Every 3D filament printer requires some sort of raw filament material with the help of which it can print the required object. The 3D printer works on the same principle as your average, run of the mill conventional 2D printer. If you have used bad printing ink, your prints will be spoilt.
Here, too the overall quality and nature of the raw materials will be the prime reasons for the quality of the output. Once you understand which 3D printing material is best for you, you will be in a position to make an informed decision regarding the filament material for your purchases.
In this post, we’ll look at the best ABS filament.
What are ABS Filaments All About?
ABS is one of the most common 3D materials around. The abbreviation stands for ‘acrylonitrile butadiene styrene.’ This material was amongst the earliest types of filament that have been used in FDM 3D printing since their invention.
As a matter of fact, it is now one of the single most common plastic 3D printing filament used not just in 3D printers, but also in various processes such as injection molding too.
ABS It is a polymer that can basically create anything and everything from airplane seats all the way to toys and other stuff. From its humble beginnings as the go-to replacement for natural rubber, ABS has now become one of the bestselling thermoplastic materials currently available today.
It ruled the roost as the undisputed filament of choice amongst the 3D printing community until PLA came along. Together, these two materials are by far the most popular choice with regard to 3D printing filaments in the FDM 3D printer market. Some ABS filaments even have glow in the dark properties.
Let us take a quick look at the various ABS printing filament brands currently available today at a reasonable price, to the discerning 3D printer user.
Best ABS Filament: Top Picks
1. Hatchbox ABS
The US-based 3D ABS filament maker Hatchbox offers one of the best quality ABS filaments at a pretty reasonable price. Since both price and quality are good, it is a near-perfect all-around filament for everyday usability.
As a matter of fact, the Hatchbox Company has quickly risen through the ranks to become one of the best filament makers and retailers on the Amazon superstore.
This holds particularly true when it comes to ABS 3D printing filament and there are thousands of highly satisfied user reviews that underscore this point. The material’s overall tolerance is really great and the color is very clear. It is quite flexible, yet strong in comparison to any other best 3D print filament. And it is also available at a really good price.
This is why Hatchbox ABS is one of the most commonly used 3D printing ABS filaments today.
ABS Filament Diameter
1 75mm
Spool Weight
1 kg spool (2.2lbs)
Colors
It can be purchased in white color.
2. SUNLU ABS Filament
SUNLU ABS has been designed and manufactured with the help of a clog-free patent so as to create a really stable and smooth 3D printing process. It is completely dried for a full 24 hours period before vacuum packaging.
This can basically protect this wood filament from the harmful effects of ambient moisture in the atmosphere in order to ensure a strong and durable print. It can work even under temperature variance.
The good people at Sunlu effectively make sure that their ABS filament goes through mechanical winding along with a strict manual examination to ensure the very best print possible.
This practically guarantees the fact that these ABS filaments will be both tidy and easy to be fed into your 3D printer without any issues whatsoever. The company also offers a one-month money-back guarantee if you are not satisfied with their ABS print filaments. It is also great for post-processing work.
Weight
1 kg spool
Size
The diameter of this ABS filament is 1 75mm.
Color availability
It is found in blue gray, red and white colors at a decent price.
3. OVERTURE ABS Filament
This printing abs filament material has been designed from scratch. It has also manufactured with the help of a clog-free patent in order to make good and sure that you have a universally smooth and tangle free printing experience.
This high quality, low odor, commonly used ABS material has been made from an impact resistant specialty bulk-polymerized ABS top quality resin. It has significantly lower volatile content when you compare it to its traditional ABS resins.
Not only does it deliver excellent printing quality with very lowodor, but there is also very low chance of any sort of warpage during the whole of the printing process. This is why many people in the 3D printing community like it so much. It also makes a great surface finish too.
It is always dried for 24 hours before being packed into a vacuum sealed nylon re-sealable bag, so that it retains its freshness and structural integrity
This abs or pla 3D printer filament does not tangle easily and is user friendly. It has many uses such as making parts for outdoor equipment since it does not warp under high temperatures or strong UV light from the sun. It is also a very good choice for creating prototypes as well as engineering equipment. Post processing work is also easy with this filament. Finally, it can also work well even with slightly higher temperature.
You can use it to create functional parts that can easily withstand a high impact time and again.
Spool Weight
1 kg spool (2.2lbs)
Filament Diameter
PLA filament 1 75mm
Colors
It can be purchased in a wide range of colors that include black, blue, gray, red and white
4. Novamaker ABS Filament
This is an excellent filament ABS for all kinds of outdoor work such as car dashboards or even boat equipment. It is made up of one hundred percent new virgin material from Taiwan. Like most of the other PLA ABS filaments in its price range, it too has been vacuum sealed for one day prior to shipment and its dimensional accuracy +/- 0.03mm.
