Materials › ABS

Price tier $

ABS

Tough, heat-resistant, and easy to sand and smooth. The classic choice for enclosures and hot parts.

Also called: standard abs, regular abs, abs plastic

A green spool of ABS filament
Photo: Tatár Lehel, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons ↗

Good for

  • Functional parts
  • Load-bearing / mechanical
  • Hot environments

Not great for

  • First-time friendly
  • Outdoor / sunlight
  • Large prints

Typical settings

Nozzle
230-260 °C
Bed
90-110 °C
Speed
40-100 mm/s
Cooling
0-30% part fan

You'll need

  • Enclosed printer (open frame prints will warp and crack)
  • Ventilation or a filtered enclosure for fumes

Ratings

Strength
4 out of 5
Heat resistance
4 out of 5
Flexibility
2 out of 5
Ease of printing
2 out of 5
Print speed
3 out of 5
Looks / finish
3 out of 5
Durability
4 out of 5

Ratings are relative, 1-5, for a typical filament of this type. Start from your filament maker's recommended settings.

Use it for

  • Electronics enclosures, mechanical parts near heat, car interior pieces, and anything you want to sand, drill, or smooth with acetone vapor.
  • It is tougher than PLA and survives heat that would soften PETG.

Watch out for

  • Warping and layer cracks if the chamber is cold or there is a draft.
  • Fumes while printing (styrene). Vent the enclosure to the outdoors, or print in a garage; a HEPA filter alone does not remove the gases.
  • Sunlight makes it yellow and brittle over time, so use ASA outdoors.

Tips

  • Use a brim, a very hot bed, and close the lid.
  • Let the printer cool slowly before removing a large part.

Sources

Figures vary by brand and test method; check your filament's datasheet.

Commonly printed in ABS

Other ABS types

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