What is ABS Material?

ABS or Acrylonitrile butadiene styrene is a common thermoplastic polymer typically used for injection molding applications. This engineering plastic is popular due to its low production cost and the ease with which the material is machined by plastic manufacturers. Better yet, its natural benefits of affordability and machinability do not hinder the ABS material’s desired properties:

 

Impact Resistance

Structural Strength and Stiffness

Chemical Resistance

Excellent High and Low Temperature Performance

Great Electrical Insulation Properties

Easy to Paint and Glue

 

ABS plastic attains these physical attributes through the initial creation process. By polymerizing styrene and acrylonitrile in the presence of polybutadiene, chemical “chains” attract each other and bind together to make ABS stronger. This combination of materials and plastics provides ABS with superior hardness, gloss, toughness and resistance properties, greater than that of pure polystyrene. View a detailed ABS Material Data Sheet to learn more about ABS’s physical, mechanical, electrical and thermal properties.

 

ABS plastic is advantageous in a wide variety of industries; however, certain physical limitations restrict the materials use in certain products and applications. These shortcomings include:

 ·       Weatherability (damaged by sunlight)

·       Solvent Resistance

·       Hazardous When Burned

·       Limited Uses in Association with Food Industry

·       Higher Price Than Polystyrene or Polyethylene

 

Here is a small selection of well-known products and applications that rely on ABS material: LEGO bricks, small kitchen appliances, keyboard keycaps, automotive components, protective headgear and musical instruments. Just to name a few!

 

 

Benefits of using ABS in manufactured products

There are tons of positives to using Acrylonitrile Butadiene Styrene when you develop your products. Here are just a few perks of this material:

 

·       Durability – ABS is very tough and impact-resistant. It can withstand major hits and not take on any damage at all. As with most manufactured parts, ABS can be made into a thin or thick form. The thicker the material, the more impact resistance and safety for the parts underneath it.

·       Corrosive-resistant – ABS is a plastic, so it does not run the risk of corrosion like a metal. The material is very tough and can avoid breakdown from a wide array of common chemicals. This can be invaluable if the parts being developed are used for protecting other parts of a device.

·       Cost-effectiveness – ABS is a very common material. It’s easy to create in a lab and the manufacturing process is simple. This makes it inexpensive to create parts using ABS plastic. A lower cost of production means lower cost to the consumer and potentially more sales.

·       Manufacturing simplicity – ABS can be melted and molded very easily during the manufacturing process. The plastic melts quickly at a specific temperature and can be poured into a mold before cooling into a solid. It can also be used in 3D printing to quickly create parts in a variety of shapes and sizes.

Uses for ABS plastic

When it comes to ABS plastic parts, the uses are endless. Nearly every industry out there can benefit from this plastic. Just a few common uses include:

 

·       Pipes

·       Fittings

·       Keyboard keys

·       3D building material

·       Vacuum parts

·       Refrigeration parts