3D Printing Info

Filament comparison

ABS-FR vs ASA

Compare printing settings, strength, heat resistance, dated prices and sources.

Flame-retardant ABS (FR-ABS) guideASA guide

2 selected · all documented properties

Open these two in the interactive comparisonMore ABS-FR comparisonsMore ASA comparisons
ABS-FR vs ASA — documented properties and sources
PropertyFlame-retardant ABS (FR-ABS)ABSASAASA
Market snapshot
Listing priceUSD/kg; dated snapshots$52.00/kg median; $44.99–$120.00/kg across 5 dated product listings$28.98/kg median; $17.99–$50.00/kg across 14 dated product listings
Identity & Market
Base polymer / chemistryABS with a flame-retardant package; 3DXTech rates the base resin UL 94 V-0[1]Acrylonitrile styrene acrylate — ABS with the butadiene rubber phase replaced by an acrylate rubber that has no UV-vulnerable double bonds[2][3]
Densityg/cm³1.18 (ISO 1183) — above unfilled ABS at 1.05 because of the retardant loading[1][4]1.05 (Bambu Lab) to 1.13 (PolyLite ASA), ISO 1183; Prusament 1.07[5][6][3]
Typical priceUSD/kg1 kg-equivalent spools span 45–120; the middle of the market is about 52[7][8][9][10]1 kg spools cluster near 30[11][12][13]
Price range across brandsUSD/kg45–120 across brands; SUNLU 45, YXPOLYER 50, Coex 3D 52, 3DXTech 107 at 750 g pricing; the FR PC/ABS grade runs 120[7][8][9][10]18–50 across brands; IEMAI 18, SUNLU 18, Ambrosia 23, Polymaker 26, Bambu Lab 30, YXPOLYER 30, Prusament 41, 3DXTech 50[14][12][11][15][13][7][16][17][18]
Market availability1–5Niche, a handful of specialist brands[7]Stocked by most mainstream brands[11][12][7][13]
Spool sizes & diameters1.75 and 2.85 mm; 750 g spools[7]1.75 and 2.85 mm; 0.8, 1, 4 and 10 kg spools[7][13][11]
Typical applicationsElectrical enclosures and transport interiors that must meet a flammability rating[1]Outdoor fittings, signage, automotive exterior trim and anything that has to hold colour and strength in sunlight[19][2]
Diameter tolerance± mmNot documented±0.04 (Prusament)[3]
Printing Parameters
Nozzle temperature°CNot documented230–270 across brands; Prusament 260 ± 10, Bambu Lab 240–270, PolyLite 230–260[5][6][3]
Bed temperature°CNot documented75–110; Prusament 110 ± 5, Bambu Lab 80–100, PolyLite 75–95[5][6][3]
Enclosure / chamber requirement1–5Enclosure recommended[20]Enclosure recommended — Polymaker calls a chamber needed at ambient temperature, Bambu Lab requires an enclosed printer and rules out its P1P and A-series machines[6][20]
Recommended chamber temperature°CNot documented45–60 (Bambu Lab)[5]
Part cooling fanNot documentedLow — Prusament 30 % within a 0–50 % range, Bambu Lab 0–80 %, PolyLite off[3][5][6]
Bed surface & adhesion aidClean the plate and apply glue; Simplify3D also lists Kapton tape and ABS slurry[20][21]Satin, smooth PEI or powder-coated sheet with a glue stick; Prusa advises a 3 mm or taller brim on large parts[3][20]
Maximum volumetric flow (mm³/s; see test conditions)mm³/sNot documented10–16 (PrusaSlicer guidance for ABS/ASA)[22]
Warping tendency1–5High — enclosure needed for reliable large parts[20]High — enclosure needed for reliable large parts; Prusa recommends a tall brim and Bambu Lab attributes cracking to cooling stress exceeding interlayer adhesion[3][20]
Bed-adhesion difficulty1–5Needs a specific surface plus adhesive[20]Needs a specific surface plus adhesive[3][20]
Stringing / oozing tendency1–5Slight — Polymaker advises 1–2 mm retraction at 20–30 mm/s[23]Slight[6]
Overall printing difficulty1–5Intermediate — dry filament and a tuned profile[20]Intermediate — dry filament and a tuned profile[20][3]
Hardware Wear & Reliability
Nozzle hardness required1–4Brass fine indefinitely[20]Brass fine indefinitely[20]
Abrasiveness1–5Non-abrasive[1]Non-abrasive[20]
Nozzle clog risk1–5Low — 3DXTech lists no special nozzle concerns and no minimum layer height for its FR-ABS, only an 80 °C pre-dry[24]Low — no special hot-end required and clogging is not among the listed drawbacks; Prusa lists no drybox and no hardened nozzle[25][26]
Heat-creep / jam sensitivity1–5Slightly sensitive[21]Slightly sensitive[25]
Hotend requirementNo special hot-end required[21]No special hot-end required[25]
Moisture Behaviour
