Prusa i3 MK3 - Materials Guide

11  Materials
Temperatures and the heatbed treatment before a print according to a specific material.
11.1 ABS
ABS is a very strong and versatile material with great thermal resistance. It’s suitable for
both indoor and outdoor use
.
ABS is a thermoplastic polymer; that means that just like PLA, it can be melted and
crystallized multiple times without degrading too much. ABS, however, melts at a higher
temperature than PLA. Higher melting temperature gives ABS great thermal resistance; your
prints won’t show signs of deformation up to 98 °C.
ABS includes high wear-resistance synthetic rubber, which makes it very strong and
impact resistant. And last but not least, it’s soluble in acetone! This makes it really easy to
not only connect multiple parts together but also allows you to smooth prints with acetone
vapors. You still have to be careful when handling acetone, but it’s not anywhere near as
dangerous as for example PLA solvents.
The best use of ABS is for architectural models, concept models, spare parts (car
interior, gears, phone cases), etc.
On the other hand, thermal contraction is where ABS makes it really hard to successfully
print something. And that’s especially true when printing anything big. Even with the heatbed
at 100 °C, your part may start lifting from the build plate and warp. This, and the unpleasant
smell of ABS, is why you should consider getting an enclosure for your printer when printing
with ABS. Or at least place the printer in a warm room.
If you need to use your print outside, or just need your print stronger, give ABS a shot. After
all, it’s what LEGO is made of.
ADVANTAGES
DISADVANTAGES
High impact and heat resistance
Bad smell
Strong and versatile
Worse resolution
Soluble in acetone (easy post-processing)
Needs warm room or enclosure
Can be vapor smoothed
● Nozzle temperature: 255 °C
● Bed temperature: 100 °C. You can set the bed temperature between 80 to 110 °C
depending the size of an object (larger object means higher temperature)
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