HIPS print parameters — temperature, bed, cooling and drying

In Porima's table HIPS has two properties no other material has: it requires no drying and it dissolves in D-limonene. On top of that, support removal is rated very easy — the only such rating in the whole FDM parameter table. That makes it the natural support material for ABS and ASA.

HIPS also prints on its own: 230–270 °C, a matt surface, a declared temperature resistance of 85 °C, a low warping tendency and a difficulty level rated easy. It is light and cheap to print, but the manufacturer rates its colour saturation as medium.

Full HIPS parameters

Parameter	HIPS
Nozzle temperature	230–270 °C
Bed temperature	80–110 °C
Recommended nozzle diameter	0.4 mm
Cooling (fan)	100% — can be reduced
Drying	not required — non-hygroscopic material
Enclosure (chamber)	open frame, no enclosure
Recommended printers	all desktop-class FDM printers
Bambu AMS compatibility	Not recommended
Print difficulty level	easy
Print speed	high
Detail resolution	0.2 mm and above
Abrasiveness (nozzle wear)	none
Warping tendency	low
Stringing tendency	low
Layer bonding	good
Support removal	very easy
Temperature resistance	85 °C
Impact resistance	high
Flexibility	low
Moisture resistance	very low
Surface finish	matt
Opacity	opaque
Colour saturation	medium
Odour	noticeable
Post-processing	easy
Chemical solubility	dissolves in D-limonene
Spool material	recycled plastic
Recycled content in filament	no
Recyclability	yes
Diameter tolerance	±0.03 mm

Source: the official Porima FDM technical data table (FDM Technical Data). The descriptive ratings (none / low / medium / high) are the manufacturer's own labels, not the result of testing to any standard. Temperature resistance is the manufacturer's own declared figure — it is not HDT, nor any other normed test. The ±0.03 mm diameter tolerance comes from the manufacturer's data, not from the FDM table. See also the print temperature table and the filament drying guide.

How to print HIPS

Supports soluble in D-limonene

This is the main reason people buy HIPS. An ABS print with HIPS supports goes into a D-limonene bath after printing, and the supports disappear without a single tool mark. The temperature ranges of the two materials overlap: the 80–110 °C bed is identical, and the 230–270 °C nozzle sits close to the lower limit for ABS (250–280 °C), so finding a shared profile is realistic.

No drying required

In the drying field the manufacturer writes: not required, non-hygroscopic material. Moisture resistance: very low — and this is exactly the case where the field description can mislead, because drying is governed solely by the drying row. HIPS is the only material in the table with that entry.

Cooling 100%, can be reduced

Unusual for a material from the styrene family. If you print HIPS together with ABS in a closed chamber, go lower — otherwise cooling the supports will harm the ABS layers printed in the same session.

Enclosure: open, but not for dual-material printing

HIPS on its own does not need a chamber, because its warping tendency is low. If you print it as a support for ABS or ASA, however, the requirements of that material apply: closed printer, 50 °C chamber.

Bambu AMS: Not recommended

The manufacturer advises against HIPS in the AMS without giving a reason. For dual-material printing it is more convenient to use a second extruder or an external holder anyway.

The most common problems with HIPS

• Poor surface above supports — HIPS has support removal rated very easy — if marks remain, the problem is the support gap, not the material
• First layer will not stick — in dual-material printing the first layer of both HIPS and ABS has to hold with the same profile
• Warping — a low tendency, but printed together with ABS in an open printer the whole print lifts
• Layer delamination — full cooling on a styrene material can weaken the bond — which is why the manufacturer allows it to be reduced
• Odour and fumes — the odour is rated noticeable; when printing with ABS, the ABS requirements apply

HIPS is not yet in our regular catalogue — we bring it in to order, see the full Porima filament range or write to hello@mensa3d.com. The materials it is used with: ABS and ASA. Category: technical filaments.