ABS-ESD
also ABS ESD, ESD ABS
ABS-ESD is standard ABS compounded with carbon black or carbon nanotubes to hold surface resistance at 10⁶–10⁹ Ω, supplied as FDM/FFF filament and injection-moulding pellets.
ABS-ESD grades and fills
ABS-ESD is supplied in 5 conditions, soft to hard.
Compare all 5 grades and fillsHide
| Grade · open for datasheet | Best for | Yield MPa | Tensile MPa | Elong. % | Hardness |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Carbon-nanotube ESD ABS | Use where carbon-black particle sloughing is unacceptable (wafer/optics handling) and a tighter 10⁶–10⁹ Ω window is required. | 38 | 40 | 6 | 77 Shore D |
Permanent antistatic ABS | Pick when colour other than black is required and only antistatic (10¹⁰–10¹² Ω, no charge build-up) rather than full ESD dissipation is specified. | 38 | 40 | 15 | 75 Shore D |
Flame-retardant ESD ABS | For ESD fixtures in equipment that must also meet UL 94 V-0 flammability at 1.5–3 mm. | 38 | 40 | 8 | 77 Shore D |
Injection-moulding compound, carbon-black ESD ABS | Pick for volume-moulded ESD trays, carriers and housings where isotropic strength and low cost matter more than lead time. | 40 | 42 | 12 | 78 Shore D |
Carbon-fibre filled conductive ABS | Choose when stiffness/low warp plus true conductive (10²–10⁵ Ω) shielding-level performance is needed rather than pure static dissipation. | 55 | 2 |
Supply forms, finishes and certifications
Ways ABS-ESD is supplied — form, process route, surface or paperwork — without a datasheet of their own. The property values above apply.
| Option | What it is | Type |
|---|---|---|
FDMDefault | FDM / FFF printed, carbon-black ESD | Printing process |
What is ABS-ESD?
ABS-ESD is standard ABS compounded with carbon black or carbon nanotubes to hold surface resistance at 10⁶–10⁹ Ω, supplied as FDM/FFF filament and injection-moulding pellets. It is used for electronics assembly jigs, trays and carriers where static must bleed off without damaging components or attracting dust. Toughness and elongation are lower than plain ABS (36 MPa tensile, 3% elongation), colour is black only, service is capped near 80 °C by a Tg of about 108 °C, weathering is poor and ketone, ester and chlorinated solvents attack it. Printed Z-strength is 60–70% of XY; use plain ABS where static control is not required. ABS-ESD has a density of 1.04 g/cm³ (0.0376 lb/in³), lighter than 71% of polymer grades. Its glass-transition temperature is 108°C (226 °F). ABS-ESD has a yield strength of 34 MPa (4.93 ksi) and a tensile strength of 36 MPa (5.22 ksi) — weaker than 67% of polymer grades. Elongation at break is 3% and the elastic modulus is 2.4 GPa (0.348 Msi).
What is ABS-ESD used for?
- Electronics jigs
- PCB fixtures
- Component trays
Limitations
- Limited ductility — 3%, worse than 83% of polymer grades
ABS-ESD properties
Typical room-temperature values; bars are the position among polymer grades.
Physical4
ABS-ESD has a density of 1.04 g/cm³ (0.0376 lb/in³), lighter than 71% of polymer grades. Its glass-transition temperature is 108°C (226 °F).
Mechanical12
ABS-ESD has a yield strength of 34 MPa (4.93 ksi) and a tensile strength of 36 MPa (5.22 ksi) — weaker than 67% of polymer grades. Elongation at break is 3% and the elastic modulus is 2.4 GPa (0.348 Msi).
Thermal11
ABS-ESD is rated for continuous service to 80°C (176 °F). It conducts heat at 0.18 W/m·K (0.104 BTU/hr·ft·°F), worse than 73% of polymer grades. Thermal expansion is 85 µm/m·K (47.2 µin/in·°F).
Electrical3
ABS-ESD has an electrical resistivity of 100,000 Ω·m.
Chemical & Environmental2
UV resistance is fair.
Sustainability4
Producing a kilogram of ABS-ESD takes about 95 MJ of energy and emits 3.8 kg of CO₂ — less than 70% of polymer grades. Typical recycled content is 0%.
Manufacturability7
ABS-ESD's machinability is good (65/100, better than 66% of polymer grades); weldability good (60/100).
Common Calculations5
Values are nominal handbook figures for design screening. Certified mill or lot data ships with every FabDigit order on request.
Strength versus weight in the polymer family
Yield strength against density for every polymer grade FabDigit runs. ABS-ESD is highlighted; hover a dot for its name, or open the interactive family chart.
Working with ABS-ESD
Is ABS-ESD easy to machine?
Machines easily with sharp single-flute or O-flute cutters at high rpm/low feed; keep chips clear and avoid coolants containing ketones, and note that heavy sanding can locally alter surface resistivity.
Can ABS-ESD be welded?
Joins well by solvent bonding (avoid on ESD-critical surfaces), ultrasonic and hot-plate welding; conductive-filled joints may need a bridging conductive adhesive to keep the path continuous.
Can ABS-ESD be formed, bent or molded?
