DigitalABS PlusOverview
Digital ABS Plus™ materials simulate standard ABS plastics in combining high temperature resistance andhigh toughness. Parts printed with Digital ABS Plus and Digital ABS2 Plus offer:•An impact resistance of 90-110J/m (1.69-2.06 ft lb/in.).

•An initial heat deflection temperature (HDT) of 58–68°C (136–154°F) upon removal from the printer.

A higher HDT of 82–90°C (179–194°F) can be achieved after thermal treatment in a programmable oven.
These properties make Digital ABS Plus and Digital ABS2 Plus suitable for printing parts that require highimpact resistance, strength and dimensional stability.
Digital ABS Plus are fabricated using RGD515Plus1 together with RGD531.

Best PracticeThis document describes recommendations and tips for achieving optimum quality and enhanced
mechanical properties when printing Digital ABS Plus parts.
•Cleaning printer components•

Preparing trays for printing•

Drying parts•

Photobleaching•

Thermal treatment
1Objet 1000™ and J4100™ printers (18 kg containers) use RGD515 Plus B.

2DigitalABS PlusPrinting Recommendations and Tip
Cleaning Printer Components
Micro-cracks adversely affect the mechanicalproperties of printed parts. To avoid micro-cracks:•After a print job has completed, run the HeadCleaning wizard, the Wiper Cleaning wizard.

•If the Head Cleaning wizard is not run for
33 hours of printing, the wizard automatically
opens when starting or resuming printing.
If this occurs when a print job is interrupted,cancel the wizard to resume printing.
(Run the Head Cleaning wizard after theprint job is completed.)

Figure 1: Functional prototypes 3D printed in Digital ABS Plus.

Note: You cannot cancel the Head Cleaning
wizard to resume printing if head cleaning
has not been performed for 99 hours.
•Every 15 minutes of printing, several sequencesof purge are automatically performed.

Preparing Trays for Printing
To achieve optimum quality, follow these guidelines:•	Always prefer a matte surface finish. The
support material that covers matte surfaces
helps protect the part’s layers from excessive
UV radiation, thereby reducing the yellowishtint.

Figure 2: Digital ABS material selection in GrabCAD Print™.

•	If surface matching is required, place allmatching surfaces face up.

Best Practice•	Internal stress may cause parts to curve
upwards and detach from the tray. To reduce
this possibility:•When printing parts that have a highaspect ratio (X:Y), position the longer
edge along the Y-axis (Figure 3).

•Prefer printing full trays. This enables
easier removal of support material fromprinted models.

Figure 3: Long edge is along the Y-axis and matching surfaces
are face up.

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DigitalABS Plus
Drying Parts
Printed parts may require longer time to dry than parts
printed with Vero™ materials. To dry parts thoroughly:•Place them on a dry surface or on a drying rack.

•To avoid deformation, orientate the parts so that there
is minimal strain on thin walls.

•Allow the parts to dry overnight.

Photobleaching Parts
Parts printed with Digital ABS Plus have a slightly yellow
tint when removed from the printer. This is especially true
for parts printed with a glossy finish. The yellow tint fades
naturally over time, but you can greatly accelerate thisprocess by using photobleaching treatment. This involves
exposing parts to intense LED flood light.

Figure 4: Stratasys ProBleacher

Important: Perform the photobleachingtreatment as soon as possible after printing.
Recommended photobleaching methods include:
Method A: Stratasys ProBleacher™ (Figure 4)•Sold and supported by Stratasys•

Temperature, light intensity, and duration control•

Office-friendly•

Fast and consistent results

Method B: Using LED Flood Light (Figure 5)•

Self-assembly from readily available components,including a cabinet lined with mirrors and a 100W
LED flood light, 6500K daylight.

•Low-cost solution•

Varying results, due to the lack of precise control overtemperature and light intensity

Best Practice

Method C: Using an Illumination Chamber•

Off-the-shelf chamber•

Enables controlling temperature and light intensity•

Assures predictable results

Figure 5: Sample do-it-yourself photobleaching cabinetwith LED lamp and mirrors

4DigitalABS Plus
General Photobleaching Instructions:If you are using the Stratasys ProBleacher, follow the instruction in theProduct Guide. Otherwise, follow the instructions below.
1.

For best results, polish the parts before performing photobleaching.

2.

As soon as possible after printing, place the parts in the cabinet/chamber.

3.

Arrange the printed parts with enough distance between them to allow light to reach all sides of eachpart.

4.

Turn on the light and set the temperature (if applicable). Verify that the ambient temperature is between
30 – 40ºC (86 – 104ºF). Higher temperatures may cause part distortion; lower temperatures may not
produce satisfactory results.

5.

Inspect the model tint after six hours of treatment.

•For parts with a matte finish, this should suffice.

•For parts with a glossy finish, continue the photobleaching treatment for up to 24 hours to achieve thedesired results.