Moreover, it has been sealed with desiccant to ensure optimal working condition, even months after its packing date. It works best at 235°C temperature so make sure your 3D printer can handle that, if you want to create good 3D printed parts.
You will definitely like its ability to create all kinds of prints. This makes it one of the best ABS filaments out there today, even though it does not have dimensional accuracy 0. But than others don’t either.
It is compatible with the following 3D printers that are equipped with their own temperature controlled heated beds.
- Reprap
- Airwolf
- Afinia
- MakerBot
- PrintrBot
- UltiMaker
- Makergear
- Solidoodle
- Up!
- Mbot
- Lulzbot
- Flashforge
- 3D PEN (3doodler pen)
- Delta
- Type A
It is found in green, black, red, pink, silver, blue, yellow, red, white and purple along with other different colors and blends.
Spool Weight
1kg spool (2.2lbs)
Filament Diameter
1.75mm
5. Polymaker ABS Filament
Polymaker is based in Shanghai, and their PolyLite ABS filament has enabled them to become a really well-known brand amongst the makers and purveyors of 3D filament making companies today.
Its signature PolyLite ABS has been constructed with a very special bulk-polymerized ABS resin which means that Polymaker’s PolyLite ABS has significantly lower volatile content when you compare it to the more traditional ABS resins out there. It is known for creating some of the best ABS prints around.
PolyLite is justifiably famous because of its rock solid performance. However, it is pertinent to note here that it is basically a very high quality filament, which means that it is not exactly inexpensive. However, it more than makes up for it due to its versatile and tough performance.
As far as durability goes, it is difficult to come up with an ABS filament that is as durable as this one. Add to that the fact that it feeds very easily and is conveniently sold in one kilo spools. All of these features combine to make it one of the best ABS 3D filaments out there.
Spool Weight
1 KG (2.2 pounds)
Filament Diameter
1 75mm
Color
It is found in red, teal, white, yellow, green, purple, gray and orang as well as an assortment of various other shades and hues.
6. eSun ABS Filament
eSUN PLA PRO 3D Printer Filament is very easy to print and it has been vacuumed sealed with lots of desiccant. It has superb layer bonding capabilities which are better than even some of the best ABS 3D filaments out there, especially when it comes to overall durability.
It works well at an extrusion/nozzle temperature of 220C to 260C. It has been packed into a clear spool so you will always know how much filament is there at all times. The spool has a diameter of around 8 and it can work well with many popular ABS filament 3D printers today. The hub hole diameter is 2.05″ and the diameter of the inner hole is 3.5.”
This is a universal setting that is applicable to virtually all commercially available 3D printers around. It is a great filament for any kind of work that depends upon resistance to harsh weather conditions.
You can also use it to create parts with a glossy finish, just like its PLA filament counterparts. All in all it is one of the best ABS filament materials you can find.
Spool Weight
1kg (2.2lbs)
Filament Diameter
1 75 mm
Color
It is sold in black, blue, white, gray and red colors.
How to Print With ABS?
In order to print successfully with ABS you will require the following:
- Bed: Temperature: 95-110 °C
- Heated Bed: Required
- Enclosure: Recommended
- Build Surface: ABS Slurry, Kapton tape
- Extruder: Temperature: 220-250 °C
- ABS does not require a special hot-end required
You can improve adhesion by using ABS slurry. It is possible to make this slurry on your own just simply by mixing small pieces of ABS filament with petrol based solvent acetone, and then liberally applying this mixture on the bed of the 3D printer. There are also many pre-packaged versions of this mixture that are available in the market.
You can also use PLA 3D printer filaments as a good break-away support material when doing a dual extrusion print, as it does not adhere very strongly to ABS 3D printer filament.
Use Hairspray or a Glue Stick
You may use a glue stick in order to increase the first layer adhesion. You may apply glue to the print bed with the help of a regular glue stick. Many hairsprays, such as the Aquanet brand of hairspray can also help with very strong bed adhesion.
Use a Fume Hood
ABS releases a lot of chemicals and nanoparticles while melting plastics, which can be injurious to your health. It is advisable to use a fume hood with a powerful exhaust fan to ensure a safe working environment. This holds truer if you are working with petroleum based chemicals that produce acetone vapor for all of your 3D prints and parts.
Both PETG and ABS are very popular as 3D printing filaments. However, PETG has gained an edge due to environmental concerns and fewer restrictions in processing.
On the other hand, ABS 3D printer filament is a viable option in many cases due to its extreme sturdiness; lower price point, durability as well as less post process related work. You can use to create all kinds of parts and prints.
Learn more about 3D printer ventilation here
Conclusion
The above brands are some of the best ABS 3D printer filament available today. They can all be used in most popular good quality 3D printers around. ABS has plenty of applications outside of 3D printing as well and it can be put to use in many different industries too.
