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What is abs in 3d printing


Ultimate Materials Guide - Tips for 3D Printing with ABS

Overview

ABS (Acrylonitrile Butadiene Styrene) has a long history in the 3D printing world. This material was one of the first plastics to be used with industrial 3D printers. Many years later, ABS is still a very popular material thanks to its low cost and good mechanical properties. ABS is known for its toughness and impact resistance, allowing you to print durable parts that will hold up to extra usage and wear. LEGO building blocks are made from this material for that same reason! ABS also has a higher glass transition temperature, which means the material can withstand much higher temperatures before it begins to deform. This makes ABS a great choice for outdoor or high temperature applications. When printing with ABS, be sure to use an open space with good ventilation, as the material tends to have a slight odor. ABS also tends to contract quite a bit as it cools, so controlling the temperature of your build volume and the part inside can have major benefits.

  • Low Cost
  • Good impact and wear resistance
  • Less oozing and stringing gives models smoother finish
  • Good heat resistance
  • Heavy warping
  • Needs heated bed or heated chamber
  • Produces a pungent odor while printing
  • Parts tend to shrink leading to dimensional inaccuracy

Hardware Requirements

Before 3D printing with ABS make sure your 3D Printer meets the hardware requirements listed below to ensure the best print quality.

Bed

Temperature: 95-110 °C
Heated Bed Required
Enclosure Recommended

Build Surface

Kapton tape
ABS Slurry

Extruder

Temperature: 220-250 °C
No special hot-end required

Cooling

Part Cooling Fan Not Required

Best Practices

These tips will help you reduce the chances of common 3D printing issues associated with ABS such as warping and fumes.

Control Warping

One of the most common print quality issues with ABS is warping. As the plastic cools from its extrusion temperature down to the room temperature, this change in temperature causes the plastic to shrink and contract. This can be particularly troublesome for the first layer, as this change in size can frequently cause the part to separate from the bed, ruining the print. You can minimize this effect using a proper build surface heated to 110º C. The build platform will transfer some of its heat to the first few layers of your part, which will prevent them from shrinking and separating from the bed. It is also common to set the extruder temperature about 10 to 20 degrees higher for the first few layers of your print, which can also help reduce the risk of separation. Simplify3D gives you complete control over your bed and extruder temperatures, so you easily set the desired values on a per-layer basis using the Temperature tab of your process settings. While these changes can help with the bottom layers of your print, taller parts may have issues as the layers get further away from the bed. When printing larger parts, consider adding an enclosure around your printer to maintain a higher temperature around your print. The enclosure can also prevent wind drafts that could rapidly cool the part during printing. If you’ve followed these steps, but you’re still having trouble with warping and separation, our Print Quality Guide has an entire section dedicated to warping which can give you even more information on the topic: How to Prevent Warping.

Using Brims and Rafts

When printing large parts, or thin delicate parts, you may find that you still have trouble getting these parts to properly adhere to the bed. In these cases, adding a brim or a raft to your print can be a great way to anchor these part to the build platform and prevent warping. A brim will add several rings of plastic around your model on the first few layers, creating extra surface area to hold down the edges of your part. Using a raft will actually print an entirely new plastic structure underneath your print, which can be removed after the print is completed. The rafts in Simplify3D were heavily optimized for Version 4.0 allowing them to print faster and use more material, but you may still find that a brim is faster for larger parts. If you want to learn more about these options, we have an in-depth article that explains all of the differences between rafts, skirts, and brims to help you get started.

Print In a Well Ventilated Area

Printing with ABS is known to produce a strong odor with fumes that could potentially be harmful if inhaled in large quantities. Avoid confined spaces and place your printer in a well-ventilated area to avoid these issues. Newer 3D printers may include a separate air-filtration system or HEPA filter that can deal with these fumes right from the source. If you printer doesn’t include these features or you’re limited in where you can place it, consider opening a window or using a flexible air duct from your local hardware store to help route the fumes outside.