Thermal Treatment
Thermal treatment of Digital ABS Plus and Digital ABS2 Plus parts in a programmable oven (Figure 6)
improves their heat resistance.
Note: The actual thermal resistance depends on the part’s geometry.
Special Instructions:
To avoid distortion during the thermal post process procedure:•Parts with thin walls and overhangs must be properly supported before placing them in the oven.

•Consider the best placement for the printed
part inside the programmable oven. ·•Place the part on a flat surface in the oven andnot directly on the oven rack. The rack mayexert forces on model.

Best PracticeProcedures A and B (below) are suitable for all partgeometries. They differ in the duration and expected
HDT. HDT test method: ASTM D 648-06, HDT at
0.45 MPa.

Figure 6: Inside of the oven chamber.

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DigitalABS Plus
Procedure A

Procedure B

Desired HDT: 90°C (194°F)

Desired HDT: 100°C (212°F)

Time in oven: approximately seven hours(including cooling time)

Time in oven: approximately nine hours (includingcooling time)1.

Clean the part and remove the support
material.

2.

Place the part in a programmable oven (seespecification below) at room temperature.

Note: This procedure may cause greater distortion
to unsupported thin walls and overhangs.
If this is a concern, use procedure A.

3.

Set the ramp-up rate to 1°C (1.8°F) per minute.

4.

Increase the temperature to 60°C (140°F).

5.

Turn on the oven. The oven temperaturereaches 60°C (140°F) after approximately
35 minutes.

6.

Maintain the temperature at 60°C (140°F) for
two hours. Increase the temperature to 70°C
(158°F). The oven temperature reaches 70°C
(158°F) after approximately 10 minutes.

7.

Increase temperature to 80°C (176°F) andmaintain for one hour.

8.

Cool in oven.

9.

When the oven temperature is below 35°C(95°F), you can remove the part from the oven.
Caution: Always wear oven gloves whenhandlings hot parts.

1.

Clean the part and remove the support material.

2.

Place the part in a programmable oven (seespecifications below) at room temperature.

3.

Set the ramp-up rate to 1°C (1.8°F) per minute.

4.

Increase the temperature to 60°C (140°F).

5.

Turn on the oven. The oven temperature reaches
60°C (140°F) after approximately 35 minutes.

6.

Maintain the temperature at 60°C (140°F) for
two hours.

7.

Increase the temperature to 70°C (158°F). Theoven temperature reaches 70°C (158°F) after
approximately 10 minutes.

8.

Increase temperature to 80°C (176°F) andmaintain for one hour.

9.

Increase temperature to 100°C (212°F) andmaintain for one hour.

10. Cool in oven.
11. When the oven temperature is below 35°C
(95°F), you can remove the part from the oven.

Best PracticeTemperature [°C]

Temperature [°C]

Caution: Always wear oven gloves whenhandlings hot parts.

Time [Minutes]
Figure 8: Oven temperature over time (Procedure A).

Time [Minutes]
Figure 9: Oven temperature over time (Procedure B).

6DigitalABS Plus
Programmable OvenBest Practice

Recommended Specifications

FeatureSpecification

Maximum Operating Temperature

250 – 300°C (480 – 570°F)

Temperature Stability (PID Controller On/Off)±0.1/±0.2°

Temperature Uniformity

At 300°C±5° (at 570°F±10°)

Heat-Up Time to Maximum Temperature

25 minutes

Recovery Time to Maximum Temperature

4 minutes

Dimensions

As requiredVolume (Liters)

As required

Air Changes Per Hour

10 – 50 (depends on oven size)

Maximum Power

Depends on oven size:
750W for 28-liter oven 9000W for 900-liter oven

Holding Power

Depends on oven size:
300W for 28-liter oven 3500W for 900-liter ovenController

Stores 4 programs and up to 16 segments(Eurotherm programmer, or similar)

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DigitalABS Plus
Oven Manufacturers and Models
The following oven manufacturers and models are recommended by Stratasys and are available worldwide.
Note: Other manufacturers and oven models may be suitable if they meet the specifications listed above.
Manufacturer
Despatch Industries
despatch.com
Naberthermnabertherm.com

Oven Model

Chamber Size

Comments

As required

May require an additional controller

LLB oven series

TR oven series

DOC-00733 Rev. EStratasys Headquarters

Best Practice7665 Commerce Way,Eden Prairie, MN 55344+1 800 801 6491 (US Toll Free)+1 952 937-3000 (Intl)+1 952 937-0070 (Fax)

1 Holtzman St., Science Park,PO Box 2496
Rehovot 76124, Israel+972 74 745 4000
+972 74 745 5000 (Fax)stratasys.com
ISO 9001:2015 Certified© 2021 Stratasys. All rights reserved. Stratasys, Stratasys Signet logo, GrabCAD Print, Objet, Digital ABS Plus, RGD515Plus, andRGD531 are trademarks of Stratasys Ltd. Other trademarks are the property of their respective owners. Product specifications aresubject to change without notice. BP_PJ_Digital ABS Plus_Application Note_0721a