Moisture absorption (hygroscopicity)1–5Moderate — the ABS matrix takes up 0.51–0.65 % saturated at 25 °C / 55 % RH and 3DXTech specifies a 80 °C, 4 h pre-dry[4][27][24]Moderate — 0.45 % saturated at 25 °C / 55 % RH (Bambu Lab) and 0.40 % equilibrium (Polymaker); Prusa measures only 0.17 % after 7 days at 22 % RH[5][6][3]
Equilibrium moisture content at ~50 % RH%Not documented0.45 saturated at 25 °C / 55 % RH (Bambu Lab); 0.40 equilibrium (Polymaker); 0.17 after 7 days at 24 °C / 22 % RH (Prusa)[5][6][3]
Drying temperature & timeNot documented80 °C for 8 h (Bambu Lab); 70 °C for 7 h (Polymaker)[5][6]
Symptoms when wetBubbling and popping at the nozzle, stringing and a rough surface[28]Bubbling and popping at the nozzle, stringing, rough surface and weak layers[28]
Effect of moisture on strengthPolymaker rates ABS moderate-sensitivity and publishes no dry-versus-conditioned figures; absorbed water flashes to steam in the hotend and shows as bubbling and poor layer adhesion[28]No dry-versus-conditioned figures are published for ASA; Polymaker groups the styrenics as moderate-sensitivity and the loss shows as poor layer adhesion rather than a stated strength delta[28]
Storage requirementSealed with desiccant; Polymaker rates ABS moderate-sensitivity[28]Sealed with desiccant; Polymaker rates the styrenics moderate-sensitivity[28]
Mechanical Properties
Tensile strength (XY)MPa45 at break (printed XY, ISO 527)[1]37 ± 3 (Bambu Lab) to 43.8 (PolyLite) printed XY, ISO 527; Prusament 42 ± 1 at yield; Formfutura quotes 47.5 at yield[5][6][3][29]
Young's modulusMPa1990 (printed XY, ISO 527)[1]2379 (PolyLite) to 2450 (Bambu Lab) printed XY, ISO 527; Prusament 1600, Formfutura 2020[5][6][3][29]
Elongation at break%4 at break (printed XY, ISO 527) — well below the 10 % of unfilled 3DXTech ABS[1][30]6.7 (PolyLite) to 9.2 (Bambu Lab) at break, printed XY, ISO 527; Formfutura quotes 15 at break, Prusament 3.4 at yield[5][6][29][3]
Flexural strengthMPa80 (printed XY, ISO 178)[1]64 ± 1 printed horizontal (Prusament, ISO 178); Bambu Lab 65 ± 5, PolyLite 73.4[3][5][6]
Flexural modulusMPa2250 (printed XY, ISO 178)[1]1920 ± 130 (Bambu Lab) to 3206 (PolyLite) printed XY, ISO 178; Prusament 2000[5][6][3]
Charpy impact, notchedkJ/m²Not documented10.3 (PolyLite) to 19.6 (Bambu Lab) printed XY, ISO 179, notched; Prusament 12 ± 1, Formfutura 18[6][5][3][29]
Other impact dataNot documentedCharpy unnotched 25 ± 3 printed horizontal and 38 ± 11 printed vertical (Prusament, ISO 179-1); Bambu Lab 41.0 ± 2.3 printed XY[3][5]
Layer adhesion / Z tensileMPaNot documented11 ± 1 (Prusa interlayer adhesion test); 31 ± 4 (Bambu Lab) and 32 (PolyLite) printed Z tensile, ISO 527[3][5][6]
Brittleness1–5Moderate — elongation at break falls to 4 % from 10 % for the unfilled grade[1][30]Tough — absorbs impact, yields before breaking[5][3]
Hardness (scale-specific)Shore A / Shore D / RockwellNot documented78 Shore D (Prusa Polymers method)[3]
Creep resistance / sustained load1–5Moderate — no creep test found; Tg of 105 °C keeps room-temperature service far below softening[1][30]Moderate — no printed-ASA creep test found; Tg of 98 °C keeps room-temperature service far below softening, unlike PLA[6][3]
Fatigue / repeated-flex resistance1–5Below average — no S-N curve found; elongation at break falls to 4 % against 10 % for unfilled 3DXTech ABS[1][30]Moderate — fatigue limit at 25 % of tensile strength (8 MPa) on printed specimens, the best of the four polymers in that study[31]
Elasticity / flexibility1–5Rigid[1]Rigid[5]
Z strength as % of XY%Not documented84 (Bambu Lab, printed Z against XY tensile); 73 for PolyLite ASA[5][6]
Thermal Properties
HDT at 0.45 MPa°CNot documented93 (Prusament) to 103 (PolyLite), ISO 75 at 0.45 MPa; Bambu Lab 100[3][6][5]
HDT at 1.8 MPa°CNot documented86 (Prusament) to 100 (PolyLite), ISO 75 at 1.8 MPa; Bambu Lab 92[3][6][5]
Glass transition (Tg)°C105 (DSC)[1]98 (PolyLite, DSC)[6]
Melting point / Vicat°CNot documentedAmorphous — no melting point; Vicat 105 (PolyLite, ISO 306)[6]
Continuous service temperature°CNot documented93 — Prusa publishes this as the temperature resistance of Prusament ASA[32]
