Description
General information
| HIPS | ABS | PETG | |
| Chemical name | High-Impact Polystyrene |
Acrylontrile Butadiene Styrene |
Glycolized Polyethylene Terepthalate |
| Common name | Styrene | ABS | – |
| Brief description | General purpose, low cost, easy to Vaquform | Very similar to HIPS but tougher. Slightly more expensive | Tough, food grade, high transparency, easy to Vaquform |
Properties
|
HIPS |
ABS | PETG | |
| Shatter resistance | ★★★★ | ★★★★★ | ★★★★★ |
| Tear resistance | ★★★ | ★★★★ | ★★★★★ |
| Transparency | Opaque | Opaque | ★★★★★ |
| Rigidity | ★★★★ | ★★★★ | ★★★★ |
| Flexibility | ★★ | ★★ | ★★ |
| Elasticity | – | – | – |
| Thermoformability | ★★★★★ | ★★★★★ | ★★★★★ |
| Adhesive options | ★★★★★ | ★★★★★ | ★★★★ |
| Paintability | ★★★★★ | ★★★★★ | ★★★★ |
| Machinability | ★★★★★ | ★★★★★ | ★★★★ |
Applications
✓✓ = Highly recommended
✓ = Suitable
Blank = Not recommended
| HIPS | ABS | PETG | |
| Electronics enclosures | ✓ | ✓✓ | ✓ |
| Drone enclosures | ✓ | ✓ | ✓✓ |
| RC car shells | ✓ | ✓✓ | ✓✓ |
| RC boat hull | ✓ | ✓✓ | ✓✓ |
| RC aircraft cowls & wings | ✓✓ | ✓✓ | ✓ |
| Scale models | ✓✓ | ✓ | |
| Architectural models | ✓✓ | ✓ | |
| Chocolate tray | ✓✓ | ✓✓ | |
| Chocolate mold | ✓ | ✓✓ | |
| Soap molds | ✓ | ✓ | ✓✓ |
| Candle molds | ✓✓ | ||
| Jelly molds | ✓ | ✓✓ | |
| Cake texture molds | ✓ | ✓✓ | |
| Fondant molds | ✓ | ✓✓ | |
| Food packaging | ✓ | ✓✓ | |
| Blister packaging | ✓✓ | ||
| Beverage cups | ✓ | ✓✓ | |
| Cup lids | ✓✓ | ✓✓ | |
| Face masks | ✓✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
| Face shield | ✓ | ✓ | |
| Safety goggles | |||
| Costumes elements | ✓✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
| Theater set elements | ✓✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
| Special effects | ✓✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
| Animatronic exoskeletons | ✓✓ | ✓✓ | ✓ |
| Holiday decorations | ✓✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
| Bicycle helmets | ✓ | ✓ | |
| Lighting diffuser | ✓ | ✓ | ✓✓ |
| Lamp shade | ✓ | ✓ | ✓✓ |
| Knife sheaths | ✓ | ||
| Gun holsters | ✓✓ | ✓ | |
| Tool organizer | ✓✓ | ✓✓ | ✓ |
| Fitted component trays | ✓✓ | ✓✓ | ✓ |
| Jigs & fixtures | ✓ | ✓✓ | |
| Dental aligners | ✓✓ | ||
| Prosthetic limb sockets | ✓ | ✓✓ |
