How To Succeed When Printing With ABS

What’s ABS filament? ABS is among the mostly used and versatile supplies obtainable in 3D printing at present. There are just a few further issues to think about when printing with ABS as in comparison with PLA, however the further hurdles are nicely value it for the improved energy, post-processing capabilities, and temperature resistance of ABS.

What’s ABS?

ABS or Acrylonitrile Butadiene Styrene is a standard thermoplastic. ABS filament is among the hottest varieties of 3D printing filament on account of its versatility and energy, and is usually used for injection molding and merchandise like Lego, devices, sports activities tools and extra.

Nice initiatives for ABS:

• Automotive inside components – telephone mounts, cup holders
• Cosplay – sand completely easy and acetone-weld giant components collectively
• Robots – sturdy sufficient to deal with weight and movement
• 3D Printers – Take a look at the Voron, made attainable with ABS components.

Our Advisable ABS Filaments:

• MH Construct Sequence – Low worth, nice for beginning out.
• PRO Sequence – Made within the USA, industry-leading dimensional accuracy.
• Fillamentum – Prime quality materials with unbelievable colours.

Selecting the Proper ABS

There are various totally different manufacturers, colours, and even composites made by mixing different supplies or components with customary ABS resin. Relying on the precise wants of your venture, the one of many following supplies might be the best choice.

MH Construct ABS

• Value: $18.21 in bulk
• Greatest Use: Basic goal, nice beginning materials for settings improvement, a number of coloration choices.

PRO Sequence ABS

• Value: $52 per kg
• Options: Made within the USA (like all PRO Sequence), ±0.02mm diameter tolerance, excessive capability spools obtainable.

Ultimaker ABS

• Value: $50 per 750g spool
• Options: Nice compatability with Ultimaker 3D printers through NFC chip for automated materials recognition.
• Word: Solely obtainable in 2.85mm

eSUN ABS

• Value: $23 per kg
• Options: Basic goal, inexpensive materials obtainable in quite a lot of colours.

Fillamentum ABS

• Value: $45 per 750g spool
• Options: Unimaginable coloration choices, premium-quality materials manufactured within the Czech Republic. Solely choice for Translucent ABS in our catalog.

3DXTech Flame Retardant PC ABS

• Value: $68 per kg
• Options: PC is a good materials, however tougher to print with than ABS so this compound supplies the perfect of each worlds. It is also Flame Retardant, making this materials an important alternative for initiatives that have to explicitly resist injury from fireplace.

Getting that first layer proper

As with all 3D printing, getting the primary layer down is an important a part of the print. All the pieces else is constructed upon this (actually) and it is the place most new 3D printer customers have points honing their expertise. Do not feel dangerous should you’re struggling to get good mattress leveling, everybody has to study it. When you need assistance particularly on mattress leveling, try our article. Listed here are the important thing factors:

1. You want the print mattress to be degree.
   1. When you see some areas of your first layer are too excessive whereas others are too low, re-do your mattress leveling.
2. You want the extruder to be homed to the proper top from the mattress. (Z-offset)
   1. When you total first layer is equally too excessive or too low throughout the whole print, regulate your Z-Offset.
3. You want a superb adhesive to help your ABS in sticking to the mattress.
4. And naturally, ensuring that your extruder/hotend is heated to the appropriate temperature.

Lego bricks comprised of ABS

Greatest Mattress Setup for ABS

As a way to print with ABS, you want a headed mattress. The advisable mattress temperature for ABS is 110°C. Most trendy 3D printers can attain this temperature, but when yours can’t, you must be capable of get away with 90°C.

Word: If that is your first time having your print mattress this sizzling, watch out as these temperatures can burn pores and skin in a short time!

One of the best construct floor for ABS is PEI, obtainable both easy or with a powder coated floor for further mechanical adhesion. You can even print on glass with adhesion promoters like Magigoo or a normal glue stick.

As with all 3D printing, mattress leveling and Z-Offset are essential to success. ABS doesn’t have any particular wants for Z-Offset, so if you’re utilizing the identical construct plate as different supplies you seemingly won’t have to regulate this setting. Professional Tip: Your print mattress might be a barely totally different form when totally heated to ABS print temperatures, so all the time carry out your mattress leveling at temperature to get the perfect outcomes.