Thermal expansion (CTE)µm/m·KNot documented69 ± 17 in XY and 115 ± 24 in the build direction (printed, TMA, 40–70 °C)[33]
Flammability / UL 94UL 94 V-0 at 1.5 mm, rated on the base resin rather than the printed part[1]Flammable; no UL 94 rating published for standard ASA[5]
Environment & Chemical
UV resistance1–5Not documentedExcellent — designed for permanent outdoor use. After 1000 h of QUV exposure to ASTM G154 Stratasys measured yield strength falling only from 30.5 to 30.3 MPa and stress at break by 3.0 %[19]
Outdoor durabilityNot documented1000 h QUV per ASTM G154, cycling 8 h at 60 °C and 4 h at 50 °C with condensation: yield 30.5 → 30.3 MPa, stress at break 30.5 → 29.5 MPa, elongation 2.8 → 2.3 %, modulus 1.82 → 1.95 GPa[19]
Chemical resistanceGood against weak acids, weak alkalis, oils and grease; dissolved by acetone[34]Good against weak acids, weak alkalis, oils and grease; dissolved by acetone[6]
Water / humidity resistance in service1–5Not documentedGood — minor absorption[5]
Food contactNot food safe — Polymaker cites potential chemical leaching[23]Not food safe[2]
Biodegradability / compostabilityNot biodegradable[23]Not biodegradable[2]
RecyclabilityMechanically recyclable but not accepted in household plastic collection[23]Not accepted in household plastic collection[2]
Health & Safety
Fume toxicity1–5High — hazardous VOC such as styrene; enclosure and filtration needed[35][20]High — hazardous VOC such as styrene; enclosure and filtration needed[35][20]
VOC emission rateµg/min12–113 styrene, the dominant VOC from every ABS and HIPS combination tested[35]12–113 styrene, the range measured across the styrenic filaments tested; ASA itself was not among them[35]
Ultrafine-particle emission rateparticles/min2 × 10¹⁰ to 9 × 10¹⁰ median across all ABS printers, two orders of magnitude above PLA's ≈1 × 10⁸[35]2 × 10¹⁰ to 9 × 10¹⁰ median for ABS, the closest styrenic tested; ASA itself was not measured[35]
Hazardous species emittedStyrene dominates. Bambu Lab states ABS and ASA release harmful gases such as styrene at printing temperature, which can be toxic and cause dizziness or nausea[35][20]Styrene. Bambu Lab states ABS and ASA release harmful gases such as styrene at printing temperature, which can be toxic and cause dizziness or nausea. Azimi et al. measured styrene from every styrenic filament tested but did not test ASA itself[20][35]
Ventilation / filtration requirement1–5Enclosure with carbon and HEPA filtration — an enclosure alone cut measured UFP by only about 35 %[35][20]Enclosure with carbon and HEPA filtration[35][20]
Post-Processing
Sanding & machiningSands well and takes filler before painting[23]Sands well and takes filler before painting[2]
Painting & finishingPaints readily after light abrasion[23]Not documented
Gluing & solvent weldingNot documentedSolvent-welds with acetone[6]
Vapour / chemical smoothingNot documentedAcetone vapour smoothing works — ASA dissolves in acetone[6]
Support material pairingHIPS breaks away or dissolves in d-limonene; Bambu Lab sells a dedicated Support for ABS[36][20]HIPS breaks away or dissolves in d-limonene; Bambu Lab sells a dedicated Support for ABS that also serves ASA[20]
Dimensional accuracy & detailNot documentedWarping and cooling-stress cracking are the accuracy limits; Stratasys notes the matte finish as a deliberate aesthetic advantage[20][19]
Solvents & Solubility
Soluble inAcetone dissolves it — the basis of ABS slurry; so do MEK, THF, ethyl acetate, chloroform, dichloromethane and toluene.[37][34]Acetone dissolves it (Polymaker); MEK, THF, ethyl acetate and the chlorinated solvents dissolve the styrenic backbone.[37][6]
Softened or crazed byPetrol and perchloroethylene soften it and benzene attacks it; d-limonene disrupts layer adhesion in some ABS and ASA grades.[37][38]Limonene attacks some grades — Prusa reports Prusament ASA Orange flaking apart as layer adhesion fails.[38]
Solvent welding & smoothing agentAcetone: about 20 min of vapour at 80 °C over 5 mm of liquid. Prusa measured layer adhesion more than doubled.[39]Acetone vapour, ~20 min at 80 °C over 5 mm of liquid (15–40 min across brands); layer adhesion up, tensile slightly down.[39]

