Thermoplastic
ABS
The default enclosure plastic. Tough, easy to mold, easy to finish.
Published values for unfilled grades at 23 °C unless stated. Confirm against the supplier datasheet for the grade you specify.
What it is
ABS is a two-phase polymer: a rigid styrene-acrylonitrile matrix with butadiene rubber dispersed through it. The matrix gives stiffness and a hard surface, the rubber phase absorbs impact energy. That combination is why it has been the default enclosure material for four decades.
It molds at low pressure, holds fine texture, takes paint and plating without primer, and solvent-welds cleanly. Its limits are heat and UV: it softens under 90 °C and yellows outdoors without a stabilised grade.
Where it is used
- Consumer product housings and bezels
- Instrument enclosures and control panels
- Automotive interior trim (usually PC/ABS)
- Toys and appliance components
- Machined and printed functional prototypes
Processing notes
Dry to below 0.1 % moisture before molding, typically 2–4 hours at 80 °C. Wet ABS shows silver streaking on the part surface.
Melt 220–250 °C, mold 50–70 °C. Higher mold temperature improves gloss and weld line strength at the cost of cycle time.
Shrinkage is low and near-isotropic, which makes it forgiving on first tools. Steel-safe corrections are usually small.
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Design notes
Wall thickness 1.5–3.0 mm. Below 1.2 mm you will fight short shots on anything but a small part.
Ribs at 50–60 % of nominal wall to avoid sink on the show face. Draft 1° minimum, 2–3° on textured surfaces.
Solvent bonding with MEK or acetone gives a joint close to parent strength, which is often simpler than designing snap fits on a prototype.
Grades and variants
- General purpose, balanced flow and impact, the default
- High impact, more rubber phase, lower stiffness and gloss
- Flame retardant (UL 94 V-0), for mains-powered enclosures
- Plating grade, surface chemistry tuned for electroless nickel and chrome
- UV stabilised, for outdoor or high-light applications
Specifying this material?
Send your CAD and target volumes. We come back with a price, a lead time, and any material or design notes that would reduce either.