Jusheng

Imagine a material as tough as an ox that is able to withstand bumps and even enter hip car dashboards and kids' bricks, and another as pliable as water that can conform into clear pipes, electrical wire insulation, and even lifesaving medical cannulas. It is not a chemistry lab trick, it's the everyday life of ABS and PVC—two plastics stars.

Have you ever been caught in a dilemma when choosing ABS plastic material: should you choose ABS or PVC?Specifically with injection molding production, the incorrect decision can result in products cracking, becoming yellow, or even failing safety standards, resulting in huge losses.

This manual will delve into the crux of this dilemma, revealing the hidden differences and guaranteeing that you have the right decision for your next project.

Core Answer Summary

Comparative Dimension	ABS (Acrylonitrile Butadiene Styrene)	PVC (Polyvinyl Chloride)
Core Properties	Hardy, shock-resistant, and rigid.	Flexible, fire-resistance, and resistance to corrosion.
Feel and Appearance	Matte opaque finish, hard texture, and dull sound when struck.	Transparent or opaque finish, soft or yielding feel, and muffled sound.
Chemical Name Card	Burns with yellow flame, black smoke, and pungent odour (not recommended).	Refractory to ignition, extinguishes the instant it is removed from the flame, green base and acidic scent.
Cost Overview	Raw material cost is typically a bit higher than PVC.	Raw material cost is generally lower, therefore the most cost-effective option.
Manufacturing Process	Injection molding, extrusion, and 3D printing (filaments).	Extrusion, injection molding, and calendaring (with the requirement to add a heat stabilizer).
Safety	Food-safe grade, can be applied to tableware and toys.	Naturally flame retardant, medical grade can be used for blood transfusion equipment.
Typical Applications	Automotive interior, Lego, electronic enclosures, and helmets.	Water pipes, window frames, wire insulation, credit cards, fake leather.

Why Trust This Guide? JS Team Real-World Testing

JS has over a decade of real-world experience in the injection molding industry covering a wide range of fields, from medical, electronics, home appliances to plumbing.

We have solved several hundred materials selection issues for our customers, including making flame-resistant medical equipment casings, creating high-impact injection-molded parts for electronic devices, and optimizing home pipe weather resistance.

We fully tests all materials, including density, bend, and flame tests with accurate data recorded. We also test flowability, molding cycle, and process suitability of different materials during the process of injection molding so that all conclusions are drawn from actual experience.

This guide is based on this hands-on experience. You can depend on these tried-and-trusted instructions in selecting material for your project.

JS has years of experience in injection molding parts manufacturing and material testing. If you want one-on-one material selection advice, get in touch with us. We shall provide you with an open communication ordering process so that your project proceeds without a hitch.

No More Confusion: How To Quickly Distinguish Between ABS And PVC

Now that we've established the dependability of this guide, let's discuss a useful question: How can you conveniently distinguish ABS from PVC in injection molding material choice? Here are four simple techniques you can use based on your specific situation.

Flame Test (Warning!)

In order to perform a flame test, you will need to use a lighter to ignite the material sample.

ABS produces black smoke with an acrid odor reminiscent of styrene and will continue to burn after removed from the flame. PVC plastic is difficult to ignite and releases hydrogen chloride gas (with an acrid, sour odor) when burned and will extinguish immediately after being removed from the flame.

Note: Take the test under good ventilation so that toxic gases are not inhaled.

Density Method (Sink/Float Test)

Fill a water cup with a density of about 1g/cm³ and a cup of salt solution with 1.2g/cm³. Place a piece of ABS into the water, it floats, in the salt solution, it sinks.A sample of PVC will sink in water but will float in salt water.

This method does not require any equipment and can be used to differentiate between the two materials at the beginning.

Bending Method

Hold the ends of the material sample in your hand and gently press down to bend it.

ABS is quite robust and will come back to shape when bent to a certain angle (about 90°) without snapping. PVC, on the other hand, is extremely brittle and, especially at temperatures of about 10°C or below, can easily crack or even snap when bent.

Solvent Test (Acetone)

Dip a swab in a minimal amount of acetone and use it to wipe the surface of the material lightly. The surface of the ABS will quickly dissolve and turn tacky, showing evident marks upon wiping. However, the surface of the PVC will have little impact because PVC is more resistant to acetone.