Pro-Tips

  • Bed adhesion can be improved by using an ABS slurry. You can make this slurry on your own by mixing small pieces of ABS filament with acetone and applying the mixture on the bed. There are also several pre-packaged versions of the product that can be purchased.
  • When doing a dual extrusion print, PLA can be a good break-away support material as it does not adhere strongly to ABS.

Get Started with ABS

Here are a few tips to help you get started with ABS. You can view some common applications below, select from a typical sample project, or even view popular filament brands if you’re looking to stock up on this low cost material.

Common Applications

  • Cases or Project Enclosures
  • Toys or Action Figures
  • Automotive hardware

Sample Projects

  • Lego Bricks
  • Door Catch
  • Fidget Spinner

Popular Brands

  • Hatchbox ABS
  • FormFutura ABS pro, EasyFil ABS, TitanX
  • eSun ABS, ABS+
  • HobbyKing ABS

All you need to know about ABS for 3D printing

Published on June 6, 2019 by Carlota V.

ABS for Acrylonitrile Butadiene Styrene is a thermoplastic polymer quite common in the industry. It is mainly known for its good impact resistance at low temperatures and for creating lightweight parts. Mainly used in the household appliance sector, it is also found in boat hulls, decoration pieces, toys, and especially in the famous bricks developed by LEGO. ABS plastic is also very popular in the FDM 3D printing market – as it is the most widely used material in this sector with PLA.

Today, we give you an overview of the main characteristics of ABS plastic for 3D printing, including its printing parameters and applications.

Legos are manufactured with ABS

The production process

One of the first plastics to be used with industrial 3D printers, it was developed around 1990. This thermoplastic polymer is what is called a ‘terpolymer’ and obtained most often by polymerization of acrylonitrile and styrene in the presence of polybutadiene – generally 20% acrylonitrile, 25% butadiene and 55% styrene. Manipulating these proportions can therefore modify the properties of ABS; styrene, for example, is the element that gives ABS its rigidity and brilliance, while butadiene gives it its impact resistance and low temperature properties.

The plastic injection industry is one of the main consumers of ABS plastic: the material has good rigidity, high impact resistance and great lightness, while remaining very affordable in terms of price. It has also been a popular material in the 3D melt-deposited printing market for some years now, one of the first filaments used in the sector with PLA – both materials are easier to print than other technical and inexpensive thermoplastics.

ABS plastic is widely used in injection moulding | Credits: Plastic Precision Molding

The characteristics of ABS filaments in 3D printing

Available in the form of filaments with a diameter of 1.75 mm or 2.85 mm and in several colours, ABS has interesting properties for many industries that want to 3D print functional parts or prototypes. Although it is more difficult to print than PLA, ABS remains a very popular material for 3D printing professionals due to its resistance to impact and high temperature (between -20°C and 80°C). It is opaque, offers smooth and shiny surfaces and can be welded by chemical processes using acetone.

ABS has a melting temperature of around 200°C, it is therefore recommended that the extrusion temperature be between 230 and 260°C. The use of a heating plate (between 80 and 130°C) is mandatory: it is a plastic that shrinks on contact with air, causing the part to shrink (or warp) and thus detaching itself from the plate. For large parts, it is even advisable to use a special adhesive such as Kapton or an adhesive lacquer. Finally, a 3D printer with a closed enclosure is preferable because ABS plastic emits particles that can be dangerous for the user.

A heating plate is necessary to avoid the phenomenon of warping

In terms of printing supports, ABS is easily printed with HIPS, a material that has the same tray and extrusion temperatures. This material dissolves quickly in D-Limonene, a lemon-based solvent.

Little post-processing is required when printing with this thermoplastic polymer, a key advantage that will save time in the production of complex parts. It can be painted and resists well to time with few observed deformations. Finally, it is a material that must be kept dry because it absorbs moisture from the air, which will make it much more difficult to print.

