Acrylonitrile butadiene styrene (ABS) is a common plastic that is used in manufacturing most of our consumer products. It is not biodegradable and has a greater environmental impact than some of the other filaments. An ABS filament is a strong and flexible material suitable for mechanical parts. It has impact resistance, dimensional stability, and excellent heat and low-temperature resistance. It's easily sanded, glued, and receptive of most paint products. It is also available in many colors.
The average temperature for 3D extrusion should be around 225 degrees Celsius. Different colors may need to be adjusted with slightly different extrusion temperatures.
ABS has a tendency to warp, but this can be minimized using a heat bed at a maximum temperature of 120 degrees Celsius.
ABS should be used in a well-ventilated area. ABS products are capable of releasing small amounts of fumes at melting temperatures. While these fumes are generally considered tolerable, care should be taken to minimize exposure.
There are three special varieties that exhibit different characteristics. They are as follows:
Glowing in the dark is available in a limited range of colors. It requires a slightly lower extruding temperature from 210 to 220 degrees Celsius.
smartABS has a 30 percent lower warp tendency. It extrudes at normal temperatures, but if foam comes out of the nozzle, the material has to be dried at about 75 degrees Celsius for 2 hours.
A conductive filament can be used for the conduction of electric current, antistatic dissipation, and electromagnetic interference shielding. It requires an extruding temperature from 200 to 230 degrees Celsius.
A polycarbonate ABS alloy is an incredibly tough material designed for strong, resilient parts. It should be used in a well-ventilated area. It requires a much higher extruding temperature from 260 to 280 degrees Celsius.