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[DJW]

Afternoon All

I'm making a vapor generator that uses fogging fluid and heated nichrome wire.  So I've been iterating toward a case design and have been looking at suitable filament to use, mainly that it's heat resistant to a degree, but fire retardant for sure.  I've like eSun filaments and have arrived at eSun eABS Max.  It's not particularly expensive, but it's not available from many suppliers.  It's main selling point is that its fire retardant to various standards, but given we build model boats, it's also 'water resistant' in that it doesn't take up water or moisture like PLA, so I thought I'd report on it.

There's a supplier link here: https://www.3djake.uk/esun/eabs-max-black

Here are a few fittings using the eABS Max:



It's quite light and stiff, and it takes a thread.



The downside is it's quite demanding on the printer, I'm using a Creality K1C.  I use 3DLac on the standard PEI print bed.  ABS can warp badly and this filament is no different.  It likes heat when printing:



250° nozzle, 100° bed and note the chamber at 45°, the ABS profile I use turns off any case fans so the temperature goes up...  But in doing so it seems to prevent warping.  I've been using a brim on most work, but a raft on some more challenging pieces.  The chamber temp helps when there's a lot of support with an elevated flat printed surface (that's away from the heated bed).  After plenty of trial and error these settings seem quite reliable.  Other consideration is that the ABS likes to be hot and dry when fed into the printer, I'm using a Sunlu heater:



I don't start printing til the humidity in the dryer is quite low, below 30% for sure, it's 50% in the room now so the dryer is working well drying the filament.  No stringing from the ABS.  Print speed is between 40 and 60mm/s.

So while I started out looking for 'fire retardant' filament, I've ended up with a filament that fire retardant, but then delivers a few nice extras in that its a shade lighter and stronger, is more durable, withstands heat (no loss of mechanical properties up to over 100° compared to PLA at 60°) and doesn't absorb water. So worth the extra effort I think when producing finished fittings following development and testing with cheaper, faster to print and generally easier PLA.


(Edit...  Meant to add.  I find it better to let the ABS fully cool before taking it off the build plate.)

Hope the above is useful to someone...!
Best regards to all.
David.