ABS
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ABS
Acrylonitrile Butadiene Styrene

The engineering workhorse. Tough, impact-resistant, and uniquely acetone-smoothable — producing near-injection-moulded surface quality.

The engineering workhorse

ABS remains widely used in professional environments. It offers excellent impact resistance, machinability, and can be acetone-smoothed to a finish that rivals injection-moulded parts — making it unique among FDM materials.

Acetone vapor smoothing reduces surface roughness from ~20µm Ra down to under 1µm Ra — far superior to mechanical sanding and rivalling SLA surface quality.

Best use cases

  • Functional enclosures and electronics housings
  • Automotive interior components and trim prototypes
  • Parts requiring acetone post-processing for finish
  • Tooling jigs, fixtures, and manufacturing aids
  • Consumer product prototypes requiring smooth surfaces

Printing ABS successfully

An enclosed build chamber is essential to prevent warping from thermal gradients. Fume extraction is strongly recommended — styrene emissions require ventilation at all times.

Print Parameters

Print Temp230–255°C
Bed Temp100–115°C
EnclosureRequired
Cooling FanOff or 20% max
Tensile Strength~40 MPa
Heat Resistance~98°C (HDT)
Post-ProcessAcetone smoothing ✓
Difficulty★★★ Intermediate
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