Deep Performance Analysis: The Core ABS Vs PVC Comparison

After the differentiation of the two materials, let's explore their inner performance in more detail, which is important for material selection in injection molding. Although nylon is plastic and a commonly used engineering plastic, this article focuses on the application of ABS and PVC in common scenarios.

The specific performance comparison is shown in the table below:

Performance	ABS Plastic Material	PVC Plastic
Impact Resistance	High, with a notched impact strength of approximately 20-30 kJ/m² at room temperature. It is also hard at low temperatures and hence can be utilized in injection molding parts that are prone to impact.	Moderately low, with a notched impact strength of approximately 5-15 kJ/m² at room temperature. It is prone to brittle fracture at low temperatures.
Insulation	Good, with a volume resistivity of approximately 10 ¹⁴ -10 ¹⁶Ω· cm, suitable for electronic casings.	Excellent, with a volume resistivity of approximately 10 ¹⁶ -10 ¹⁸Ω· cm, commonly used in electrical insulation components.
Weather Resistance	Poor, with coloration discoloration and decreased toughness after three months' steady exposure to sunlight.	Good, after adding a weathering agent, it has stable performance after one year of outdoor exposure, and hence can be adopted as an indoor or outdoor injection molding parts.
Chemical Resistance	It is resistant to weak acid and base but not to solvents like acetone and methyl ethyl ketone.	It possesses greater resistance to acids and alkalis than ABS and can also resist hydrochloric acid of concentration less than 30% but is not resistant to strong oxidants.
Surface Gloss	High, with a surface roughness of approximately 0.2-0.4 μm Ra after injection molding and requiring minimal post-processing.	Medium, with post-molding Ra of approximately 0.6-0.8 μm and requiring special treatment to enhance gloss.

As can be seen from the table, ABS is more impact resistant and has a smoother appearance and is thus better suited for injection molding parts that require performance and appearance,e.g., consumer electronics and appliance housing.

PVC is more weather resistant, chemical resistant, and has greater electrical insulation and is thus better suited for outdoor use, pipes, and electrical insulation.

If you have to choose an ABS plastic material for your product's performance requirement, our JS team is equipped to advise professionally and deliver products to your specifications through custom injection molding manufacturing services, and we assure that the performance will be up to standards.

Cost Competition: What Is The Truly "Affordable Material"?

Apart from performance, cost is also an important consideration in selecting injection molding material. We examine the economics of ABS and PVC on three dimensions: raw material cost, cost of processing, and cost of ownership:

Cost Type	ABS Plastic Material	PVC Plastic
Raw material cost	$1.5-2.5/lb and heavily influenced by crude oil price changes, varying by around 20%.	$0.8-1.2/lb, with more stable prices and fluctuations typically within 10%
Cost of processing	Reduced. ABS has a melt point of about 10-20g/10min, injection molding provides a rapid cycle time and less energy consumption and therefore the cost of processing will be about $0.5/kg.	PVC has a melt point of about 1-5g/10min, requires temperature regulation so that it is not deformed, and is more difficult to process and therefore the cost of processing will be about $0.7/kg.
Total cost of ownership	Higher. For example, it would take around $120,000 to manufacture 100,000 housings for home appliances per year.	Lower. For an equal volume of outdoor pipe manufacturing, the overall cost would be around $8. $10,000, lower cost in the long run.

According to the data, the raw material cost of PVC is significantly lower than that of ABS. Although its cost of processing is slightly higher, its overall cost of ownership is lower and is therefore more suitable for large-scale long-term applications.

Although ABS's injection molding price is higher, its cost-effectiveness is still worth considering if a product has tremendous performance requirements.

JS can give you clear injection molding price quotations. Whether ABS or PVC is your choice, we can optimize the costs and save you money without compromising on quality. Please get in touch with us for more information.

Manufacturing Process Showdown: Various Challenges In Injection Molding

ABS and PVC undergo various process challenges during the injection molding process due to their varying characteristics, which has a direct relation to the injection molding parts's quality as well as the production efficiency.

