3D Printing Info

Filament comparison

ASA Aero vs PA12-GF

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

Foaming ASA (ASA Aero) guideGlass-fibre PA12 (PA12-GF) guide

2 selected · all documented properties

Open these two in the interactive comparisonMore ASA Aero comparisonsMore PA12-GF comparisons
ASA Aero vs PA12-GF — documented properties and sources
PropertyFoaming ASA (ASA Aero)ASAGlass-fibre PA12 (PA12-GF)PA
Market snapshot
Listing priceUSD/kg; dated snapshots$49.99/kg median; $49.99–$49.99/kg across 1 dated product listings$130.67/kg median; $46.00–$140.18/kg across 3 dated product listings
Identity & Market
Base polymer / chemistryASA with a heat-activated blowing agent that expands at the nozzle[1][2]PA12 reinforced with chopped glass fibre — 3DXTech's grade is nominally 30 wt%[3]
Densityg/cm³0.99 filament (Bambu Lab, ISO 1183); Formfutura's grade reaches 0.33 g/cm³ fully expanded[1][2]1.23 (ISO 1183)[3]
Typical priceUSD/kg1 kg spools cluster near 50[4]1 kg-equivalent spools span 46–140; the middle of the market is about 88[5][6][7]
Price range across brandsUSD/kg50 at Bambu Lab's 1 kg listing[4]46–140 across brands; IEMAI 3D 46, 3DXTech 131 at 750 g and 130 at 2 kg, PrimaCreator NylonPower Glass Fiber 140 at 500 g[5][6][7]
Market availability1–5Niche, a handful of specialist brands[4][2]Available from several mainstream brands[5][6]
Spool sizes & diameters1.75 mm; 1 kg spools[4]1.75 and 2.85 mm; 0.5, 0.75 and 2 kg spools[5][7]
Typical applicationsDrone airframes, RC parts and floating or outdoor applications where mass matters and UV exposure rules out LW-PLA[2]Stiff, humidity-stable structural parts — the glass gives the modulus, the PA12 matrix limits the moisture drift[3][8]
Printing Parameters
Nozzle temperature°C240–280 (Bambu Lab); 220–285 (Formfutura), with foaming activating near 230 °C and peaking between 270 and 285 °C[1][2]Not documented
Bed temperature°C80–90 (Bambu Lab); 50–90 (Formfutura)[1][2]Not documented
Enclosure / chamber requirement1–5Enclosure recommended — Bambu Lab specifies a 45–60 °C chamber[1][9]Enclosure required (passive)[10]
Recommended chamber temperature°C45–60 (Bambu Lab)[1]Not documented
Part cooling fan0–80 % (Bambu Lab); 0–50 % (Formfutura)[1][2]Not documented
Bed surface & adhesion aidPEI sheet, BuildTak or an adhesion aid such as Magigoo (Polymaker); Simplify3D also lists Kapton tape and ASA slurry[11][12]PEI sheet with a glue stick, or a dedicated adhesive such as Magigoo[13][10]
Maximum volumetric flow (mm³/s; see test conditions)mm³/s12 at Bambu Lab's 150 mm/s cap on a 0.4 mm nozzle at 0.2 mm layer[1][14]Not documented
Bed-adhesion difficulty1–5Needs a specific surface plus adhesive[11]Needs a specific surface plus adhesive[13]
Stringing / oozing tendency1–5Slight — Polymaker advises 1–2 mm retraction at 20–30 mm/s[11]Moderate — retraction tuning needed[10]
Overall printing difficulty1–5Advanced — enclosure, hardware upgrades, tuning; flow has to be cut to match the expansion and the density follows nozzle temperature[2][1]Advanced — enclosure, hardware upgrades, tuning[10]
Hardware Wear & Reliability
Nozzle hardness required1–4Brass fine indefinitely[9]Hardened steel required — no nozzle-life figure is published for a PA12-GF30 grade; Polymaker measures about 9 h of brass nozzle life on its comparable fibre-filled nylons[15]
Abrasiveness1–5Non-abrasive[9]Highly abrasive — standard GF composite[15]
Nozzle clog risk1–5Not documentedHigh — jams from moisture, heat creep or particles[16]
Heat-creep / jam sensitivity1–5Slightly sensitive[12]Moderate — good heatbreak cooling needed[13]
Hotend requirementNo special hotend required[12]May require an all-metal hot end (Simplify3D)[13]
Moisture Behaviour
Moisture absorption (hygroscopicity)1–5High — 0.80 % saturated at 25 °C / 55 % RH, nearly double unfilled Bambu Lab ASA[1][17]High (0.8–2 %) — the PA12 matrix takes up far less than PA6, on the evidence of Polymaker's 1.5 % for PA12-CF10 against 3.33 % for PA6-GF25[18][19]
Equilibrium moisture content at ~50 % RH%0.80 saturated at 25 °C / 55 % RH (Bambu Lab)[1]Not documented
Drying temperature & time80 °C for 8 h (Bambu Lab)[1]Not documented
Symptoms when wetBubbling and popping at the nozzle, stringing and a rough surface[16]Not documented
Effect of moisture on strengthNo dry-versus-conditioned figures are published; Polymaker groups the styrenics as moderate-sensitivity and absorbed water shows as bubbling and poor layer adhesion[16]Polymaker's PA12 grades change little between wet and dry, unlike PA6; the CoPA dry-to-wet blocks show the PA6-type response[8][20]
Storage requirementSealed with desiccant; Polymaker rates the styrenics moderate-sensitivity[16]Sealed below 20 % RH with desiccant[16]
Hydrolysis at melt temperatureNot documentedPolymaker specifies an 80–100 °C dry and storage below 20 % RH; no molecular-weight loss figure is published, and the wet data it does publish is conditioning rather than melt hydrolysis[15][20]
Mechanical Properties
Tensile strength (XY)MPa32 ± 4 printed XY, ISO 527 (Bambu Lab)[1]82 at break (printed XY, ISO 527)[3]
Young's modulusMPa2010 ± 260 printed XY, ISO 527 (Bambu Lab)[1]7800 (printed XY, ISO 527)[3]
Elongation at break%5.1 ± 1.6 printed XY, ISO 527 (Bambu Lab)[1]4.5 at break (printed XY, ISO 527) — nearly double the 2.4 % of Polymaker's PA6-GF25[3][19]
