Materials › ABS
ABS – Properties, Temperatures & Tips
All key properties, print settings, pros and cons and matching filaments at a glance.
Properties & print settings
- Nozzle (°C)
- 240–280
- Bed (°C)
- 90–100
- Heat resistance HDT (°C)
- 87–106
- Tensile strength (MPa)
- 33–35
- Density (g/cm³)
- approx. 1.04
- Drying
- 80 °C, 8 h
- Difficulty
- medium
Enclosed chamber required
What is ABS used for?
Mechanically stressed parts, housings, heat-exposed parts; smoothable with acetone
+ Pros
Tough (Charpy ca. 18 kJ/m²), more heat-resistant than PLA/PETG, sandable and smoothable
– Cons
Warping and shrinkage → enclosure recommended, fumes (ventilate well), not UV-stable
Printing tips at a glance
- Nozzle temperature: 240–280 °C – start in the middle of the range on a new spool and fine-tune with a temperature tower.
- Bed temperature: 90–100 °C.
- An enclosed chamber is strongly recommended, otherwise expect warping and layer cracks.
- Drying: 80 °C, 8 h. Wet filament shows up as crackling, stringing and rough surfaces.
Compare similar materials
| Material | Difficulty | Nozzle (°C) | Bed (°C) | Heat resistance HDT (°C) | Tensile strength (MPa) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| ABS | 3/5 | 240–280 | 90–100 | 87–106 | 33–35 |
| ASA | 3/5 | 240–280 | 75–100 | 100–103 | approx. 44 |
| PETG | 2/5 | 230–270 | 60–80 | 69–78 | 38–51 |
| PC (polycarbonate) | 4/5 | 260–290 | 100–120 | 111–117 | 53–69 |
| PA / Nylon (unfilled) | 4/5 | approx. 260–285 | approx. 100–110 | approx. 111 (CoPA, annealed) | approx. 78 (Polymaker CoPA, annealed) |
Matching filaments from partner shops
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Frequently asked questions
What nozzle temperature does ABS need?
Guideline for ABS: 240–280 °C nozzle and 90–100 °C bed temperature. The exact values are printed on the manufacturer's spool.
How heat resistant is ABS?
Heat deflection temperature (HDT) is around 87–106 °C. Above that, loaded parts start to deform.
Does ABS need to be dried?
Recommended: 80 °C, 8 h.
Do I need an enclosure for ABS?
An enclosed chamber is strongly recommended, otherwise expect warping and layer cracks.
Values are guidelines from manufacturer datasheets (Polymaker, Bambu Lab, Prusa). They may differ by manufacturer, colour and print settings.