Enclose Your Printer for the Greatest Outcomes

The trick to have ABS components keep on the mattress throughout a print and never break up after being printed is to permit the printed half cool as slowly as attainable, and as uniformly as attainable. Right here are some things to remember to attain these objectives:

• Little to no layer cooling – begin together with your half cooling fan fully off.
• Enclosed construct space – preserve a steady and excessive ambient temperature round your half after it has been printed.

There are various totally enclosed 3D printers obtainable at present, along with enclosures obtainable as equipment for a lot of machines that don’t come totally enclosed. Moreover, try our video under on constructing a customized, low-cost enclosure for any printer that may allow you to begin printing with ABS instantly.

In case your first layer shouldn’t be sticking:

1. Be sure that the mattress is degree.
2. Be sure that the mattress is sizzling sufficient – we suggest 110°C.
3. Ensure that the ambient temperature of the print surroundings isn’t too sizzling or chilly (or else regulate accordingly).
4. Be sure to put the adhesive on the mattress.
5. Be sure that the print head is shut sufficient to make a pleasant first layer.
6. Be sure to run the extruder sufficient earlier than your print begins so there may be filament going onto the mattress throughout the whole first layer.  In MatterControl you may add a skirt and calibrate how a lot materials you want to extrude to make sure the hotend is totally primed.

7. PEI is a good way to print ABS.  It makes an important shiny backside layer and the heated mattress ensures that your components keep good and flat.

   For extra in depth info concerning ABS mattress adhesion try this text we wrote for extra detailed steering.

Getting the temperature proper

When working with a brand new roll of filament for the primary time, we usually like to begin out printing at about 230°C after which adjusting the temperature up or down by 5 diploma increments till we get the standard of the print and the energy of the half to be in good steadiness with one another. This temperature vary is a generalization, so please reference the precise filament you might have when growing your print settings.

FYI – there’s a temperature tower function construct into MatterControl so you may create customized temperature towers to assist in your print setting improvement.

What to search for

If the temperature is just too excessive:

You will notice extra strings between the separate components of your print and it’s possible you’ll discover that the extruder leaks out loads of plastic whereas shifting between separate areas of the print.  If this occurs you must attempt to incrementally decrease the temperature by 5 levels till the extruder shouldn’t be leaking a lot materials.

ABS being printed too sizzling can produce a tough texture, in case your components really feel and/or look tough, strive decreasing the temperature and see if that impact is decreased.

Typically you’ll have a fabric that’s merely much less viscous than ABS and can leak extra even at decrease temperatures.  We suggest you overview your retraction settings and probably tune this particularly.

If the temperature is just too chilly:

You’ll both see that the filament shouldn’t be sticking to the earlier layer and you might be getting a tough floor, or you’ll get an element that’s not sturdy and could be pulled aside simply.  In both case, you must improve the temperature by 5 levels and check out once more till you get good line segments on each layer and have a powerful half when achieved printing.

A print gone chilly. Test your retraction and warmth for clear prints.

Altering filament

When switching ABS colours:

1. Whereas the extruder is chilly set the warmth to 120°C and look ahead to it to warmth up.
2. Once you attain 120°C take away the present filament from the extruder.  You could possibly again it out by hand or it’s possible you’ll have to reverse the extruder.
3. In case you are having hassle eradicating the filament, improve the temperature to 180°C and check out once more.
4. Clear the extruder gear and blow out any particles from the extruder entrance. 
5. Enhance the warmth and cargo the brand new filament usually.
6. Run the brand new coloration by the extruder till it runs clear and the brand new coloration is all that’s popping out of the extruder. In case you are switching from a darkish coloration (resembling black) to a light-weight coloration (like white or pure) it’s possible you’ll need to extrude for a couple of minutes to be you certain have no darkish contamination.
7. Print one thing that you do not care if it has bits of the earlier coloration in it, or run the extruder for a number of minutes.  It might take as a lot as 10 to fifteen minutes of extrusion earlier than you may have faith that there will not be darkish materials combined with lighter materials.

Word: We advisable eradicating the filament when mushy moderately than when totally melted so that there’s a decrease risk of depositing melted materials onto the extruder drive gear or leaving meterial excessive up the soften chamber entrance.  Each of which may trigger jamming and are onerous to scrub out.  Gentle elimination additionally helps be sure that you get the whole lot out of the extruder tip.

