ABS stands for Acrylonitrile Butadiene Styrene and is an engineering thermoplastic from the group of amorphous plastics. ABS is considered a robust all-round plastic with outstanding properties such as high impact strength, rigidity and good temperature resistance. ABS is frequently used in thermoforming to produce stable, durable components.
ABS is known for its easy processability due to its good flow properties. The butadiene contained in ABS creates an optimal adhesion structure, making ABS plastic highly suitable for coating, painting, printing and electroplating with metals. The latter means that plastic components made of ABS can be produced very effectively with a chrome-plated surface.
Antistatic
Printable
RegeneratePrice
Colors
Features
Weaknesses
When additives are added to ABS to achieve special properties in the thermoformed part, this may affect thermoformability under certain circumstances. Typical use cases for additives include TPU for particularly sensitive parts or flame-retardant additives for low flammability. Other available additives increase rigidity or improve the material’s cold resistance.
When storing ABS, it is important to note that ABS is hygroscopic. This means that thermoformable sheets and rolls made of ABS plastic absorb moisture from the environment during longer storage periods, which reduces the quality and processing quality on the thermoforming machine. For this reason, ABS plastic is usually not kept as stock material, but is procured by the thermoforming manufacturer on customer request. Material delivery times must therefore be considered as lead time when procuring thermoformed ABS plastic parts.
| Group | Technical Thermoplastics |
| Structure | Amorphous |
| Density | 1.07 |
| Continuous Use Temperature Min. (in °C) | -40 |
| Continuous Use Temperature Max. (in °C) | 75 |
| Thermal Expansion Transverse/Longitudinal to Flow Direction (10^-6 *K) | 95 |
| Melting Temperature (°C) | 110 |
| Max. Temp. Short-Term (°C) | 100 |
| Max. Temp. Long-Term (°C) | 95 |
| Impact Strength (KJ/m^2) | 22 |
| Abrasion Resistance | - |
| Yield Stress (N/mm²) | 45 |
| Tensile Strength (N/mm²) | 50 |
| Tensile Modulus of Elasticity (N/mm²) | 2500 |
| Elongation at Break (%) | 10 |
| Flexural Strength (N/mm²) | 75 |
| Ball Indentation Hardness (N/mm²) | 90 |
| Dielectric Strength (kV/mm) | 41 |
| Volume Resistivity (Ω · m) | 1E13 |
| Surface Resistivity (Ω) | 1E13 |
| Tracking Resistance CTI | 600 |
ABS stands for acrylonitrile butadiene styrene and is an engineering thermoplastic. It is considered a robust all-round plastic with very good impact strength, rigidity and temperature resistance. ABS is often used in thermoforming to produce stable, durable components.
