Plastic · Material guide
Get quotes for custom ABS plastic parts
ABS is the everyday engineering thermoplastic: tough, impact-resistant, easy to machine and mold, and cheap. It is the default for enclosures, housings, and functional prototypes. Upload your drawing and we'll source competitive quotes from qualified manufacturing partners.
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Grades
ABS grades and variants shops run most
ABS comes in a few standard variants tuned for strength, temperature, or process. These are the ones you will see quoted.
Standard ABS
The general-purpose grade: tough, impact-resistant, dimensionally stable, and easy to machine, glue, and paint. The default for enclosures and prototypes.
Best for Enclosures, housings, covers, prototypes
PC-ABS blend
A polycarbonate-ABS blend with higher strength, stiffness, and heat resistance than plain ABS while keeping good processability. Common in automotive and electronics.
Best for Higher-strength enclosures, automotive interior
Flame-retardant (FR) ABS
An additive grade that meets UL 94 flammability ratings for electrical and electronic housings.
Best for Electrical enclosures needing a UL rating
ABS 3D-printing filament
The classic FDM filament: strong, slightly flexible prints with good layer adhesion, printed in an enclosure to control warping.
Best for Functional FDM prototypes and fixtures
Injection-molding ABS
Pelletized resin for injection molding at production volumes, giving smooth cosmetic surfaces and consistent parts.
Best for Production enclosures and consumer parts
Specs
Material properties
Representative values for standard injection-molding-grade ABS. Exact numbers vary by grade and process.
| Property | Typical value |
|---|---|
| Density | ~1.05 g/cm³ (0.038 lb/in³) |
| Tensile strength | ~6 ksi (40 MPa) |
| Impact resistance | High; tough and does not shatter |
| Max service temp | ~80-90 °C (175-195 °F) |
| Machinability | Excellent; cuts clean and fast |
| Chemical resistance | Fair; attacked by many solvents |
| UV resistance | Poor unless a UV-stabilized or painted grade |
| Finishing | Glues, paints, and vapor-smooths well |
ABS is opaque and takes paint and glue well, which is why it dominates cosmetic enclosures. It is not UV-stable outdoors without coating.
Stock
Forms we machine it from
Sheet & plate
Machined and thermoformed panels, enclosures, and covers.
Rod
Turned bushings, spacers, and cylindrical parts.
Pellet (molding)
Injection-molding resin for production runs.
Processes
Manufacturing methods for abs
The right process depends on part geometry, tolerances, and production volume.
Finishing
Finishes for abs
ABS takes finishing better than most plastics, which is why it is the enclosure default.
Painted
ABS primes and paints cleanly for cosmetic enclosures in any color, including soft-touch coatings.
Vapor smoothing
A vapor treatment that melts the outer surface of printed ABS to a smooth, glossy, injection-like finish.
Bead blast
A uniform matte texture that hides tool or layer marks before painting.
As-machined / as-printed
Bare parts ship as-machined or as-printed for internal and non-cosmetic use.
Bonded / glued
ABS solvent-welds and glues well for multi-part assemblies.
For cosmetic parts, call out the paint color and finish, and note any UL flammability rating your enclosure needs.
Applications
Where abs parts are used
ABS is everywhere a tough, cheap, paintable enclosure or prototype is needed.
Compare
ABS vs other materials
How ABS compares to the other plastics shops quote most.
ABS vs Polycarbonate
Polycarbonate →- Polycarbonate is much stronger, more impact-resistant, and can be optically clear
- ABS is cheaper, easier to machine and finish, and paints better for cosmetic parts
- A PC-ABS blend splits the difference for tougher enclosures
Choose ABS for cheap, paintable cosmetic enclosures. Choose polycarbonate for strength, clarity, or impact resistance.
ABS vs Nylon
Nylon →- Nylon is tougher, more wear- and chemical-resistant, and better for functional mechanical parts
- ABS is more dimensionally stable, easier to finish, and better for cosmetic enclosures
- Nylon absorbs moisture and can move dimensionally; ABS stays put
Choose ABS for stable, paintable enclosures. Choose nylon for tough, wear-resistant functional and mechanical parts.
Questions
Frequently asked questions
Both. ABS machines cleanly and quickly from sheet, plate, and rod for one-off and low-volume parts, and it injection-molds at production volume. For a handful of enclosures, machining or 3D printing is usually faster and cheaper than cutting a mold; for thousands, injection molding wins.
More materials
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Get ABS part quotes
Upload your drawing and we'll source competitive quotes from qualified manufacturing partners that machine, print, and mold ABS.
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