Industrial Design
Power Tool & Electronics Enclosures
Drill and driver enclosure prototypes from $150 in two days, against $10,000 for moulded parts.
Fused Deposition Modeling ABS (Stratasys ABS-M30) For Strong, Durable Functional Parts and Tooling
Large Build Volume
Up to 914 × 610 × 914 mm
FDM material
ABS overview
ABS is a tough, cost-effective plastic for FDM 3D printing, used for functional prototypes, enclosures, jigs and fixtures and low-volume production parts. Parts stand up to knocks and daily handling and hold their shape in warm service. They are easy to sand, drill, tap and paint, so a prototype can look like the finished product. Product teams, architects and automotive and aerospace engineers use it for power tool and electronics housings, presentation models and cabin and dashboard mock-ups. Stratasys ABS-M30 is the production ABS made for Fortus systems and is stronger than standard ABS. It stands up to fuels, engine coolant and alcohols, which makes it the grade for jigs, fixtures, inspection tooling and low-volume production parts.
Also available in Triton ABS.
How ABS is manufactured
ABS is manufactured using Fused Deposition Modeling (FDM) on Stratasys Fortus production systems, which build parts layer by layer from thermoplastic filament with no tooling. The soluble support material dissolves away, opening internal channels, undercuts and captured fastener geometry that traditional manufacturing cannot produce, with no manual rework. FDM makes ABS ideal for both functional prototypes and end-use production parts requiring durability and aesthetic appeal.
- Build volume
- 914 × 610 × 914 mm
- Lead time
- 2-4 business days
- Layer height
- 0.127-0.330 mm
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Upload CAD files to Forge Labs Steam for instant ABS pricing and live manufacturability feedback, and fix issues before production.
Industry applications
Industry applications for ABS
ABS-M30 from Forge Labs delivers production-grade FDM parts with the impact strength and dimensional repeatability demanded by end-use tooling and rugged field hardware. Superior energy absorption and toughness suit demanding applications, with good resistance to fuels, coolant and alcohols. ABS-M30 is stronger than standard ABS.
Tight tolerances keep multi-part assemblies repeatable from build to build. From rapid prototyping to production runs, teams rely on ABS to reduce assembly complexity through consolidated part designs.
Heat deflection of about 100 °C, even under the higher 1.82 MPa load, lets ABS hold its shape through shop-floor duty cycles that would deform commodity plastics.
Painted and smoothed surfaces with threaded inserts deliver showroom-ready parts for pilots or investor demos within days instead of weeks. Balanced performance at competitive pricing makes ABS a cost-effective, recyclable choice with consistent properties part after part.
Architecture
Modular Architectural Massing Models
Sectioned massing models that travel, with lift-off buildings and highlight colours.
Marine & Subsea
AUV Templates, Jigs & Interior Hardware
Drilling templates, jigs and interior hardware for underwater vehicles, ordered since 2017.
Robotics & Automation
Assembly Jigs, Nests & Test Fixtures
Assembly jigs and fixtures supplied alongside repeat robot actuator parts.
Automotive
Interior Hardware, Duct Prototypes & Body Panel Guides
Dashboard housings, wind-tunnel duct iterations and body panel drill guides, made without tooling.
Aerospace
Cabin Mock-ups, Duct Prototypes & Maintenance Tooling
Cabin mock-ups, airflow duct prototypes and maintenance jigs with paint-ready surfaces.
Industrial Design
Power Tool & Electronics Enclosures
Product teams use ABS for housings that must fit the electronics inside and the hand holding them, with integrated standoffs and fastener bosses. On a smart power tool program, FDM ABS and ASA drill and driver prototypes were assembled, handled and revised, then primed and painted for trade shows. A drill enclosure cost $200 and took two days, against $10,000 and two to six weeks for moulded parts, and the finished prototypes won a Pinnacle Innovation Award at the National Hardware Show.
- Power tool enclosures
- Control box and electronics housings
- Painted presentation models
Architecture
Modular Architectural Massing Models
Architects and planners use ABS for massing and presentation models that are handled, transported and shown again and again. Large models print in sections that join with fasteners or magnets, so buildings lift off and the model can travel, and different FDM colours can sit in one assembly to highlight a proposal. ABS is impact resistant for handling and easy to sand, prime and paint for exhibitions and planning submissions.
