ABS (Acrylonitrile-Butadiene-Styrene): strong, impact-resistant and easy to process

ABS stands for acrylonitrile-butadiene-styrene and is an engineering plastic that combines stiffness, impact resistance and an attractive surface finish. It is one of the most used materials for injection-molded housings and visible parts because it is dimensionally stable and can be easily painted, chrome-plated and printed. The shrinkage is low, around 0.4 to 0.7 percent, so tight tolerances remain achievable. At QDP, ABS is the basis for housings that need to look sleek.

ABS is found in products where strength and appearance both count: dashboards and interior parts in vehicles, housings for electronics and household appliances, toys, and parts in piping systems. The material is stiff enough for structural parts and at the same time tough enough to survive a fall. Because it is naturally glossy, post-processing is often not necessary. QDP injection molds ABS among others for housings of measuring equipment.

Not without additives. Standard ABS discolors and becomes brittle with prolonged exposure to sunlight, visible as yellowing and chalking. For outdoor applications there are two routes: ABS with a UV stabilizer, or ASA, which is chemically related and naturally weather and UV resistant. If the product stands outside for years, ASA is usually the better choice. QDP factors this into the material advice during design.

PC/ABS is a blend of polycarbonate and ABS. It is more impact-resistant and more heat resistant: the heat deflection temperature rises from about 75–90 degrees to 110–125 degrees. This comes with a higher material price and somewhat more difficult processing. Choose ABS if the requirements are moderate, and PC/ABS if the product gets hot or can be subjected to high impact. QDP recommends PC/ABS as standard for housings with electronics inside.

ABS shrinks about 0.4 to 0.7 percent, which is low compared to PP or POM. That is one of the reasons why it is so suitable for dimensionally stable parts and components that have to fit together. The shrinkage is accounted for in the mold, so the mold is deliberately made larger than the product. Since a mold is built to the shrinkage of a material, that material is fixed once the steel is made. QDP calculates this shrinkage for each product.

Yes, and that is one of the strongest properties of this material. ABS naturally has a closed, glossy surface that provides adhesion without pretreatment, and it is the classic material for electroplating. Pad printing, laser engraving and foil also work well. What the mold already provides, such as a grain or a logo in relief, saves a post-processing step. QDP considers during design which finish can be made in the mold.

Yes. ABS is a thermoplastic, so it can be melted and processed again, and there are recycled grades that behave nearly the same in the mold as new material. Color and impact resistance may differ slightly, so for visible parts usually new material is used and for internal components recycled. The recycling logo with the material code should be in the mold, so that the product ends up in the correct stream later. QDP will include a recycled variant on request.