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4 Reasons Why ABS Needs a Heated Bed

Your ABS printer should have a heated bed to ensure high-quality 3D printing.

Written by:
Ben
Last updated:
11/11/2023

ABS plastic is one of the most popular materials used for 3D printing as it’s versatile and cheaper than other 3D printing materials. You can use an 3D printer to print with ABS plastic. Your ABS printer should have a heated bed to ensure high-quality 3D printing. 

Here are the 4 reasons why your ABS printer needs a heated bed: 

  1. A heated bed can help the ABS plastic melt better
  2. A heated bed will prevent your ABS print from warping. 
  3. Heated beds allow for better adhesion. 
  4. A heated bed helps remove the print without damaging it. 

This article explores everything you need to know about an ABS printer’s heated beds and why you need one. It also considers how you can improve the quality of your heated bed. 

1. A Heated Bed Can Help the ABS Plastic Melt Better

The glass transition is when the plastic is heated (in this case, ABS plastic) becomes soft. ABS plastic needs a temperature of 100°C (212°F) to begin to transition. A heated bed can assist this transition, making the printing process faster. 

2. A Heated Bed Will Prevent Your ABS Print From Warping

When printing with ABS plastic, you may find that the plastic is susceptible to warping. When plastic warps, it changes shape, typically curving or curling up. In ABS printing, the edges of the print may curl off the edges as it cools, changing the dimensions of your 3D print. 

ABS plastic can solidify reasonably quickly. A heated bed will keep the plastic soft, ensuring that it does dry or warp until the whole printing project is complete. 

3. Heated Beds Allow for Better Adhesion

Heated beds in your 3D printer will allow the ABS plastic to adhere to the bed better. In addition, you can spread a bed adhesive over your heated bed to improve the material’s adhesivity. The bed adhesive is made by mixing acetone and ABS filament. The combination of heat and bed adhesive can make your 3D print more accurate. 

Here are excellent products available on Amazon.com that are bed adhesives for your heated bed:

Layerneer Original Bed Weld

The Layerneer Original Bed Weld is a popular choice for several reasons: 

  • You can use it several times. After applying it to your heated bed and using it for one round of printing, run a wet sponge over the heated bed. The wet sponge will reactivate the bed weld’s adhesive powers, and you can use it for the next round of printing. 
  • It uses thermal science. This adhesive will ensure the ABS plastic will adhere to it when hot and quickly slide away when it’s cooled. 
  • It has a 90-day manufacturer guarantee. If it doesn’t work as you hoped, you can contact the manufacturer and get a full refund. 

Prevailent T-80 3D Printer Adhesive

The Prevailent T-80 Printer is another popular choice because of its versatility and its value for money. Here are some of its stand out features:

  • You can use it with a variety of bed surfaces. As well as on a heated bed in ABS printers, you can use this adhesive in PLA, PETG, and TPU printers. 
  • A little of the adhesive can be used several times. 
  • Safe to use. This adhesive is made from non-toxic materials, making it odorless.  

4. A Heated Bed Helps Remove the Print Without Damaging It

Once you complete your 3D printing, you can cool the heated bed, allowing the ABS plastic to cool down so that you can detach it from the printer surface without damaging it. The heated bed can make it easier to control temperature, allowing you to separate it from the printer quicker.

What Temperature Should Your Heated Bed Be Set At?

Typically, the heated bed should be set at 110°C (230°F), a few degrees above the glass temperature. As well as ensuring that your ABS printer has a heated bed, you should also make sure it’s set at the right temperature. 

How Can You Enhance an ABS Printer’s Heated Beds?

3d printer ventilator on hotend

Most ABS printers will come with their heated beds. However, you can upgrade your ABS printers by using heated bedplates which can be added to your heated bed. These will increase the area you can print on and also improve the ABS plastic’s adhesiveness. 

Some great options are the Zerone 3D Printer Hot Bed and the Creality Carbon Heated Bed Plate. 

Here are hot bedplates available on Amazon.com: 

Ender 3 V2 Heated Bed

The Ender 3 V2 Hot Bed is a popular option, valued as it’s pocket-friendly and easy to use. Here are some of the stand out features of this hot plate: 

  • It’s made with high-quality materials. This hot plate is made with aluminum, allowing it to build on heat quickly and uniformly. 
  • It’s flexible. This hotbed is compatible with a range of different printers and printing materials. It’ll work with any cartesian style printer. You can use it with ABS, PLA, HIPS, and PET+. 
  • Easy to maintain. This hotbed is easy to clean using alcohol, water, and a scraper.

Sovol Silicon Glass Heated Bed

The Sovol Silicon Glass Heated Bed is made with carbon and silicon, which makes for excellent adhesion. Other stand out features of this heated bed plate are: 

  • It can easily be placed on top of a printer bed and secured with clips. 
  • It’s easy to clean with alcohol, water, and a scraper. 
  • It’s compatible with various printers, including the Ender-3, the Ender-3 Pro, and the Ender-3X. 
  • Prints are easily removed from this bed; once it reaches room temperature, it’s easy to slide the prints off with little to no damage. 

Creality Heated Bed Cover 

This is an adhesive base that can easily be fitted onto many ABS printer beds. Some of the benefits of this model are that it: 

  • Can be cut to size. If this bed cover is too big for your printer, you can cut it to fit using scissors or a knife. It’s ideal if you don’t know the exact dimensions you need. 
  • It’s versatile. This cover is compatible with a variety of popular ABS printers, including the Ender-3 and the Ender-5. 
  • Easy to install. This product has magnetic properties which allow it to quickly and easily adhere to printer bed surfaces.  
Written by:
Ben
Last updated:
11/11/2023

About Ben

I started 3D printing since 2013 and have learned a lot since then. Because of this I want to share my knowledge of what I have learned in the past years with the community. Currently I own 2 Bambulab X1 Carbon, Prusa SL1S and a Prusa MK3S+. Hope you learn something from my blog after my years of experience in 3D printing.