Digital ABS
also RGD5160
Digital ABS (RGD5160) is a PolyJet digital material produced by jetting two base photopolymers together to emulate ABS-like toughness and heat resistance.
Digital ABS grades and fills
Digital ABS is supplied in 3 conditions, soft to hard.
Compare all 3 grades and fillsHide
| Grade · open for datasheet | Best for | Yield MPa | Tensile MPa | Elong. % | Hardness |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Digital ABS Plus green shade | Same mechanical family as Ivory; the green shade is chosen for part visibility/contrast and multi-colour assemblies. | 50 | 57 | 30 | 86 Shore D |
Digital ABS2 | Pick for thin-wall (≈1.2 mm) housings and snap-fits where as-printed impact and dimensional stability matter most. | 52 | 58 | 32 | 86 Shore D |
Heat-treated | Use when the part must survive short exposure near 90 °C (e.g. injection-mould inserts, hot-air fixtures); toughness drops slightly. | 57 | 60 | 15 | 88 Shore D |
Supply forms, finishes and certifications
Ways Digital ABS is supplied — form, process route, surface or paperwork — without a datasheet of their own. The property values above apply.
| Option | What it is | Type |
|---|---|---|
StandardDefault | Digital ABS Plus (Ivory RGD5160-DM), as printed | Standard supply |
What is Digital ABS?
Digital ABS (RGD5160) is a PolyJet digital material produced by jetting two base photopolymers together to emulate ABS-like toughness and heat resistance. It provides 57 MPa tensile strength, 30 % elongation, a 2.8 GPa modulus and Shore D 86, which suits functional prototypes, snap-fit housings and thin-wall assemblies straight off the printer. The crosslinked acrylic stays notch-sensitive, tops out near 50 °C in service and cannot be welded or remelted; HT, DABS2 and GREEN variants adjust heat performance and colour, while Vero is the better choice when only appearance matters. Digital ABS has a density of 1.18 g/cm³ (0.0424 lb/in³), lighter than 52% of polymer grades. Its glass-transition temperature is 50°C (122 °F). Digital ABS has a tensile strength of 57 MPa (8.27 ksi), stronger than 65% of polymer grades. Elongation at break is 30% and the elastic modulus is 2.8 GPa (0.406 Msi).
What is Digital ABS used for?
- Functional prototypes
- Snap-fit housings and clips
- Thin-wall electronic enclosures
- Assembly jigs and short-run fixtures
- Injection mould inserts for low-volume trials
- Drop-test and handling samples
- Cosmetic models for plating
Limitations
- Limited service temperature — 50°C (122 °F), worse than 94% of polymer grades
- Absorbs moisture — dry before molding — 1.7%, worse than 94% of polymer grades
- Degrades in UV without stabilisers — 20/100, worse than 88% of polymer grades
- Needs corrosion protection — 70/100, worse than 78% of polymer grades
- Difficult to weld — 15/100, worse than 78% of polymer grades
Digital ABS properties
Typical room-temperature values in the Standard condition; bars are the position among polymer grades.
Physical3
Digital ABS has a density of 1.18 g/cm³ (0.0424 lb/in³), lighter than 52% of polymer grades. Its glass-transition temperature is 50°C (122 °F).
Mechanical9
Digital ABS has a tensile strength of 57 MPa (8.27 ksi), stronger than 65% of polymer grades. Elongation at break is 30% and the elastic modulus is 2.8 GPa (0.406 Msi).
Thermal5
Digital ABS is rated for continuous service to 50°C (122 °F).
Chemical & Environmental3
Corrosion resistance is very good (70/100), worse than 78% of polymer grades. UV resistance is poor.
Manufacturability3
Digital ABS's machinability is good (55/100, worse than 64% of polymer grades); weldability poor (15/100).
Common Calculations2
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. Digital ABS is highlighted; hover a dot for its name, or open the interactive family chart.
Working with Digital ABS
Is Digital ABS easy to machine?
Light drilling, reaming and tapping are practical with sharp tools and slow feeds; the crosslinked acrylic is notch-sensitive so avoid heavy cuts and keep parts cool.
Can Digital ABS be welded?