Material entries describe families or representative grades, not an interchangeable specification for every spool. Test methods, orientations and conditions may differ. Unknown values are marked “Not documented”. Prices and source dates remain historical snapshots; check the linked guide for product details. Differences highlight text, not a universal winner.

Sources for this comparison

  1. Firewire Flame Retardant ABS Technical Data Sheet 3DXTech · 2026-08 · tds
  2. ASA — material basics Polymaker Wiki · 2026-08 · doc
  3. Prusament ASA Technical Datasheet v1.1 Prusa Polymers · 2024-05 · tds
  4. Bambu Filament Technical Data Sheet V3.0 — ABS Bambu Lab · 2026-08 · tds
  5. Bambu Filament Technical Data Sheet V3.0 — ASA Bambu Lab · 2026-08 · tds
  6. PolyLite ASA Technical Data Sheet Polymaker · 2024-11 · tds
  7. 3DXTech product catalogue 3DXTech · 2026-08 · vendor
  8. SUNLU ABS-FR (ABS Flame Retardant) 3D Printer Filament 1 kg SUNLU · 2026-08 · vendor
  9. YXPOLYER ABS Flame-Retardant product page YXPOLYER · 2026-08 · vendor
  10. Flame Retardant Black ABS Coex 3D · 2026-08 · vendor
  11. ASA — product page Bambu Lab US Store · 2026-08 · vendor
  12. Polymaker product catalogue Polymaker · 2026-08 · vendor
  13. Printed Solid product catalogue Printed Solid · 2026-08 · vendor
  14. Filastruder product catalogue Filastruder · 2026-08 · vendor
  15. ZYLtech ASA-GF Glass Fiber filament — product page ZYLtech · 2026-08 · vendor
  16. IEMAI ASA 3D Printing Filament product page IEMAI 3D · 2026-08 · vendor
  17. SUNLU ASA 3D Printer Filament 1 kg SUNLU · 2026-08 · vendor
  18. YXPOLYER ASA Purple product page YXPOLYER · 2026-08 · vendor
  19. ASA — FDM Material Data Sheet (includes 1000 h QUV exposure results) Stratasys · 2026-08 · tds
  20. ABS / ASA / PC Usage Guide Bambu Lab Wiki · 2026-08 · doc
  21. ABS — Ultimate 3D Printing Materials Guide Simplify3D · 2026-08 · doc
  22. Max volumetric speed Prusa Knowledge Base · 2026-08 · doc
  23. ABS — material basics Polymaker Wiki · 2026-08 · doc
  24. FIREWIRE FR-ABS — product page (print recommendations) 3DXTech · 2026-08 · doc
  25. ASA — Ultimate 3D Printing Materials Guide Simplify3D · 2026-08 · doc
  26. Filament Material Guide Prusa Knowledge Base · 2026-08 · doc
  27. Polymaker ABS Pro Technical Data Sheet V1 (2026-05-29) Polymaker · 2026-05 · tds
  28. Wet Filament — signs, causes and drying Polymaker Wiki · 2026-08 · doc
  29. ApolloX Technical Data Sheet Formfutura · 2026-08 · tds
  30. 3DXMAX ABS Technical Data Sheet 3DXTech · 2026-08 · tds
  31. Mechanical, Fatigue, and Thermal Characterization of ASA, Nylon 12, PC and PC-ABS Manufactured by Fused Filament Fabrication (FFF) Polymers 18(2):302 · 2026-01 · paper
  32. Prusament ASA — material page Prusa Polymers · 2026-08 · doc
  33. Basalt Fiber Composites with Reduced Thermal Expansion for Additive Manufacturing Polymers 14(15):3216 · 2022-08 · paper
  34. PolyLite ABS Technical Data Sheet (V5.5 served at this URL) Polymaker · 2024-11 · tds
  35. Emissions of Ultrafine Particles and Volatile Organic Compounds from Commercially Available Desktop Three-Dimensional Printers with Multiple Filaments (Azimi et al.) Environmental Science & Technology 50(3) 1260-1268 · 2016-01 · paper
  36. HIPS — Ultimate 3D Printing Materials Guide Simplify3D · 2026-08 · doc
  37. Chemical resistance — resistance of Ensinger plastics to chemicals (DIN 50 014, 23/50) Ensinger · 2026-08 · tds
  38. HIPS — Knowledge Base Prusa Research · 2026-08 · doc
  39. Improve your 3D prints with chemical smoothing Prusa Research · 2026-08 · doc