- Urban massing models
- Presentation and exhibit models
- Lift-off building inserts
Marine & Subsea
AUV Templates, Jigs & Interior Hardware
Underwater vehicle builders use FDM for the installation and interior parts around a hull. One AUV builder has ordered drilling templates, drill jigs, connector panels, cable trays and short production runs from Forge Labs since 2017, in FDM materials including ABS, with ASA reserved for exterior parts that see sun on deck. A printed template marks an opening or bolt pattern before the hull is cut, so a low-cost part lowers the risk of a mis-cut or mis-drilled hole in a finished hull.
- Hull drilling templates
- Drill jigs
- Connector panels and cable trays
Robotics & Automation
Assembly Jigs, Nests & Test Fixtures
Assembly cells need jigs and poka-yoke nests that locate parts the same way every shift. On a wearable robotics program, FDM ABS assembly jigs were supplied alongside repeat SLS actuator parts and test fixtures, and the same approach suits datum fixtures and cable-managed sensor mounts on conveyor lines. ABS stays rigid and tough in nests that are clamped and handled all day; load-bearing fixtures print solid, while jigs that only locate a part can use sparse fill.
- Assembly jigs and poka-yoke nests
- Actuator test fixtures
- Sensor brackets and mounts
Automotive
Interior Hardware, Duct Prototypes & Body Panel Guides
Motorsport and automotive teams print ducts, brackets and cockpit hardware in ABS to iterate without tooling. Dashboard electronics housings are ready for paint and texture, cooling ducts are revised between wind-tunnel sessions, and drill guides locate holes for composite body panel fit-up. ABS-M30 holds up well to petroleum fuels and engine coolant, so parts handle a brief splash in the garage or on track.
- Dashboard and electronics housings
- Cooling duct prototypes
- Body panel drill guides
Aerospace
Cabin Mock-ups, Duct Prototypes & Maintenance Tooling
Cabin retrofit teams use ABS to mock up passenger service unit bezels and seat shrouds and to prototype environmental control ducts for airflow tests. Smooth, paint-ready surfaces accelerate trim reviews, and maintenance teams print on-wing drill jigs and go/no-go gauges. Design verification models, inspection tooling and surrogate parts are core uses of ABS-M30.
- Cabin mock-ups and seat shrouds
- Duct prototypes for airflow tests
- Drill jigs and go/no-go gauges
Performance data
Technical performance for ABS
Values from the Stratasys ABS-M30 datasheets, tested to the standard listed with each property.
Mechanical performance
Mechanical properties
ABS delivers dependable strength and impact resistance, helping teams move from prototype to production with confidence. Its balanced mechanical profile suits jigs and fixtures, enclosures and functional prototypes.
FDM parts are strongest along their layers. XZ values come from specimens printed on edge, with the load along the layers, and ZX values from upright specimens, with the load across them, so orient loaded features, snap-fits and impact faces along the build plane.
PropertyValue
- Tensile Strength, Yield (XZ)ASTM D638
- 30.8 MPa
- Tensile Strength, Yield (ZX)ASTM D638
- 27.5 MPa
- Tensile Strength at Break (XZ)ASTM D638
- 28.1 MPa
- Tensile Strength at Break (ZX)ASTM D638
- 26.8 MPa
- Tensile Modulus (XZ)ASTM D638
- 2400 MPa
- Tensile Modulus (ZX)ASTM D638
- 2300 MPa
- Elongation at Yield (XZ)ASTM D638
- 1.8 %
- Elongation at Yield (ZX)ASTM D638
- 1.7 %
- Elongation at Break (XZ)ASTM D638
- 8.1 %
- Elongation at Break (ZX)ASTM D638
- 1.8 %
- Flexural Strength at 5% Strain (XZ, no break)ASTM D790
- 58.7 MPa
- Flexural Strength at Break (ZX)ASTM D790
- 47.7 MPa
- Flexural Modulus (XZ)ASTM D790
- 2220 MPa
- Flexural Modulus (ZX)ASTM D790
- 1960 MPa
- Flexural Strain at Break (ZX)ASTM D790
- 3.4 %
- Compressive Yield Strength (XZ)ASTM D695
- 88.3 MPa
- Compressive Yield Strength (ZX)ASTM D695
- 208 MPa
- Compressive Modulus (XZ)ASTM D695
- 2200 MPa
- Compressive Modulus (ZX)ASTM D695
- 2160 MPa
- Izod Impact, Notched (XZ)ASTM D256
- 101 J/m
- Izod Impact, Notched (ZX)ASTM D256
- 32.2 J/m
- Izod Impact, Unnotched (XZ)ASTM D4812
- 291 J/m
- Izod Impact, Unnotched (ZX)ASTM D4812
- 103 J/m
Material makeup
Physical properties
Consistent density and surface quality keep critical features in tolerance and downstream finishing predictable. Low density makes parts lightweight yet durable, and Rockwell hardness indicates how well surfaces resist denting and scuffing on handled tooling and enclosures.