Flexural strengthMPa58 ± 6 printed XY, ISO 178 (Bambu Lab)[1]94 (printed XY, ISO 178)[3]
Flexural modulusMPa1510 ± 120 printed XY, ISO 178 (Bambu Lab)[1]7550 (printed XY, ISO 178)[3]
Charpy impact, notchedkJ/m²8.2 ± 1.6 printed XY, ISO 179, notched (Bambu Lab)[1]Not documented
Other impact dataCharpy unnotched 32.0 ± 2.5 printed XY (Bambu Lab, ISO 179)[1]Not documented
Layer adhesion / Z tensileMPa21 ± 4 printed Z, ISO 527 (Bambu Lab); flexural Z falls to 24 against 58 in XY[1]Not documented
Brittleness1–5Moderate[1]Moderate[3]
Hardness (scale-specific)Shore A / Shore D / RockwellNot documentedRockwell M88 / R117 on extruded PA66-GF30 stock (ASTM D785); no figure is published for a glass-fibre PA12 filament[21]
Creep resistance / sustained load1–5Below average — no creep test found; the foamed structure drops modulus to 2010 MPa and load is carried by a lower solid fraction[1][17]Good. Ensinger lists high creep resistance for extruded PA66-GF30 stock, and the PA12 matrix absorbs far less water than PA6, so a PA12-GF part holds load better in a humid environment[21][10]
Fatigue / repeated-flex resistance1–5Moderate — no foamed-grade S-N curve; unfilled printed ASA holds a fatigue limit at 25 % of tensile strength[1][22]Good. Ensinger lists high fatigue strength as a headline property of extruded PA66-GF30 stock[21]
Elasticity / flexibility1–5Rigid[1]Rigid[3]
Z strength as % of XY%66 by tensile, 41 by flexural (printed, Bambu Lab)[1]Not documented
Thermal Properties
HDT at 0.45 MPa°C85 (ISO 75, 0.45 MPa, Bambu Lab) against 100 for unfilled Bambu Lab ASA[1][17]Not documented
HDT at 1.8 MPa°C78 (ISO 75, 1.8 MPa, Bambu Lab) against 92 for unfilled Bambu Lab ASA[1][17]Not documented
Continuous service temperature°C93 — Prusa publishes this as the temperature resistance of Prusament ASA[23]Not documented
Thermal expansion (CTE)µm/m·KNot documented48.6 on extruded PA66-GF30 stock (ASTM D696; source states 2.7e-5 in/in/°F) — no figure is published for a glass-fibre PA12 filament[21]
Flammability / UL 94Flammable; no UL 94 rating published[17]Flammable; no UL 94 rating published for the grades surveyed[15]
Environment & Chemical
UV resistance1–5Excellent — designed for permanent outdoor use; Formfutura states the foaming grade retains ApolloX's UV resistance[2][24]Months outdoors before embrittlement — unstabilised polyamide yellows under UV[10]
Chemical resistanceGood against weak acids, weak alkalis, oils and grease; dissolved by acetone[25]Withstands oils, fuels and alkalis[10]
Water / humidity resistance in service1–5Not documentedGood — minor absorption relative to PA6-based composites[8]
Food contactNot food safe[11]Not food-contact certified as filament[10]
Biodegradability / compostabilityNot biodegradable[11]Not biodegradable[10]
RecyclabilityNot accepted in household plastic collection[11]Not accepted in household plastic collection[10]
Electrical & ESD propertiesNot documentedSurface resistance above 10¹³ ohm/sq — insulating (ASTM D257)[3]
Health & Safety
Fume toxicity1–5High — hazardous VOC such as styrene; enclosure and filtration needed[26][9]Moderate — measurable VOCs and UFPs, ventilation advised[26]
VOC emission rateµg/minNot documentedUp to 180 caprolactam, the dominant VOC from nylon and the largest single-VOC rate in the study[26]
Ultrafine-particle emission rateparticles/minNot documented≈2 × 10⁸ median for nylon — low for particles despite the highest VOC mass measured[26]
Hazardous species emittedStyrene. 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[9][26]Caprolactam, at up to 180 µg/min from nylon filament[26]
Ventilation / filtration requirement1–5Enclosure with carbon and HEPA filtration[26][9]Ventilated room or enclosure recommended[26]
Dust & fibre handling hazardNot documentedGlass fibre is bound in the matrix; avoid inhaling sanding dust[3]
Post-Processing
Sanding & machiningSands well and takes filler before painting[11]Sands poorly — gums rather than powders[13]
Painting & finishingPaints readily; ASA holds colour outdoors so many parts are left unpainted[11]Not documented
Gluing & solvent weldingSolvent-welds with acetone[25]Cyanoacrylate; no common solvent welds polyamide[13]
Vapour / chemical smoothingAcetone vapour smoothing works[25]No practical vapour smoothing[13]
Support material pairingHIPS breaks away or dissolves in d-limonene; Bambu Lab sells a Support for ABS that also serves ASA[9]Not documented
Dimensional accuracy & detailMatte, textured surface that hides layer lines; colour lightens as the foaming degree rises, which doubles as a visual density cue[2]Not documented
Solvents & Solubility
Soluble inAcetone dissolves it (Polymaker); MEK, THF, ethyl acetate and the chlorinated solvents dissolve the styrenic backbone.[27][25]Formic acid, phenol, m-cresol and hexafluoroisopropanol dissolve the matrix at 23 °C, leaving the fibre; laboratory reagents.[28]
Softened or crazed byLimonene attacks some grades — Prusa reports Prusament ASA Orange flaking apart as layer adhesion fails.[29]Zinc chloride solutions stress-crack the nylon matrix, alcoholic calcium chloride dissolves it, mineral acids attack it.[28]
Solvent welding & smoothing agentAcetone vapour, ~20 min at 80 °C over 5 mm of liquid; the foamed wall absorbs solvent, so cut the exposure well short.[30]None — nylon's only solvents (formic acid, phenol, HFIP) degrade the part, and the fibre blocks surface flow anyway.[28]

