefinitely — Spectrum states a ruby or hardened nozzle is not required | 1 source
|
| Abrasiveness (1–5) | Non-abrasive | 1 source
|
| Nozzle clog risk (1–5) | Low — Spectrum lists no drybox and no ruby or hardened nozzle for HDPE, and very low moisture absorption | 1 source
|
Moisture & drying4 fields
| Property and unit | Published value and conditions | Sources and dates |
|---|---|---|
| Moisture absorption (hygroscopicity) (1–5) | Negligible (<0.1 % EMC) — Spectrum lists very low moisture absorption and no dry box | 1 source
|
| Drying temperature & time | No drying step published; Spectrum lists a dry box as not required | 1 source
|
| Effect of moisture on strength | Not applicable in practice — Spectrum lists very low moisture absorption and no drybox requirement for HDPE | 1 source
|
| Storage requirement | Store dry at 18-25 °C out of sunlight; Spectrum quotes a 24-month shelf life | 1 source
|
Strength & mechanical properties10 fields
| Property and unit | Published value and conditions | Sources and dates |
|---|---|---|
| Tensile strength (XY) (MPa) | 29 at break (Spectrum HDPE, ISO 527; specimen type not stated) against 25.5 at yield on extruded HDPE stock (ASTM D638, from 3700 psi) | 2 sources
|
| Young's modulus (MPa) | 3500 (Spectrum HDPE, ISO 527) against 965 on extruded HDPE stock (ASTM D638, from 140,000 psi) — the filament grade is nearly four times stiffer than plain polyethylene | 2 sources
|
| Elongation at break (%) | 18 at break (Spectrum HDPE, ISO 527) against above 100 on extruded stock (ASTM D638) | 2 sources
|
| Flexural strength (MPa) | 27.6 on extruded HDPE stock (ASTM D790; converted from 4000 psi) | 1 source
|
| Flexural modulus (MPa) | 3200 (Spectrum HDPE, ISO 178) against 965 on extruded stock (ASTM D790, from 140,000 psi) | 2 sources
|
| Other impact data | Charpy 10 kJ/m2 (Spectrum HDPE, ISO 179-1; notch condition not stated); Izod 104 J/m on extruded stock, converted from 1.94 ft-lb/in (ASTM D256) | 2 sources
|
| Brittleness (1–5) | Tough — absorbs impact, yields before breaking; 18 % elongation at break on the filament and above 100 % on extruded stock | 2 sources
|
| Hardness (scale-specific) (Shore A / Shore D / Rockwell) | Shore D 67 and Rockwell R54 on extruded HDPE stock (ASTM D2240, D785); Spectrum quotes Rockwell 80 HRM for its filament (ISO 2039-2) | 2 sources
|
| Fatigue / repeated-flex resistance (1–5) | Good — Spectrum lists outstanding abrasion and crack resistance for its HDPE, but no repeated-flex or fatigue test data was found for any PE filament | 1 source
|
| Elasticity / flexibility (1–5) | Slightly flexible in thin sections — Spectrum's low-warp grade has a 3.5 GPa tensile modulus; plain extruded HDPE at 965 MPa is genuinely semi-flexible | 2 sources
|
Heat & temperature3 fields
| Property and unit | Published value and conditions | Sources and dates |
|---|---|---|
| HDT at 0.45 MPa (°C) | 75 on extruded HDPE stock (ASTM D648 at 66 psi; converted from 167 °F) | 1 source
|
| Continuous service temperature (°C) | 110 stated as heat resistance by Spectrum with no test standard given; extruded stock is rated 120 long-term maximum (converted from 248 °F) and brittle below -76 | 2 sources
|
| Thermal expansion (CTE) (µm/m·K) | 117 (extruded HDPE stock, ASTM D696; source states 6.5e-5 in/in/°F) | 1 source
|
Weather & chemical resistance4 fields
| Property and unit | Published value and conditions | Sources and dates |
|---|---|---|
| UV resistance (1–5) | Moderate — a season or two. Spectrum describes its HDPE as UV-stable and weather-resistant but publishes no exposure data | 1 source
|
| Chemical resistance | Excellent chemical resistance to acids, bases, oils and solvents (Spectrum); Ensinger lists broad chemical compatibility for HDPE stock | 2 sources
|
| Water / humidity resistance in service (1–5) | Excellent — essentially unaffected; Ensinger lists low moisture absorption for HDPE stock and Spectrum very low absorption for the filament | 2 sources
|
| Recyclability | Spectrum states the filament is fully recyclable; HDPE is resin code 2 | 1 source
|
Finishing & post-processing2 fields
| Property and unit | Published value and conditions | Sources and dates |
|---|---|---|
| Sanding & machining | Easy to machine — Ensinger lists machinability as a headline property of HDPE stock | 1 source
|
| Dimensional accuracy & detail | Spectrum lists a shiny surface finish and no adhesive requirement; shrinkage remains the limit on large flat parts | 1 source
|
Solvents & solubility3 fields
| Property and unit | Published value and conditions | Sources and dates |
|---|---|---|
| Soluble in | None at room temperature; xylene dissolves HDPE at about 105 °C and LDPE at 75 °C. Hot decalin does the same. | 2 sources |
| Softened or crazed by | Toluene, xylene, styrene, chloroform, dichloromethane, MEK and trichloroethylene are all unsatisfactory at 21 °C. | 1 source
|
| Solvent welding & smoothing agent | None — polyethylene has no room-temperature solvent, so joints are made by heat welding. | 2 sources |
How to read these values
Values describe representative grades, not every spool. Manufacturer datasheets and independent tests retain their source labels and dates. Printed orientation, test method, conditioning and formulation can change results. Unknown values are —. A listed use is not a certification. Shore A, Shore D and Rockwell hardness are separate scales.
Find a specific filament
1 listingProduct listings and datasheets
Historical USD/kg snapshots. Read each listing’s sale/from qualifiers, spool mass, source date, shipping and tax notes. Product figures are separate from the material summary.
Browse 1 product from 1 brand
SpectrumHDPE87.72 USD/kg
$43.86 / 500 g spool = $87.72/kg excluding VAT, 3djake.com, Aug 2026
1.75 mm, 500 g, six colours. Spectrum's low-warp formulation.
Open product listing ↗- Spectrum HDPE Traffic Black, 1.75 mm / 500 g · 2026-08 · vendor
- Spectrum HDPE Technical Data Sheet · 2025-10 · tds
| Density (g/cm³) | 1.10 (ISO 1183) |
|
|---|---|---|
| Nozzle temperature (°C) | 240–290 |
|
| Bed temperature (°C) | 80–100 |
|
| Tensile strength (XY) (MPa) | 29 at break (ISO 527) |
|
| Young's modulus (MPa) | 3500 (ISO 527) |
|
| Elongation at break (%) | 18 at break (ISO 527) |
|
| Flexural modulus (MPa) | 3200 (ISO 178) |
|
| Other impact data | Charpy 10 kJ/m² (ISO 179-1) |
|
| Hardness (scale-specific) (Shore A / Shore D / Rockwell) | Rockwell 80 HRM (ISO 2039-2) |
|
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