Holes that must be precise are best drilled or reamed after printing, and long bolt patterns opened or slotted in CAD, so assemblies fit within normal FDM tolerance.
PropertyValue
- Specific Gravity (moulded plaque)ASTM D792
- 1.05
- Rockwell Hardness (literature value)ASTM D785
- 109.5
Heat performance
Thermal properties
Heat deflection is measured at two loads and in two print directions. ABS-M30 holds its shape close to its glass transition temperature under both loads, so parts keep their dimensions in warm service, from shop-floor fixtures to equipment near heat sources.
Vicat softening marks where a loaded surface begins to soften, and the expansion coefficients help size clearances on assemblies that see temperature swings.
PropertyValue
- HDT @ 0.45 MPa / 66 psi (XY / XZ)ASTM D648 Method B
- 104.4 / 103.2 °C
- HDT @ 1.82 MPa / 264 psi (XY / XZ)ASTM D648 Method B
- 100.0 / 99.7 °C
- Glass Transition Temperature (Tg, moulded plaque)ASTM D7426
- 105.2 °C
- Vicat Softening Temperature (B/50)ASTM D1525
- 99 °C
- Coefficient of Linear Expansion (XY, 40–140 °C)ASTM E831
- 60.77 ×10⁻⁶/K
- Coefficient of Linear Expansion (XZ, 40–80 °C)ASTM E831
- 58.65 ×10⁻⁶/K
Functional performance
Electrical properties
ABS-M30 is an electrical insulator, and its volume resistivity and dielectric strength suit housings and insulating features in electrical assemblies.
Dielectric constant and dissipation factor are given at 1 kHz and 2 MHz in two print directions, which helps evaluate dielectric losses in signal-sensitive or high-frequency use cases.
PropertyValue
- Volume Resistivity (moulded plaque)ASTM D257
- > 6.75×10¹⁴ Ω·cm
- Dielectric Constant, 1 kHz (XY / XZ)ASTM D150
- 2.64 / 2.78
- Dielectric Constant, 2 MHz (XY / XZ)ASTM D150
- 2.49 / 2.61
- Dissipation Factor, 1 kHz (XY / XZ)ASTM D150
- 0.003 / 0.005
- Dissipation Factor, 2 MHz (XY / XZ)ASTM D150
- 0.004 / 0.007
- Dielectric Strength (XZ)ASTM D149 Method A
- 100–360 V/mil
Compatibility data
Chemical properties
Stratasys rates ABS-M30 on a relative scale for common chemical classes. It resists water, weak acids and bases, and holds up well to petroleum fuels, petroleum greases, alcohols, engine coolant and washer fluid. Resistance is limited to motor oil, brake fluid, transmission fluid, esters, aromatic hydrocarbons and strong acids, while ketones such as acetone, halogenated hydrocarbons, phenols and silicone greases attack it.
Stratasys notes the ratings are relative rather than based on specific testing, so treat them as screening guidance and confirm them with application-specific testing before production release.
