ABS 3D PRINTING
ABS — acrylonitrile butadiene styrene — is the heat-resistant, sandable, acetone-smoothable workhorse of engineering FDM. It's the right call when you need a part that survives a hot car interior, takes a sandpaper finish cleanly, or needs to look injection-moulded after solvent smoothing. Bicester3D supplies ABS prints at ±0.2mm tolerance, with most orders dispatched within 24 hours. Note: ABS is process-sensitive and warps without an enclosed printer — we print in ABS only when the application justifies it.
WHEN ABS IS THE RIGHT MATERIAL
- Automotive interior parts — trim clips, brackets, dashboard mounts. Survives 95°C cabin temperatures.
- Acetone-smoothed presentation prototypes — vapour smoothing produces near-injection-mould finish.
- Tooling and jigs in warm environments — anywhere PETG starts to soften but you don't need ASA's UV resistance.
WHEN ABS IS THE WRONG MATERIAL
- Outdoor or UV-exposed parts — ABS yellows and embrittles under sun. Use ASA instead.
- Quick fit-check prototypes — PLA prints faster, cleaner and cheaper for early iteration.
- Large flat parts without infill optimisation — warping risk increases with footprint.
ABS OR ASA?
Mechanically near-identical. The choice is about where the part lives — indoor heat versus permanent outdoor sun.
- ·95–105°C heat tolerance
- ·Acetone vapour-smoothable to gloss
- ·Yellows under UV — not for outdoor
- ·Lower cost than ASA
- ·Same heat tolerance as ABS
- ·Engineered for permanent UV exposure
- ·Holds colour for years outdoors
- ·Default for automotive exterior + outdoor signage
Pick the right material for your part
ABS is best suited to engineering and outdoor parts. If you're not sure ABS is the right pick, browse our materials by use-case to see the alternatives.
TECHNICAL DATA
| Property | Value | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Tensile strength | 38 MPa | Lower than PLA, higher impact tolerance |
| Elongation at break | 10% | More ductile than PLA, less than PETG |
| Heat deflection temp | 95–105°C | Survives hot car cabins |
| Print temperature | 230–260°C | Requires enclosed printer |
| Bed temperature | 100–110°C | High-temperature heated bed required |
| Density | 1.04 g/cm³ | Lighter than PETG and PLA |
| UV stability | Poor | Yellows outdoors — use ASA for outdoor |
| Post-processing | Sandable, acetone-smoothable | Vapour smoothing produces gloss finish |
| Warping tendency | High | Enclosed chamber and brim required |
WHAT WE PRINT IN ABS
Representative ABS work from the workshop queue:
- Engine-bay sensor brackets for an Oxfordshire automotive prototyping team — fitted next to the manifold, holding shape under under-bonnet temperatures.
- Pre-production injection-mould prototypes for a consumer-product startup — the production part was ABS-moulded, so the prototype matched the material to validate snap-fit behaviour.
- Rugged handheld electronics enclosures — drop-tested housings for a portable diagnostics unit, acetone-smoothed for a glossy retail-grade finish.
- Power-supply housings with passive ventilation — internal heat exposure that softened the original PETG enclosure; ABS replaced it with no further deformation.
- Tool insert prototypes for low-volume soft tooling — used as a stand-in before committing to aluminium.
PRICING
Per-part pricing from £8. ABS runs ~30% more than PLA due to printer setup and material cost. No minimum order, no setup fees.
GET YOUR ABS QUOTE
Upload your STL, STEP, or mesh file to the quote tool. Price returns in seconds. Card, invoice (trade accounts) and bank-transfer payment accepted. Most ABS orders are dispatched within 2 working days.
ABS FAQ
ABS shrinks measurably as it cools from 240°C, and an open machine creates uneven cooling across the part. The result is warping, layer cracks (delamination), or parts that pop off the bed mid-print. A heated chamber keeps the surrounding air warm so cooling is uniform and the part stays flat. We print all ABS in enclosed machines.
Same chemistry family, near-identical mechanical properties. The single meaningful difference is UV stability: ABS yellows and embrittles in sunlight within months, ASA is engineered to survive years outdoors. Choose ABS for indoor or under-bonnet use, ASA for anything that lives outside.
No. No FDM print is food-safe — layer lines harbour bacteria and the print process is not sanitised. ABS additionally has solvent and styrene-monomer concerns at the print stage. For food contact, use a different manufacturing method.
ABS dissolves slightly in acetone vapour. Suspending the part above a small reservoir of acetone for 10–30 minutes melts the surface microscopically, fusing layer lines into a glossy injection-moulded finish. We can offer acetone smoothing as a post-processing add-on — ask the workshop when ordering.
Lead time is 2–3 working days, the same as PLA and PETG. Actual print times run a little longer than PLA at the same layer height because ABS is typically printed slower for layer adhesion. Rush turnaround is available for trade accounts.