Material:ABS
| MaterialInfoBox Acrylonitrile butadiene styrene | |
|---|---|
| |
| Synonyms: | ABS; DE: Acrylnitril-Butadien-Styrol |
| Suggested Tools: | 3D Printers (not without an enclosure!) |
| Similar (More or Less): | PETG, ASA |
ABS (Acrylonitrile butadiene styrene) is a thermoplastic polymer ("plastic"). It's the stuff Lego is made of.
3D Printing
We do not print with ABS at the moment inside the space to keep the work environment without nasty fumes/smell.
It is generally more difficult to 3D print than PLA or PETG because of it's higher tendency to warp when printing and emits potentially hazardous fumes - further reading anyway: RepRap wiki
Solvents
ABS is soluble in acetone, meaning you can use acetone to weld two ABS parts together or smooth the surface. So called vapor smoothing can be done with acetone soaked material (e.g. cloth) in a sealed container in which the ABS part is hung to maximize the exposed surface and achieve an even finish. The needed time may vary and the part will be damaged too strongly if exposed for too long
Thermal Properties
When heated above the glass transition temperature of ABS (approx. 105°C) the material can be easily plastically deformed. This enables parts to be molded/bent after printing when using a hot air gun. The melting temperature of ~216°C makes it usable for 3D printing and injection molding but requires a hot environment to reduce the stress inside the part.