Not weldable (thermoset); bond with cyanoacrylate or two-part epoxy, avoid acetone-based solvent cements which craze the surface.
Can Digital ABS be formed, bent or molded?
Shape is fixed by PolyJet jetting/UV cure — design for 0.6 mm minimum wall (1.2 mm for load-bearing), remove SUP70x support fully, and post-cure/anneal if elevated-temperature service is needed.
Manufacturability
The process limits FabDigit's quote engine applies to Digital ABS. Design inside these and the part quotes instantly; outside them it routes to an engineer.
3D printing
| Technologies | POLYJET |
|---|---|
| Layer height | 50 – 300 µmdefault 100 µm |
| Minimum wall / feature | 1 / 0.5 mm |
| Build envelope | 300 × 300 × 380 mm |
| Supports | Yes |
| Anisotropy | Moderate |
Digital ABS 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 |
|---|---|---|
| acrylate oligomer (urethane/epoxy acrylastructural backbone of RGD515 component | 30 – 60 | 45 |
| photoinitiatorUV cure | 0.5 – 3 | 1.5 |
| pigment / additivesivory or green shade; inorganic ash ≈0.3 % | 0.1 – 1.5 | 0.5 |
| acrylic monomer (mono-/di-functional acrreactive diluent; RGD535 contributes tougher/elastomeric acrylates | ≥ 25 (balance) |
What surface finishes work on Digital ABS?
Sands and primes readily; paint or clear-coat for UV protection, and vapour-free wet sanding gives a near-injection-moulded finish before electroplating for cosmetic models.
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 Digital ABS in FabDigit's catalog. Equivalence is nominal — check the exact specification when certification matters.
- Trade names
- RGD5160
How much does Digital ABS cost?
Digital ABS is a specialty-cost polymer ($$$$$), pricier than about 100% of the materials FabDigit quotes. Part price depends far more on geometry, tolerance and quantity than on the raw stock — upload a CAD file for a live quote.
Digital ABS — frequently asked
What is Digital ABS used for?
Digital ABS is typically used for functional prototypes, snap-fit housings and clips, thin-wall electronic enclosures, assembly jigs and short-run fixtures, injection mould inserts for low-volume trials and drop-test and handling samples. In short: tough ABS-emulating resin.
What is the tensile strength of Digital ABS?
Digital ABS has a typical tensile strength of 57 MPa (8.27 ksi) — stronger than 65% of polymer grades. Strength varies by condition: see the 3 listed tempers.
Is Digital ABS easy to machine?
Reasonably — machinability is rated good (55/100, worse than 64% of polymer grades). Light drilling, reaming and tapping are practical with sharp tools and slow feeds; the crosslinked acrylic is notch-sensitive so avoid heavy cuts and keep parts cool.
Can Digital ABS be welded?
Not readily — weldability is rated poor (15/100). Not weldable (thermoset); bond with cyanoacrylate or two-part epoxy, avoid acetone-based solvent cements which craze the surface.
What surface finishes work on Digital ABS?
Sands and primes readily; paint or clear-coat for UV protection, and vapour-free wet sanding gives a near-injection-moulded finish before electroplating for cosmetic models.
Can Digital ABS be formed, bent or molded?
Shape is fixed by PolyJet jetting/UV cure — design for 0.6 mm minimum wall (1.2 mm for load-bearing), remove SUP70x support fully, and post-cure/anneal if elevated-temperature service is needed.
What is the maximum service temperature of Digital ABS?
Digital ABS is rated for continuous use to about 50°C (122 °F). Strength falls off well before that limit — check the elevated-temperature data for load-bearing parts.
How much does Digital ABS cost?
Digital ABS is a specialty-cost polymer ($$$$$), pricier than about 100% 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 Digital ABS?
Yes — Digital ABS is available for 3D printing with instant online pricing. Upload a STEP file to get a price and a DFM check.
Sources
- PolyJet Digital ABS Plus / Digital ABS2 material data sheet (RGD5160-DM) — Stratasys (2023)
- PolyJet Digital Materials — design and post-processing guide — Stratasys (2022)
- ASTM D638 / D790 / D256 / D648 / D570 test methods — ASTM International (2022)
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.