Tough & heat resistant, the classic engineering plastic (black).
Best for
Tough parts that get warm: housings, car-interior parts, tool parts. The classic engineering plastic.
What people make with it
- Car-interior parts
- Housings near warm electronics and motors
- Tool and appliance parts
- Parts you plan to sand, glue or paint
Specs
- Softens at
- About 90 °C / 194 °F
- Impact
- Good
- Outdoors
- Not recommended: yellows and weakens in sun (choose ASA)
Typical values for this plastic, rounded. How strong a part is also depends on its shape and the strength you choose.
Good to know
- Can warp on large or long parts (we suggest a fiber-filled plastic when that's likely)
- Not for long-term sun
ABS or something else?
- ASAASA is ABS made for outdoors: same heat, but doesn't yellow in sun.
- PETGPETG is easier to print large and better with water, but softens about 20 °C sooner.
- Polycarbonate (PC)PC is tougher and handles more heat.
Design tips
- Keep large ABS parts compact, or round off sharp corners: warping starts at corners.
- If the price page warns about warping, PET-CF or PET-GF are the fix.
Not the right choice for
- Outdoor parts (choose ASA)
- Long or large flat parts, which can warp (choose PET-CF or PET-GF)
Colors (3)
Screen colors are a guide; the real plastic can look slightly different.
Strength options
Plastic parts aren’t solid inside. You choose how much plastic goes into each part:
- EconomyLightest, lowest cost
- BalancedEveryday strength
- StrongExtra walls & fill, for parts under load
- HeavyStrongest; dense enough to sink
Which one? Economy for models and fit checks, Balanced for everyday parts, Strong for parts under load (brackets, mounts, gears), Heavy for small solid parts that take big loads and for anything that lives underwater. More strength costs more: it uses more plastic and printer time.