Dry 2–4 h at 80 °C before printing/moulding; FDM needs a 90–100 °C heated chamber and 230–265 °C nozzle to limit warping, injection at 220–250 °C melt / 50–80 °C mould with moderate shear to preserve the carbon network.
Manufacturability
The process limits FabDigit's quote engine applies to ABS-ESD. Design inside these and the part quotes instantly; outside them it routes to an engineer.
3D printing
| Technologies | FDM |
|---|---|
| Layer height | 50 – 300 µmdefault 100 µm |
| Minimum wall / feature | 1 / 0.5 mm |
| Build envelope | 300 × 300 × 380 mm |
| Supports | Yes |
| Anisotropy | Moderate |
ABS-ESD chemical composition (wt %)
Limits by weight percent from the governing specification, written the way the spec states them — a single maximum for impurities, a range for alloying elements, and the base element as balance. Nominal is the typical mid-range value.
| Element | Spec limit (wt %) | Nominal |
|---|---|---|
| styrenerigid matrix phase with acrylonitrile | 40 – 60 | 50 |
| acrylonitrilechemical/heat resistance | 15 – 30 | 23 |
| polybutadiene rubberimpact-modifying elastomer phase | 5 – 25 | 15 |
| conductive carbon blackESD network; replaced by CNT or antistatic agent in other variants | 2 – 10 | 5 |
| processing additives (lubricant, stabili | 0.5 – 3 | 1.5 |
What surface finishes work on ABS-ESD?
Supplied black only; vapour smoothing or paint/primer will insulate the surface and destroy ESD function, so leave working faces as-printed or lightly bead blasted and verify surface resistance per ANSI/ESD STM11.11.
Surface treatments FabDigit runs on polymer parts — pick them in the quote configurator or call them out on the drawing. Each links to its datasheet in the surface-finish library (thickness, specs, call-out, material verdicts).
Coating
Coloring
Metallization / Functional
Equivalent designations
Standards and trade names that resolve to ABS-ESD in FabDigit's catalog. Equivalence is nominal — check the exact specification when certification matters.
- Trade names
- ABS ESDESD ABSESD-Safe ABS
How much does ABS-ESD cost?
ABS-ESD is a premium-cost polymer ($$$), cheaper than about 82% of the materials FabDigit quotes. Part price depends far more on geometry, tolerance and quantity than on the raw stock — upload a CAD file for a live quote.
ABS-ESD — frequently asked
What is ABS-ESD used for?
ABS-ESD is typically used for electronics jigs, PCB fixtures and component trays. In short: static-dissipative ABS.
What is the yield strength of ABS-ESD?
ABS-ESD has a typical yield strength of 34 MPa (4.93 ksi) and a tensile strength of 36 MPa (5.22 ksi) — weaker than 67% of polymer grades. Strength varies by condition: see the 5 listed tempers.
Is ABS-ESD easy to machine?
Reasonably — machinability is rated good (65/100, better than 66% of polymer grades). Machines easily with sharp single-flute or O-flute cutters at high rpm/low feed; keep chips clear and avoid coolants containing ketones, and note that heavy sanding can locally alter surface resistivity.
Can ABS-ESD be welded?
Yes — weldability is rated good (60/100). Joins well by solvent bonding (avoid on ESD-critical surfaces), ultrasonic and hot-plate welding; conductive-filled joints may need a bridging conductive adhesive to keep the path continuous.
What surface finishes work on ABS-ESD?
Supplied black only; vapour smoothing or paint/primer will insulate the surface and destroy ESD function, so leave working faces as-printed or lightly bead blasted and verify surface resistance per ANSI/ESD STM11.11.
Can ABS-ESD be formed, bent or molded?
Dry 2–4 h at 80 °C before printing/moulding; FDM needs a 90–100 °C heated chamber and 230–265 °C nozzle to limit warping, injection at 220–250 °C melt / 50–80 °C mould with moderate shear to preserve the carbon network.
What is the maximum service temperature of ABS-ESD?
ABS-ESD is rated for continuous use to about 80°C (176 °F), and briefly to 95°C. Strength falls off well before that limit — check the elevated-temperature data for load-bearing parts.
How much does ABS-ESD cost?
ABS-ESD is a premium-cost polymer ($$$), cheaper than about 82% of the materials FabDigit quotes. Part price depends far more on geometry, tolerance and quantity than on the raw stock — upload a CAD file for a live quote.
Can FabDigit make parts in ABS-ESD?
Yes — ABS-ESD is available for 3D printing with instant online pricing. Upload a STEP file to get a price and a DFM check.
Sources
- ABS-ESD7 FDM Thermoplastic Material Data Sheet — Stratasys (2023)
- ANSI/ESD STM11.11 Surface Resistance Measurement of Static Dissipative Planar Materials — ESD Association (2015)
- ASTM D257 Standard Test Methods for DC Resistance or Conductance of Insulating Materials — ASTM (2021)
- Engineered Materials Handbook Vol. 2: Engineering Plastics — ASM International (1988)
- CAMPUS / UL Prospector ABS compound datasets — CWFG / UL (2024)
Property data is compiled from published supplier and standards handbooks and normalised for comparison; hardness values on non-Brinell scales are converted approximately for charting only. Manufacturability limits are FabDigit quote-engine defaults and may be relaxed by engineering review. Nothing on this page is a certification — request mill certs, CoC or material test reports with your order.