ABS Injection Molding

ABS possesses the significant advantage of excellent melt flowability. In molding delicate parts (e.g., thin-lined mobile phone shells), it can flow freely into the mold cavity and achieve a molding success rate of more than 95%. Its molding cycle time is commonly only 30-60 seconds per piece.

ABS also possesses a broad temperature tolerance for injection molding (220-260°C), enabling easy adjustment of process parameters and making it ideal for inexperienced operators.

PVC Injection Molding

PVC, on the other hand, introduces a higher level of processability challenge.

• PVC easily degrades at high temperatures (above 200°C), emitting hydrogen chloride gas that corrodes the mold and screw, and necessitating the use of corrosion-resistant stainless steel equipment.
• The low melt flowability of PVC exposes it to material starvation upon filling of thin mold structures, necessitating larger gate sizes or the use of hot runner systems.
• PVC does not cool as fast, resulting in a molding cycle time 20%-30% longer than ABS, impacting the efficiency of production.

In custom injection molding manufacturing, ABS provides more process adaptability, while PVC requires an experienced team to precisely control parameters not to create defects.

JS has rich injection molding experience. Whether PVC or ABS, we can precisely control parameters to ensure stable quality of injection molding parts and provide professional custom injection molding manufacturing services.

Safety First: Health And Environmental Considerations

When choosing ABS plastic materials, neither health nor environmental safety should be overlooked, especially for injection molding parts that come into contact with the human body or are used in sensitive applications.

PVC Has Certain Safety Issues

• Phthalate plasticizers are usually used in soft PVC. They are known to leach into the environment and might have effects on children's endocrine systems, so their use is regulated in products intended for use by children in the EU and elsewhere.
• Dioxins are released when PVC is burned, dioxins being highly carcinogenic and an active environmental pollutant.
• During the PVC production process, heavy metal stabilizers such as lead and cadmium may be used. When improperly disposed of, these waste by-products contaminate soil and water resources.

ABS is Generally Safe

At standard working temperatures of -20 to 80°C, ABS does not emit toxic gases, and its residual content of its primary composition, styrene, is below 0.1%, conforming to international safety specifications.

However, ABS does emit black smoke and toxic gases when ignited, and thus flame retardance must be taken into account if it is to be used in an enclosed space.

Flame retardancy

PVC has excellent flame retardancy by nature and may meet the UL94 V-0 rating without the addition of flame retardants. ABS has poor flame retardancy and requires the addition of brominated or phosphorus-based flame retardants to come in standard. This will increase costs and some of these brominated flame retardants can have environmental concerns.

Regardless of the material chosen, products that comply with environmental laws such as RoHS and REACH should be prioritized to minimize health and environmental hazards.

JS employs green and safe materials only when producing injection-molded parts. Both ABS and PVC meet international standards of safety. We also have online injection molding services, and you may approach consultation and make orders at any time to ensure product safety and compliance.

Beyond Common Questions: The Ultimate Material Selection Decision Tree

Even after learning about performance, cost, and process, you may still be unsure of which material to choose. These next six most important questions can make it very easy for you to select the right ABS plastic material:

1.Do my product and/or assembly need to be impact resistant?

If the product is likely to be dropped or bumped (such as a handheld electronic device), use ABS, since it has superior impact resistance. If the product is not going to be relocated (such as a wall pipe), use PVC.

2.Must it be flexible or maintain shape?

If the product has to be somewhat flexible (like a hose), select soft PVC. If it must be rigid and resistant to deformation (like an appliance casing), select ABS.

3.Will the product be exposed to the outside or to chemicals?

Choose PVC for outdoors exposure, as it is more resistant to weather. Choose PVC for mild acid and base exposure, and choose ABS for solvent exposure (with the exception of strong solvents like acetone).

4.Is flame retardance a necessity?

If the UL94 V-0 rating is needed, the PVC is best, as there are no additional flame retardants needed. If flame retardation is unnecessary or if adding flame retardants is possible, ABS is also an option.

5.Is cost the primary consideration?

If your budget is low and you are making large quantities, use PVC for less overall cost. If you need high performance and can tolerate higher cost, use ABS.

6.Does the surface require high-quality plating or painting?

