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High Impact Polystyrene (HIPS)

HIPS (High Impact Polystyrene), also known as PS (Polystyrene), is an amorphous thermoplastic material, used in lower heat applications. It is categorized as a standard material, and offers ease of processing, high impact strength, and stiffness.

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High impact strength

Can be printed using Digital, Screen, Flexo, and Litho inks

Fabricates well – can be guillotine cut, die-cut, punched and formed

Easy to Thermoform

Good dimensional stability

Fully recyclable with minimal loss of properties

FDA approved with 100% virgin resin

Technical Resources

Product Options

Colors

Dead-white, Black, Natural, Corona treated (Custom colors available) available in matte and smooth textures

Grades

Digital
Screen grade

Sizes

Shape

Sizes

sheet

Dimensions: 48” x 96” up to 50” x 99”, custom up to 114″ wide
Thickness: 0.020” up to 0.250”

Physical Properties

	UNITS	ASTM TEST
Tensile strength @ 73°F	2,480 – 4,520 psi	D638
Flexural modulus @ 73°F	193,000 – 381,000 psi	D790
Izod impact (notched)	1.2 – 2.8 ft-lbs/in of notch	D256
Heat deflection temp. @ 264 psi	160° – 189° F (71° – 87° C)	D648
Water absorption – 24 hours – 1/8″ thick	0.036 – 0.11%	D570
Coefficient of linear thermal expansion	5.0E-5 to 5.1E-5 (in/in/°F	D696

*Technical Data is provided courtesy of UL Prospector (www.ulprospector.com) and IAPD (www.IAPD.org).

Data is to be considered representative and is provided for guidance only. All product performance must be verified by the user under actual application conditions.

Suppliers / Brands

Spartech

About High Impact Polystyrene (HIPS)

HIPS (High Impact Polystyrene), also known as PS (Polystyrene), is an amorphous thermoplastic material, used in lower heat applications. It is categorized as a standard material, and offers ease of processing, high impact strength, and stiffness.

HIPS is a versatile cost-effective material engineered from tough polystyrene resins. It is often specified for low strength structural applications when impact resistance, machinability, and low cost are required. It has excellent dimensional stability and is easy to fabricate – it can be guillotine cut, die-cut, punched, and also painted and glued, properties that make it a popular option for machining pre-production prototypes. Natural (translucent white) HIPS is FDA compliant for use in food processing applications.

High Impact Polystyrene (HIPS) can be assembled with mechanical fasteners, solvents, or adhesives. Printable grades of polystyrene can be decorated using a variety of printing methods including offset lithography, screen-printing, and digital printing. It is also used as a substrate to mount graphics such as plotter vinyls/films.

HIPS is ideal for producing signs and displays; it is one of the lower cost materials available and contains many of the properties desired by lithographic, screen and digital printers.

Polymershapes proudly offers styrene from industry-leading manufacturers, such as Primex, producers of Impax, DIGI-HIPS™, TearTuf, and more!

If you need your material fabricated, let Polymershapes help! We offer a wide range of value-added services that can help you stand out versus your competition, with a variety of conversion and fabrication services. Our experienced teams will deliver best-in-class customer service and convenience that will exceed your expectations.

Make Polymershapes your go-to source for your HIPS needs, as well as virtually any other plastics or associated products — Contact your local Polymershapes facility today for more information!

Disposable Face ShieldsPolymershapes has entered into a license agreement with MIT to make available low-cost, mass-produced disposable face shields exclusively for healthcare professionals.