Material Matrix
Below is our Vaquform Material Matrix for HIPS, PETG, and ABS sheets.
While we currently don't sell them, other usable materials include PVC (Polyvinyl Chloride), PMMA (Polymethyl Methacrylate), PE (Polyethylene), PP (Polypropylene), PC (Polycarbonate), EVA (Ethylene Vinyl Acetate), Kydex (Acrylic + Polyvinyl Chloride). Feel free to view the properties of these usable materials here.
Any plastic sheet used with the DT2 must also have the ff. specs:
Maximum Sheet Thickness: 3.0 mm
Minimum Sheet Thickness: 0.2 mm
For any questions about other materials that aren't listed, feel free to shoot us a message!
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 | ✓ | ✓✓ |
Note on "thermoformable plastics":
You may use any plastic sheet provided that it is thermoformable, which means it reacts to heat (as opposed to thermosetting plastic).
When heated, thermoplastics will soften to a malleable state because of their low melting point. This means they can be easily shaped into any design.
On the other hand, thermosets have high melting points. Once they're exposed to a certain temperature, they're cured as a solid state and can no longer be melted down and reshaped. When reheated, thermosets will simply char. Some thermoset plastics include polyester, silicone, melamine, polyurethane, and epoxy. Please don't use these thermoset materials with your DT2!