ABS · Acrylonitrile Butadiene Styrene
A familiar engineering thermoplastic for tougher enclosures and parts that benefit from impact resistance and post-processing options.
Best for: Enclosures · Durable housings · Functional assemblies
Available by project review
Why teams choose ABS
A familiar engineering thermoplastic for tougher enclosures and parts that benefit from impact resistance and post-processing options.
Strengths
- Good impact behaviour for many enclosure geometries
- Widely understood mechanical behaviour
- Can be finished and assembled like traditional plastics
At a glance
Relative performance — a simplified comparison across FORM3D’s available FDM materials. Actual properties vary by formulation, geometry and print orientation.
- Strength3/5
- Stiffness3/5
- Impact resistance4/5
- Heat resistance3/5
- UV resistance2/5
- Flexibility2/5
- Surface detail3/5
Options within ABS
Select a variant to see what actually changes — finish, use and limitations.
Standard
Classic ABS for durable housings and enclosures.
Available by project review
Best for
Enclosures · Housings
Appearance
Opaque engineering plastic finish
What changes
- Impact-focused versus PLA
Key limitations
- Warp risk on large flats; UV weaker than ASA
Colours (5 available)
Black · #1A1A1A
Colour representation is approximate. Material batch, surface finish, print orientation, geometry, lighting and display calibration can affect final appearance.
Colour is subordinate to material choice
Use the variant panel above for swatches. Colours never get standalone pages.
Comparative guidance
These scales help orientation. They are not laboratory certificates.
Relative performance — a simplified comparison across FORM3D’s available FDM materials. Actual properties vary by formulation, geometry and print orientation.
- Strength3/5
- Stiffness3/5
- Impact resistance4/5
- Heat resistance3/5
- UV resistance2/5
- Flexibility2/5
- Surface detail3/5
Where this family fits
- Electronics enclosures
- Durable housings
- Snap-fit concepts (validated carefully)
- Shop tooling shells
Designing for ABS
Pair with FORM3D Design Guidelines for shared FDM rules.
- Use ribs and fillets to control warp on large flat panels.
- Avoid large abrupt thickness changes.
- Discuss enclosure seals and fasteners early if assemblies are tight.
Know the trade-offs
- Warp-prone without careful design and process control
- Fumes and process requirements differ from PLA/PETG
- Outdoor UV is weaker than ASA for many uses
Common questions
- ABS or ASA for outdoor parts?
- ASA is usually the better outdoor candidate for UV. ABS remains useful indoors when impact and familiar enclosure behaviour matter more.
Related families
Configure a part in Instant Quote
The Materials Library helps you decide. Instant Quote remains the separate pricing experience.