If you need a high-quality finish (e.g., plated appliance parts), choose ABS for its better surface bonding. If reduced appearance criteria are acceptable, choose PVC for less expense.

Injection Molding Success And Failure Case Study: JS Assisted With Material Selection For A Medical Device Housing

Client Needs

Medical company that specializes in emergency medical equipment designed a portable monitor housing. The device is used for outdoor emergency medical treatment and mobile monitoring inside hospitals.

The case must meet the following: a UL94 V-0 flame retardant rating, drop resistance from a drop of 1.2 meters, a matte, non-specular surface finish, recyclability, and controllable cost for a batch of 5000 pieces.

Original Proposal and Failure

The customer first chose ABS because of ease of injection molding intricate geometries (the housing had several interfaces and heat dissipation holes) and smooth surface, which suitable for the appearance requirements of injection molding parts.

However, testing revealed that when aged at 60°C for 72 hours, the rating for flame retardancy of ABS with the included flame retardants reduced from V-0 to V-1, which did not satisfy medical standards. Moreover, the flame retardant increased the price of ABS from $1.80 per pound to $2.30 per pound, which exceeded the budget.

JS's Final Solution

• Based on trials,JS materials engineering department recommended the shift to high-impact modified rigid PVC.
• To counteract the unwanted flowability of the PVC, we improved the mold flow path (growing the gate and using a hot runner system) and kept the injection temperature strictly between 175-185°C to solve the problem of material shortage.
• For better appearance, a matte spray finish was used, giving the PVC casing an ABS-like touch.

Results

The final product inherently met UL94 V-0 flame retardancy specifications, lowering material cost to $1.1 per pound, 30% lower than the original cost per piece. It incurred only slight scratches and no harm after drop testing.

Glare is reduced through the matte finish, enhancing user experience. The level of PVC recycling is 80%, meeting environmental standards. This case demonstrates JS's expertise in custom injection molding manufacturing.

FAQs

Q1: Which has the highest surface gloss?

ABS parts have the highest surface gloss. As ABS has a uniform molecular structure, melt flows smoothly in injection molding to take the mold surface shape. The ensuing Ra is approximately 0.2-0.4μm, and treatment is not required. PVC on the other hand has poor flow and the Ra is approximately 0.6-0.8μm after molding. Polishing or spraying to regain gloss is needed, which increases cost and process steps.

Q2: My PVC part has yellowed and turned brittle. Why?

This is the usual sign of PVC aging. The two reasons are: First, the plasticizer evaporates or migrates over time and makes the material stiff. Second, ultraviolet light and high temperatures break down the PVC molecular chain, causing yellowing and deterioration of function. Utilizing a weather-resistant PVC formula or replacing it with ageing-proof ABS can effectively improve and extend the lifespan of the product.

Q3: Can ABS and PVC be mixed for injection molding?

Absolutely not! ABS and PVC cannot be mixed on the molecular level. Mixing them in injection molding will lead to phase separation, producing irregular internal structures in injection molding parts, a significant loss of mechanical properties, and brittle fracture under stress. At the same time, defects such as stripes and bubbles may appear on the surface.

Q4: My product requires ABS to be impact-resistant and PVC to be fire-retardant. What should I do?

You can choose flame-retardant ABS (FR-ABS) or ABS/PVC alloy. FR-ABS retains the toughness of ABS but achieves a UL94 V-0 rating, and hence is suitable for injection molding parts where both toughness and flame retardancy are required. ABS/PVC alloy has balanced performance, but slightly higher cost.Choose according to your budget or consult the JS team for recommendations.

Summary

Choosing the right material is half the war of success for your product. There is no hard "ABS is better" or "PVC is better", each material has its own strength. Whether it is the strength of ABS or the flexibility of PVC, there is serious materials science behind them.

Still unsure what material is best for your project? You don't need to be a plastics expert.JS is here to offer you material recommendations and world-class injection molding services to help you determine the best material to use and create the perfect product.

JS offer online injection molding services, transparent injection molding price, and expert technical support to meet your diverse requirements.Contact our materials engineers today for free expert material selection advice and an instant quote. Upload your 3D designs and let us help you turn your ideas into market-ready products.