Soluble Support Filament
Support materials that dissolve away. This category covers soluble supports — PVA (water-soluble), HIPS (limonene-soluble), and specialty grades — that wash out instead of being peeled or snapped, delivering flawless surfaces and reaching enclosed geometry mechanical supports can't.
What are soluble support materials?
Soluble supports are a family of support materials designed to dissolve rather than break off. Printed from a second extruder alongside your model, they hold overhangs and bridges during printing, then dissolve in an appropriate medium — leaving smooth surfaces and freeing enclosed cavities that hand-removed supports can't reach.
The two mainstays are PVA, which dissolves in plain water and pairs with PLA/PETG, and HIPS, which dissolves in d-limonene and pairs with ABS. Choosing the right soluble support means matching the solvent and print temperature to your model material.
Which soluble support? — how to choose
Match the support's solvent to your model material:
Not sure which pairs with your material? Call (248) 707-2950 and we'll match support to model.
Using soluble supports successfully
- Dual-extrusion required — soluble support prints from a second nozzle alongside the model.
- Match solvent to material — water for PVA (PLA/PETG), limonene for HIPS (ABS).
- Keep support dry — PVA especially is highly hygroscopic and must stay sealed.
- Tune the interface gap for clean model surfaces after dissolving.
- Warm bath + agitation speeds dissolving; handle solvents safely and ventilate.
Soluble support brands stocked at Rev1
Rev1 Technologies stocks soluble support material from multiple brands, all shipped from Auburn Hills, Michigan with real phone support. Use the brand filter below to narrow the range, or call (248) 707-2950 for spec, bulk, and color-match help.