ABS (acrylonitrile butadiene styrene) is a petroleum-based thermoplastic 3D printing filament valued for its toughness, impact resistance, and heat tolerance, but prone to warping without a heated enclosure.
Acrylonitrile butadiene styrene is an oil-derived thermoplastic long used in injection-molded consumer goods such as LEGO bricks and automotive trim. As one of the 📝3D Printing Filament Types, it prints at nozzle temperatures of roughly 220–250°C with a heated bed of 95–110°C. Because it contracts significantly as it cools, ABS is prone to warping and layer cracking, and typically requires an enclosure to hold a stable, draft-free chamber temperature.
Mechanically, ABS offers high impact resistance, good ductility, and a heat distortion temperature commonly cited between 93°C and 118°C, letting parts survive warm environments that would deform PLA. It emits styrene fumes when printed and benefits from ventilation, and its surface can be chemically smoothed with acetone vapor. These properties suit automotive components, electronics housings, and tooling such as jigs and fixtures.
Positioned as the durable, heat-tolerant option, ABS trades printing ease for mechanical performance: it is harder to print than PLA and demands more controlled conditions. PETG occupies the middle ground, approaching ABS toughness while printing more forgivingly, which has led many users to substitute it where ABS-level heat resistance is not strictly required.