ABS Filament
Classic engineering thermoplastic with high-impact resistance, excellent post-processability, and broad chemical compatibility.
Quick Reference
- Material properties
- General Purpose Engineering
- Acrylonitrile Butadiene Styrene (ABS)
- None
- 38 MPa
- 96 °C
- 1.05 g/cm³
- Low — dry 60 °C / 4 h if stored unsealed
- 235–245 °C
- ≥ 0.4 mm
- Brass or hardened steel
- 95–110 °C
- Required (prevents warping)
- Acetone vapour smooth, sand, paint, drill, tap
Material Property Profile
Values scored 0–10 from measured mechanical data and print process behaviour. Select a material above to compare properties.
Key Properties
Engineering values with context that decides whether ABS is the right choice for your application.
Machine Requirements
Hard thresholds for reliable ABS output — check your printer meets these before loading the filament.
| Requirement | Minimum Spec | Recommended |
|---|---|---|
| Nozzle Temperature | 230 °C | 235–245 °C |
| Bed Temperature | 95 °C | 100–110 °C |
| Enclosure | Enclosed (required) | Heated (45–55 °C) |
| Nozzle Material | Brass | Brass or hardened steel |
| Cooling Fan | Off | Off (warp risk) |
| Retraction | 3 mm | 4–5 mm @ 45 mm/s |
Enclosure required. ABS warps severely on open-frame printers. A heated enclosure (45–55 °C) is mandatory. Turn off the cooling fan entirely — rapid cooling causes layer cracking.
Applications — By Industry
Automotive
- Interior panels & trims
- Dashboard components
- Sensor brackets
Electronics
- Device enclosures & housings
- Connector bodies
- PCB covers
Consumer Products
- Tool casings
- Appliance parts
- Consumer product housings
R&D / Prototyping
- High-temp functional prototypes
- Acetone-smoothed display parts
- Machined finished parts
Tensile Strength — FDM Materials (MPa)
Heat Deflection vs Tensile Strength
Available Materials
When to Use ABS — and When Not To
Use ABS when
- Operating temperature up to 90 °C continuously
- Acetone vapour smoothing for near-injection-moulded finish
- Lightweight and machineable end-use parts
- Classic electronics and automotive enclosures
- Post-processing (sand, prime, paint) is part of the workflow
Avoid ABS when
- Open-frame printers without enclosure (warping is severe)
- Chemically aggressive environments (use PETG or PVDF)
- Outdoor / UV exposure (use ASA — direct ABS upgrade)
- High fatigue or snap-fit applications (use Nylon PA12)
DfAM Tips for ABS
Design rules that get the best performance from ABS.
Wall Thickness ≥ 1.0 mm
ABS shrinks during cooling — 2 minimum perimeters. Use 3 for anything structural or snap-fit.
Min Hole Diameter: 1.5 mm
ABS shrinkage can close small holes. Add 0.1–0.2 mm to bore diameters.
Max Overhang: 45°
Without cooling fan, overhang quality drops quickly. Design with supports beyond 45° from vertical.
Design for Acetone Smoothing
If smoothing is planned, add 0.2–0.3 mm to all dimensions — acetone removes material. Round all corners; acetone pooling ruins sharp internal edges.
Printers Compatible with ABS
ABS requires a heated enclosure to prevent warping. Dragon, Twin Dragon, Julia, and Volterra all provide the enclosed environment ABS demands.
Ready to print in ABS?
Order Fracktal ABS filament — available in 500 g and 1 kg spools.