WHAT IS ABS?

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 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 Polyethylen

ABS APPLICATION

These limited disadvantages have not prevented ABS from providing effective solutions to thousands of industries and quality products for millions of different applications. The broad spectrum of ABS’s involvement in common products and applications that assist daily life is staggering. 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. It can be cut to size and comes in a wide range of colours and finishes. It also comes in handy in the manufacture of protective headgear such as hard hats and helmets

More recently, ABS has been playing a key role in the rise and rise of 3D printing. ABS parts are readily available and can be easily moulded to create a desired form and effect. ABS can also be electroplated to enable even more options for its use. 3D printers are fast becoming a commonplace sight across manufacturers, educational institutes and even home-based printing businesses and other entrepreneurial initiatives.

PRODUCT CODES

• KUMHO 745/750SW

• LG  AF312C/HI121

• GPPC D-120A/D-1000S

• SABICE MG47

• INEOS Terluran GP-22