Solutions such as the PolyBox allow to keep the filaments protected from humidity

The main manufacturers

Many players now offer ABS plastic in the form of filaments; among the main ones are the well-known supplier Stratasys, the Chinese Esun but also Ultimaker, FormFutura, Innofil3D, etc. There is a wide selection of colours, with prices ranging from 15 to 60€ depending on the brand.

Be aware that there are loaded filaments where additives are added to ABS: for example, ABS based on carbon fibres or aramid fibres, better known as Kevlar. These fibres, for example, reduce the warping phenomenon of ABS and therefore provide greater precision. Carbon, on the other hand, reinforces the initial mechanical properties of the material. These more technical materials are generally more expensive and have different printing parameters.

Several manufacturers now offer ABS plastic

Finally, although ABS plastic is mainly used in FDM 3D printing, there is an ABS resin for stereolithography that has the same mechanical properties as the ABS thermoplastic.

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ABS for 3D printing


The high strength of ABS makes it suitable for structural applications

ABS (Acrylonitrile Butadiene Styrene, ABS) is a high-impact thermoplastic that has become very popular in industry and additive manufacturing.

The excellent mechanical and physical properties of ABS plastic make it possible to use this material to create all kinds of objects of practical value. ABS plastic is widely used in the automotive, medical and souvenir industries, in the production of sports equipment, plumbing, bank cards, furniture, toys, etc.

The relatively low cost of ABS plastic and the relative ease of use as a consumable have led to ABS's high popularity among 3D printing enthusiasts. ABS is one of the most popular materials for FDM/FFF printing.

Safety ABS

ABS is relatively safe and does not pose a threat under normal conditions. However, heating ABS releases toxic acrylonitrile fumes, which means you need to take some precautions when 3D printing. Evaporation is generally low due to the relatively slow material consumption of FDM printing. To ensure a completely safe environment, only good ventilation of the room or an extractor is required. It is also worth bearing in mind that ABS plastic reacts with ethanol, which leads to the release of styrene.

Do not use finished ABS products to store hot food and drinks or alcohol at any temperature.

ABS Specification

Glass Transition Temperature About 105°C
Flexural strength 41 MPa
Tensile strength 22 MPa
Tensile modulus 1627 MPa
Elongation 6%
Shrinkage on cooling Up to 0.8%
Material density Approx. 1.05 g/cm³

Please note that the actual dimensions of the 3D printed ABS will depend on the manufacturer's specifications. In many cases, ABS is blended with other thermoplastics (such as polystyrene), resulting in changes in extrusion temperature, resistance to certain solvents, etc.

Advantages and disadvantages of ABS

The main disadvantage of ABS is its relatively low resistance to direct sunlight. In addition, the potential toxicity of the material somewhat limits its use in the manufacture of toys, food packaging and medical instruments.

A wide range of colors is demonstrated with Lego bricks made from ABS plastic

At the same time, ABS plastic has a number of positive qualities:

  • Almost unlimited colors
  • Moisture resistant
  • Acid resistance
  • Oil resistance
  • Relatively high heat resistance, reaching up to 115°C in some material grades
  • Non-toxic at relatively low temperatures and in the absence of alcohol exposure
  • Increased impact resistance
  • High elasticity
  • High durability in the absence of direct sunlight
  • Easy to machine
  • Good affordability
  • High solubility in acetone

Use in 3D printing

The result of processing a model from ABS plastic with acetone vapor

Printing with ABS plastic is associated with certain technological difficulties due to a rather high tendency to shrink, that is, to loss of volume during cooling. As a result, the formation of deformations and delamination of models is possible. This point is taken into account by manufacturers optimizing 3D printers for ABS printing by installing heated work platforms and providing varying degrees of climate control in the working chamber. Some methods for dealing with deformations are described in the section "How to avoid deformation of models when 3D printing".

In addition to being machinable, ABS is easily soluble in acetone and some other solvents, which makes it possible to produce fairly large models from component parts by gluing. In addition, the processing of finished models with acetone vapor allows you to smooth the outer surfaces and achieve complete tightness. For more information on processing with acetone, see the "Processing 3D Printed Models" section.

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