What to do if issues go incorrect

There are just a few key issues to examine when your prints aren’t working.  However earlier than we take a look at options we have to have a quick description of your signs.

“I am unable to get the primary layer to stay.”

1. Be sure that the extruder is on the proper top. Modify the restrict swap or extruder to 0 top
2. Be sure that the print mattress is degree. Stage the mattress.
3. Be sure to’re printing on the proper temperature and that your mattress is the appropriate temperature.
4. Test the ambient temperature of your surroundings. If it’s too chilly or too sizzling exterior, your print can differ drastically!

“The half has dangerous inner layers and prime surfaces.”

1. Test the extrusion temperature (it’s possible you’ll want to extend it by 5 diploma bumps).
2. Test the filament stress.
3. Clear the filament drive gear.
4. Lower your pace.
5. Be sure that your half is correctly cooled.

“The surface edges of my components have a number of little bumps on them.”

1. Be sure that your printer is getting sufficient knowledge. If printing from a pc, be sure that the pc shouldn’t be too busy to feed the printer instructions. If the printer is pausing it’s normally because of the laptop being too busy.
2. Print from the SD card. On some printers you may try to print from the SD card.  This usually helps the printer have sufficient knowledge to run extra easily.

Nevertheless, do not be too fast to imagine the issue is in your ABS.  With the appropriate settings and endurance hobbyists have succeeded in printing all types of supplies lots of which have very low viscosity.  You must be capable of get usable components even with some decrease high quality filament.

“Tall sections of my prints look melted or squished collectively.”

1. Activate “Cooling”. In case your printer has a fan you must allow “Cooling” within the print settings.
2. Get a small fan. In case your printer doesn’t have an built-in fan you must look into getting a small desk fan. This may help dramatically with tall sections of your print or when “bridging” (printing prime layers that span gaps).

My half is curling away from bed.”

1. Just remember to have a superb quantity of adhesive on the mattress and that you just’re making use of a contemporary layer with each print. As well as, activate a brim. Having a brim that extends out a bit helps give the half a big base to work with, in addition to having extra to stick to.

“My printer won’t extrude any materials.”

1. Be sure that your sizzling finish is getting sizzling. Test to verify the new finish is heating in any respect.  If it isn’t, you’ll want to have your printer serviced. It’s seemingly that you’ve got a free connection, or your electronics have been fried (assuming the printer continues to be linked and responding to your host software program).
2. Clear the drive gear and regulate stress. The very first thing we’re going to do is clear the filament touching drive gear and be sure that now we have correct stress in opposition to the filament.  Often improper stress or a clogged drive gear will make the print look extra like the image now we have for low temperature filament, however it generally does stop extrusion all collectively.  Clear the pinch wheel with a wire brush, and ensure your stress is nice and strong (an excessive amount of may also stop extrusion and is extra frequent with direct drives [the motor is directly connected to the drive gear] however much less frequent with geared drives).
3. Take away the present filament. It might be that you’ve got a small particle in your extruder tip jamming the plastic.  Use the change filament approach described above to drag out any particles which might be within the extruder tip.
4. Test for and take away jams between the extruder and sizzling finish. That is essentially the most excessive kind of drawback as a result of now it is time to take issues aside.  Typically warmth can creep up the filament within the extruder and trigger a bulge that then cools and prevents any additional extrusion. That is normally on the junction between the extruder and sizzling finish. Take off the extruder and take away all of the ABS you may (it’s possible you’ll want the new finish sizzling to get all the fabric out.)  If you cannot get out all of the filament by pulling, it’s possible you’ll have to try to drive it down by the new finish. We normally use a small allen wrench.  If this fails you may try to drill out the extruder or sizzling finish however it’s possible you’ll want to switch components.  Make sure you take precautions in opposition to being shocked or burned.  In case you are not certified to do that work, discover somebody who’s, moderately than danger harm.

Thanks for studying this text!

When you have any feedback, corrections, or contributions, please drop us an e mail or give us a name. We’re all the time in search of ideas, and finest practices – and would love to listen to from you.

Sincerely,

The MatterHackers Crew