3D Printing in Hard Plastic
Used For: strong prototypes, functional prints and products, architecture models and more.
Printing Method: FDM (Fused Deposition Modeling)
The 3D Printing method for our Strong ABS Plastic Material is FDM, or Fused Deposition Modeling. This method uses an extruder head on a gantry to melt spools of thermoplastics while following paths one vertical layer at a time. For overhangs or undercuts in the geometry, a secondary dissolvable support structure is laid down so that the plastic material can be laid down each layer.
| Maximum Print Size | Minimum Print Size | Minimum Wall Thickness | Print Resolution |
|---|---|---|---|
| 6″ x 6″ x 8″ (152 x 152 x 203 mm) | 1″ x 1″ x 1″ (25.4 x 25.4 x 25.4 mm) | .09″ (2.3mm) | .010″ (0.254mm) |
Material Characteristics:
Very Strong and durable with a plastic gloss. It is smooth to the touch with slightly visible striations of vertical build layers
Look: Opaque, smooth, monochromatic. Very small layer striations visible at close range
Feel: smooth, rigid, glossy Great for strong and functional parts
Watertight?: No. While this material is not water tight, it can withstand exposure to water.
Dishwasher safe?: Yes 
Food safe?: No. This material should not be used in contact with foodstuffs.
Recyclable?: No.Rates
Hard Plastic
- Turnaround time: 2-4 business days
Bulk Pricing
- variable pricing for larger, bulk orders
Rush Pricing
- variable pricing for rush orders under 2 business days
Design Rules:
Minimum wall thickness (supported walls)
2.0mm
A supported wall is a wall that has connections on both sides, giving it more strength and support.
Minimum wall thickness (unsupported wall)
3.0mm
An unsupported wall is a wall with a connection on only one side giving it less strength and support.
Minimum Embossed/Engraved Detail
.5mm high and wide
This determines the feature size possible when engraving or embossing within a structure.
Minimum Wire Diameter
3.0mm
A wire is an element where the length is more than 2x the width.
Minimum Clearance
1.0mm
This is the distance between separate components so that they are not bound together.
Technical Rules:
Normals Must All be Unified
In the digital world, any surface will have a front and a back face. This surface orientation is called a “normal”. If two adjacent surfaces have different normal directions, this file input may confuse the 3D printer.
Models Must be “Water Tight”
This means that there are no holes in the shell of the model. All vertices for adjacent mesh faces must be connected.
Components Must Have Minimum Thickness
In order to successfully print and survive post processing, model components must have a minimum wall thickness.