Know the differences between the characteristics of these two filaments for 3D printers. We explain everything you must take into account to use them and what their printing parameters are.
ABS filaments
ABS filaments are particularly resistant, both in hardness and resistance to impacts and scratches as well as temperatures. For this reason, prototypes and conceptual models of products and even final versions can be built with these filaments.
These “terpolymer” ABS plastic filaments were developed in the early 90’s. Chemically speaking, they are mostly obtained by polymerizing acrylonitrile and styrene in the presence of polybutadiene, in the percentages generally 20% acrylonitrile, 25% butadiene. and 55% styrene.
Due to the characteristics mentioned above, the plastic injection industry is one of the main consumers of this filament as the material has good stiffness, high impact resistance and lightness, while being very affordable.
It is one of the first filaments used in 3D printing together with PLA, since they are very easy to print. However, ABS presents greater difficulties. Due to the fusing temperature for printing, around 200º, you should always use a heated surface. At the same time, it is a very sensitive material to temperature, so it is recommended to have a housing that covers the printer to retain heat and block the flow of air, thus preventing parts from cracking.
On the other hand, this case is also recommended, due to the odors it produces, which is made of burnt plastic. These gases are uncomfortable and the room must be ventilated because they can become toxic.
When to use ABS filament
– ABS is the best option when acetone is to be used later to polish or glue the piece. Acetone is a relatively safe and easy-to-obtain solvent that is used both to smooth the surface of printed parts and to glue them together when the plastic is dissolving. The acetone vaporization technique is very common.
- When you are going to print small parts and your printer has a heated bed, these parts can normally be printed well with ABS.
- When your pieces require resistance to high temperatures, ABS is a better option than PLA and even PET-G. Although it is more expensive, the ASA filament is an alternative to ABS with better resistance to temperature, which we will talk about in another blog.
- When you need to sand your pieces you can choose ABS, since it sands slightly better than PLA, but if it is a large piece it may cost you more to avoid the resulting defects of this material.
ABS vs Easy ABS filament
The main advantages of the EASY ABS filament from the Fiberlogy brand compared to ABS are:
– The main advantage of the EASY ABS filament is that it does not require a closed chamber since it is almost odorless, maintaining the high resistance for which ABS stands out.
– Its ease of printing by not requiring specialized printers, since they do not need to be watertight.
– The ability to print transparent or semi-transparent, as it includes a range of transparent versions that are characterized by a high degree of gloss. After subjecting the printed model to the activity of acetone vapors, you will achieve a smooth and uniform surface that will serve as a plastic similar to glass, eg. ex. for headlight or lamp shades.
These visual properties offered by EASY ABS, together with the characteristic resistance of traditional ABS, allow to create durable models while maintaining their low mass (density of 1.07 g / cm3). This material also stands out for its good chemical resistance and its resistance to temperatures of up to 90 ºC.
Therefore, EASY ABS is a good option to maintain the characteristics of ABS, but with the ease of use of a simpler printer, without odors and with the ability to print transparent or translucent parts.
EASY ABS applications
This material can be used in various applications, such as in the following areas:
- HOME: parts and structures of appliances accessories, decorative elements, lampshades, vases
- UGUETS: glass-like elements, decorations, light structures for RC models
- ELECTRONICS: driver structures, LED diode protectors
- PROTOTYPES: functional prototypes, small volume productio
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