HIPS Quick Start Guide
High Impact Polystyrene (HIPS) is a lightweight, impact resistant variant of Polystyrene (PS).
As a 3D printing material, HIPS makes for a fantastic soluable support material when printing ABS (or ASA) due their shared printing temperatures and HIPS’s solubility in d-limoline. Using HIPS in this way allows for otherwise impossible models to be printed as the support material simply dissolves upon submersion in limoline . The use of soluable support material also makes support material a breeze and results in models with smooth support interface layers.
HIPS also produces parts that are lightweight, durable with comparable performance to ABS.
As a form of Polystyrene (PS), HIPS also has one of the rare distinctions of being one of the few 3D printing materials available that are able to be curbside recycled in Australia.
While the same 3D printing equipment is required to print HIPS as ABS, (a heated bed and an enclosure) HIPS tends to be more forgiving as it experiences decreased warping, making it more forgiving to print for beginners.
For more information on what HIPS is and what it’s good for, check out our Introduction to HIPS Filament.
When printing in HIPS, provided you have a heated bed and an enclosure for your 3D printer, use the following settings for best results:
Extruder Temperature
Bed Temperature
Fan Speed
Print Speed
Retraction Distance
Retraction Speed
In order to print HIPS successfully, having the correct the hardware setup and temperature settings outlined above are only half the battle. Here are some best practices to ensure reliable HIPS prints.
+ Have the right equipment before starting.
Having both and heated build surface and an enclosure are essential when printing in HIPS.
When compared with ABS, HIPS experiences less shrinkage when cooling (0.8% versus 1.6% for ABS), but the problem is not entirely non-existent. For this reason, you'll want to ensure your printer is equipped with both to ensure your part stays warp-free and stuck to the bed.
+ Invest in a good build surface
When printing in HIPS we recommend investing in textured print surfaces like our Ziflex or PEI Build Surfaces to assist in keeping your print anchored to the build plate.
In addition to helping to reduce warping on your printer, these upgrades will facilitate trouble-free part removal, extending the time between calibrations of the bed level.
+ Print with slow fan speeds
Decrease your fan speed to a speed of 20-30%, you will achieve an optimal balance between cooling and reducing warping and shrinkage.
+ Enable Ooze Shield
If you are unable to fully enclose the build volume of your 3D printer when printing in HIPS, turning on the Ooze Shield Setting (in Simplyify 3D) or Draft Shield Setting (in Cura) will tell your printer to print a single walled shell that encases the outside of your model. This can help insulate the air between the shield and the model being printed - keeping the area warm and combatting warping.
+ Dissolvable Supports
HIPS makes for a great dissolvable support option when printing on 3D printers capable of dual-material extrusion.
Printing using HIPS in this way is a great way of producing parts with complex geometries and leaving your print free of any markings caused by the removal of support material.
To dissolve the HIPS support material, simply submerge the part, supports and all in d-limonene - a solvent available from most hardware stores.
+ Adjust One Setting At A Time
Dialling in your HIPS print settings can be a little tricky and sometimes requires the manipulation of multiple settings to achieve the perfect result. Try tackling the settings tweaks using the tips outlined above in the following order adjusting one setting at a time.
- Printing Temperature
- Travel Speed
- Retraction
- Coasting
- Fan Speed
+ Adhesion Hack
- ABS Slurry If you are experiencing issues with adhesion, apply a thin layer of ABS slurry on top of a heated build plate just prior to printing when your heat bed has reached printing temperature.
- Disable Fan Try disabling your part cooling fan and printing 5-10°C for the first few layers of the print to keep the part stuck to the print bed.
For a more in-detail look at the best practices when 3D printing in HIPS, check out our next guide in this series HIPS Filament Ultimate Printing Guide (Coming Soon).
Soluble Supports
Lightweight Parts
Wearables