High Impact Polystyrene – What You Need to Know
High Impact Polystyrene is one of the many materials we can use in the plastic extrusion process, but what actually is this material and why is it useful?
What is it?
HIPS (High Impact Polystyrene) is a type of thermoplastic; this means that is it mouldable when heated and solidifies when it cools.
Most people are familiar with general polystyrene, the difference between this and HIPS is that HIPS has been modified with rubber to make it more impact resistant.
The popularity of this material is down to its versatility, high impact strength and rigidity.
Popular Applications
The versatility of this material means that it has many different applications across a range of industries. However, HIPS is most commonly used indoors in both domestic and commercial settings.
Domestic Applications:
- Children’s toys
- Hand-made enclosures
- Handling trays
- Bathroom cabinets
Commercial Applications:
- Marketing Displays
- Point of sales signs
- Kiosks
- Tubes
- Packaging inserts
What are the benefits?
High Impact Polystyrene is such a popular material for designers to use because of the many benefits it holds and the flexibility that it allows when designing. Here are just a few of the benefits:
- It is both malleable and very strong which makes it a desirable material for many applications.
- It is completely recyclable because of its ability to be remoulded.
- It can be manufactured in a large range of different colours.
- There are fire resistant grades available.
If you’re interested in using High Impact Polystyrene in your next product, get in touch with our team to find out more information.