ChemicalRating
- Petroleum fuels (gasoline)
- Good
- Aliphatic hydrocarbons (methane, propane, butane)
- Good
- Aromatic hydrocarbons (benzene)
- Limited
- Halogenated hydrocarbons (CFCs)
- Poor
- Ketones (acetone, MEK)
- Poor
- Alcohols (ethanol)
- Good
- Phenols
- Poor
- Esters
- Limited
- Motor oil
- Limited
- Transmission fluid
- Limited
- Brake fluid
- Limited
- Antifreeze / engine coolant
- Good
- Windshield washer fluid
- Good
- Petroleum greases
- Good
- Silicone greases and oils
- Poor
- Weak acids (pH 3–6)
- Excellent
- Strong acids (pH < 3)
- Limited
- Weak bases (pH 8–10)
- Excellent
- Strong bases (pH > 10)
- Excellent
- Deionized water
- Excellent
Compliance
Compliance profile
Stratasys lists ABS-M30 as UL 94 HB at 2.5 mm, and it is not flame retardant. Aircraft interior parts that need FAR 25.853 move to ULTEM 9085.
Stratasys publishes no biocompatibility data for ABS-M30; its biocompatible FDM grade, ABS-M30i, is a separate material.
StandardStatus
- UL 94 flammabilityStratasys 2015 spec sheet literature value at 2.5 mm (0.09 in), UL file E345258; not flame retardant
- HB
- Biocompatibility (ISO 10993 / USP Class VI)Stratasys publishes no biocompatibility data for ABS-M30; ABS-M30i is its separate biocompatible grade
- No supplier data
Related materials
Compare ABS with similar materials
Resources
Datasheets and design resources
Datasheets, design guidance and supplier documentation for ABS.
Download center
Access the most recent datasheet and supporting documentation maintained by our engineering team.
ABS-M30 datasheetDesign guidelines
Explore printable geometry recommendations, wall thickness tips, and finishing playbooks for FDM.
View FDM design guide
Advanced Manufacturing
Built with Precision FDM Technology
ABS runs on industrial Stratasys FDM platforms with heated build chambers and qualified material profiles, for consistent layer adhesion and mechanical integrity from a single prototype to a full production batch.
- Tolerance
- ±0.25 mm or ±0.3%, whichever is greater
- Production capacity
- Large build envelopes for multiple parts or assemblies in each build
- Quality control
- In-process monitoring and batch traceability for consistent part quality and material properties
- Colours & finishes
- Black, white, gray, dark gray, red, orange, yellow, green or blue; support removal, sanding, drilling, tapping, chemical smoothing, priming and painting
Frequently Asked Questions
Frequently asked questions about ABS
Can't find the answer you're looking for? Reach out to our customer support team.
- ABS-M30 combines impact resistance and toughness with heat deflection of 104 °C at 0.45 MPa and 100 °C at 1.82 MPa, a tensile yield strength of 30.8 MPa along the layers, and good resistance to fuels, petroleum greases, coolant, alcohols and bases, which suits marine, aerospace and manufacturing applications.
- ABS is printed by Fused Deposition Modeling (FDM) on Stratasys Fortus systems, in layers from 0.127 to 0.330 mm and parts up to 914 × 610 × 914 mm. Soluble supports free internal channels and undercuts, so it is used for functional prototypes, jigs and fixtures, enclosures and end-use parts.
- ABS is used for functional prototypes and testing models, manufacturing jigs and fixtures, assembly and tooling aids, electronic housings and enclosures, architectural models, aircraft interior mock-ups, low-volume production parts and custom mechanical components.
- ABS is easy to sand, drill, tap, paint and chemically smooth, works with soluble supports for complex geometry, and gives consistent mechanical properties part after part. It is an electrical insulator, with volume resistivity above 6.75 × 10¹⁴ Ω·cm, and offers balanced performance at competitive pricing.
- ABS has poor resistance to ketones such as acetone, to halogenated hydrocarbons and to silicone greases. It has limited UV resistance, so ASA is the better choice outdoors, and it is rated UL 94 HB rather than flame retardant. Visible layer lines need post-processing for a smooth finish.
- ABS-M30 deflects at about 100 °C under load and Stratasys rates its resistance to motor oil, brake fluid and transmission fluid as limited, so it is not an under-hood material. It suits interior trim, dashboard housings, cooling duct prototypes and drill guides with brief fuel or coolant splash; hotter parts move to ULTEM 9085, and parts with sustained oil, brake or transmission fluid exposure move to Antero 800NA PEKK.
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