• ABS (short for acrylonitrile butadiene styrene) is a common thermoplastic (LEGO blocks are made of ABS) that is essentially pretroleum based.
  • ABS is more prone to producing UFCs when compared to PLA. Good ventilation is recommended.
  • It produces a slight ‘burnt plastic’ smell when extruding.
  • Depending on the specifications and the color, extrusion temperature can vary between 220 and 260 degrees Celsius.
  • Parts printed using ABS have a “bend” to them and are less brittle than PLA.
  • In general, parts printed using ABS have a glossier finish than PLA parts.
  • ABS starts to become malleable (heat deflection point) at around 100 °C (which makes it more heat resistant than PLA).
  • ABS has a lower coefficient of friction than PLA and requires slightly less force to be extruded than PLA.
  • ABS can be considered the “legacy” type of filament since it was used for 3D printing before PLA.