3RDAX™ ABS 1.75mm

3RDAX™ ABS 1.75mm 3D Printing Filament

ABOUT THIS FILAMENT
ABS is one of the most widely used 3D printing materials for functional and durable parts. It has been used across manufacturing, automotive, consumer products, and engineering applications for decades because it balances strength, toughness, machinability, and heat resistance very well.

Compared to PLA, ABS is more heat resistant and generally better suited to parts that may be exposed to sunlight, warm interiors, workshops, garages, or ongoing mechanical use. It is also easier to sand, drill, glue, paint, and post process than many other materials, which is part of why it remains popular despite newer filament options entering the market.

ABS is not the easiest material to print, and it should not be treated like PLA. That is part of the trade off. It requires more attention to temperature stability and bed adhesion, but when printed properly it produces strong, reliable parts with a professional finish.

WHERE IT WORKS BEST
ABS works best for functional parts, workshop prints, automotive components, enclosures, brackets, mounts, prototypes, jigs, fixtures, and general purpose engineering style prints where better heat resistance and toughness are needed.

It is also well suited to parts that may later be sanded, painted, glued, machined, or acetone polished after printing. That flexibility makes ABS useful both for rough workshop parts and more refined finished components.

ABS sits in a useful middle ground between everyday materials and more advanced engineering plastics. It is often the next step when PLA no longer suits the application, but moving to materials like nylon, polycarbonate, or reinforced composites would be unnecessary or excessive.

WHERE IT COMES FROM
ABS stands for Acrylonitrile Butadiene Styrene.

It is a petroleum based thermoplastic made by combining three separate components, each contributing different characteristics to the final material. Acrylonitrile improves chemical and heat resistance, butadiene adds toughness and impact resistance, and styrene contributes rigidity and surface finish.

Unlike PLA, ABS is not plant based and does not come from renewable biological sources. It is a traditional industrial plastic designed primarily around durability, manufacturability, and long term functional performance.

ABS became widely adopted because it is relatively lightweight while still maintaining good toughness and strength. It also handles machining and post processing well compared to many other plastics, which helped make it one of the most common materials used across manufacturing and consumer products.

PRINTING WITH IT
ABS prints at higher temperatures than PLA or PETG and generally benefits from an enclosed printer to help maintain stable temperatures during printing.

Without enough temperature stability, ABS can shrink as it cools which may cause corner lifting, warping, or layer separation, especially on larger parts. Smaller prints are often manageable on open printers, while larger or more demanding prints benefit significantly from an enclosure and reduced airflow around the machine.

ABS is also more sensitive to sudden temperature changes than PLA. Even a breeze from a window, heater, fan, or air conditioner can sometimes affect print consistency.

Good bed adhesion is important with ABS. A suitable build surface and adhesive can make a major difference, especially on larger prints or parts with sharp corners. This is where products like Dimafix become useful, particularly for larger ABS prints that would otherwise be prone to lifting or warping. Check it out here.

ABS also produces more noticeable fumes during printing compared to PLA or PETG, so reasonable ventilation is recommended.

MATERIAL COMPATIBILITY
ABS behaves well as a single material print and bonds strongly to itself when printed correctly.

It can also work well with dedicated support materials designed for higher temperature printing environments, depending on the printer setup. Unlike PLA and PETG combinations, ABS generally prefers to be paired with materials that share similar printing temperatures and enclosure requirements.

ABS does not naturally bond strongly to PLA or PETG, which can sometimes be useful in specific multi material setups, though compatibility depends heavily on temperatures, printer configuration, and part geometry.

BASE, CARBON OR GLASS?
Standard ABS offers the best balance of toughness, affordability, ease of printing, and post processing within the ABS family.

Carbon fibre reinforced ABS is typically stiffer, lighter, and produces a more matte technical finish, but usually becomes less impact resistant and more brittle compared to standard ABS. It also requires a hardened nozzle due to the abrasive fibres.

Glass fibre reinforced ABS generally improves stiffness and dimensional stability while maintaining a different surface finish and feel compared to carbon fibre versions.

TECHNICAL DATA
Material Type: ABS
Diameter: 1.75 mm ± 0.03 mm
Net Weight: 1 kg
Composition: ABS, Acrylonitrile Butadiene Styrene
Density: 1.05 g/cm³
Approx. Length per kg: 396 m
Vicat Softening Temperature: 105°C
Heat Deflection Temperature - Unannealed: 85°C
Heat Deflection Temperature - Annealed: 95°C
Tensile Strength (Yield): 54 MPa
Tensile Strength (Break): 37 MPa
Elongation at Break: 25%
Flexural Strength: 77.5 MPa
Flexural Modulus: 2650 MPa
Izod Impact Strength: 210 J/m
Rockwell Hardness R: 116
Certifications: CE and RoHS compliant

Want to know what these specs actually mean? Download the Technical Data Sheet.

PRINT SETTINGS
Nozzle Temperature: 190 to 230 °C
Bed Temperature: 80 to 100 °C
Enclosure: Recommended to minimise warping and layer separation, but not essential
Nozzle Type: Standard brass nozzle suitable
Cooling: Minimal cooling generally recommended
Drying: Beneficial for best surface quality and consistency
Build Surface: PEI, glass, textured plate, or suitable high temperature print surface
Bed Adhesive: Recommended for larger parts or difficult geometries