ABS

What is it?

A workhorse commodity plastic — not the strongest or most chemical-resistant option, but easy to machine, finish, and work with at low cost.

Key behavior

Moderate strength and impact resistance, easy to bond, paint, or texture after machining.

Why choose it

Prototypes, enclosures, and parts where moderate strength is enough and cost/ease of machining matters more than peak performance.

Applications

Prototype enclosures, consumer-facing housings, general-purpose mechanical parts.

Machining notes

One of the easiest plastics to machine cleanly and quickly — common first choice for early-stage prototypes.