ABS

Introduction

ABS (here) stands for Acrylonitrile butadiene styrene. It is a kind of plastic. For example, car parts and Legos are made from ABS. This article describes its use as 3D printer filament

See also:

• PLA, the other popular polymer for 3D printing
• 3D printing and other articles in the 3D printing category

ABS in 3D printing

ABS comes in variants. It “is a copolymer made by polymerizing styrene and acrylonitrile in the presence of polybutadiene. The proportions can vary from 15 to 35% acrylonitrile, 5 to 30% butadiene and 40 to 60% styrene.” (Wikipedia)

Proportions + color pigments added will modify melting temperature and other behavior !

This implies that recommendations for your 3D printer only apply to the kind of ABS that was sold by the company (official recommendations) or that was bought by users (blogs, forums, wikis).

Tips

ABS doesn't stick well to common platforms (glass, kapton tape, plastics) and more importantly, larger and high objects will warp.

When I print ABS with my printer that is rather designed for PLA printing (a FelixPrinter):

• A use a raft. If you also use glue, then make sure that the raft not 100% dense, or you won't be able to remove the part.
• Pritt Power stick glue.

To remove a print that sticks to well (e.g. something with a flat bottom), there a several strategies, for example:

• soak the bed in warm water (if you can easily remove the bed)
• Heat the platform to at least 65 degrees and pour water over it (only works if there is space within the raft)
• Use dental floss (tie it around)
• Use some thin scraper (And extreme solution is http://www.thingiverse.com/thing:19029).

Using pliers is dangerous, it may damage the print, the surface of the platform, platform alignment etc.

I rather print ABS in a corner of the platform, so that the remining glue won't inhibit me from getting PLA prints of the platform. It probably would be best to add a plate on top of the platform, but that requires recalibrating :(

Health risks

• ABS fumes can be harmful. E.g. read Brent Stephens, Parham Azimi, Zeineb El Orch, Tiffanie Ramos, Ultrafine Particle Emissions from Desktop 3D Printers, Atmospheric Environment, Available online 6 July 2013, ISSN 1352-2310, http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.atmosenv.2013.06.050. (http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1352231013005086)
• If you print in a small office, consider at least opening windows, even if that will lower print quality. Else, go for PLA which is much less harmful.

Links

Introductions

• ABS (Wikipedia)
• ABS (Wikipedia German)
• Stuff Dreams Are Made Of: ABS. (A short introduction at Thingverse)
• ABS (RepRap Wiki)

Discussions

• We hold these truths to be self-evident, that not all ABS is created equal

List of suppliers

• Printing Material Suppliers (RepRap Wiki)
• Filament supplier reviews

"Local" Suppliers (there are many more, see above !)

• fabberworld (Switzerland)
• iGo3D (Germany)
• German RepRap foundation
• RepRapSource (Germany)
• Fabber Parts (Germany)
• PaoParts (France)
• 3dPC 3d Printing Center Israel (Israel)

Do it yourself

• Filabot is a desktop extruding system, capable of grinding various types of plastics, to make spools of plastic filament for 3D printers. (not tested)
• How an 83-Year-Old Inventor Beat the High Cost of 3D Printing (By Harry McCracken, 04, 2013)