The effect of acetone on ABS used in the 3D printing of casting models

The aim of the study was to improve the quality of 3D prints obtained by the FDM method (Fused Deposition Modeling) from ABS (acrylonitrile-butadiene-styrene), used for casting models. The agent used for smoothing the ABS was acetone.
The process of smoothing the surfaces of the printed model was carried out in an acetone chamber designed especially for this purpose. The casting models were exposed to acetone vapors at an elevated temperature. The process of smoothing the surface of the ABS prints made by the FDM method is crucial for the continued operation of the models, as a rough surface is an undesirable property, making it impossible to obtain smooth surfaces from the prepared casts. This generates costs connected with finishing treatment and the loss of some of the cast material.
Based on the results of the roughness tests performed on the examined models after exposure to acetone in the chamber, it was established that the best treatment method for ABS is to expose the print to acetone vapors at 56°C for 15 minutes. This procedure enables more accurate reconstruction of the casting model, which results in a lower material loss from the ready cast during the process of removing the material.

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