Design Nomenclature / Physical Model Making

Styrene

Also called polystyrene sheet, HIPS, high-impact polystyrene, plastic card, Evergreen

Physical Model Making
2D & 3D

White sheet plastic from 0.25 mm up, the standard body material for appearance models. It cuts by scoring and snapping, solvent-welds into a genuinely seamless piece, thermoforms at low heat, and takes primer with no preparation at all. It also creeps, so large flat panels bow over months.

Section through a styrene sheet being scored: a knife has cut a shallow V perhaps a third of the way through, and the sheet is drawn hinging apart from the root of the V in a clean fracture.

Not to be confused with

PMMAA hard, optically clear thermoplastic that laser-cuts to a flame-polished edge and solvent-welds invisibly. Cast acrylic machines and lasers cleanly; extruded is cheaper, gummier, and crazes when solvent touches it. It is brittle — it cracks where a tougher plastic would bend — and it holds an edge under load until it doesn't.

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Not to be confused with

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