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. Bambu Filament Technical Data Sheet V1.0 — ASA Aero Bambu Lab · 2026-08 · tds
  2. ApolloX Foaming Technical Data Sheet Formfutura · 2025-07 · tds
  3. FibreX PA12-GF30 Technical Data Sheet v1.0 3DXTech · 2026-08 · tds
  4. ASA Aero — product page Bambu Lab US Store · 2026-08 · vendor
  5. 3DXTech product catalogue 3DXTech · 2026-08 · vendor
  6. IEMAI 3D GF-PA12 3D Printing Filament — store page IEMAI 3D · 2026-08 · vendor
  7. PrimaCreator SELECT NylonPower Glass Fiber product page PrimaCreator · 2026-08 · vendor
  8. Moisture Conditioning — effect on printed nylon properties Polymaker Wiki · 2026-08 · doc
  9. ABS / ASA / PC Usage Guide Bambu Lab Wiki · 2026-08 · doc
  10. PA (Nylon) — material basics Polymaker Wiki · 2026-08 · doc
  11. ASA — material basics Polymaker Wiki · 2026-08 · doc
  12. ASA — Ultimate 3D Printing Materials Guide Simplify3D · 2026-08 · doc
  13. Nylon — Ultimate 3D Printing Materials Guide Simplify3D · 2026-08 · doc
  14. Max volumetric speed Prusa Knowledge Base · 2026-08 · doc
  15. Fiberon PA6-CF20 Technical Data Sheet V1.1 Polymaker · 2024-12 · tds
  16. Wet Filament — signs, causes and drying Polymaker Wiki · 2026-08 · doc
  17. Bambu Filament Technical Data Sheet V3.0 — ASA Bambu Lab · 2026-08 · tds
  18. Fiberon PA12-CF10 Technical Data Sheet V1.1 Polymaker · 2025-02 · tds
  19. Fiberon PA6-GF25 Technical Data Sheet V1.1 Polymaker · 2024-12 · tds
  20. PolyMide CoPA Technical Data Sheet V5.4 (dry and wet status blocks) Polymaker · 2024-11 · tds
  21. TECAMID 66 GF30 black (PA66-GF30) — stock shape properties Ensinger · 2026-08 · tds
  22. 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
  23. Prusament ASA — material page Prusa Polymers · 2026-08 · doc
  24. ASA — FDM Material Data Sheet (includes 1000 h QUV exposure results) Stratasys · 2026-08 · tds
  25. PolyLite ASA Technical Data Sheet Polymaker · 2024-11 · tds
  26. 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
  27. Chemical resistance — resistance of Ensinger plastics to chemicals (DIN 50 014, 23/50) Ensinger · 2026-08 · tds
  28. Ultramid Nylon Chemical Resistance guide (unmodified PA6 B27E and PA66 A27E) BASF · 2026-08 · tds
  29. HIPS — Knowledge Base Prusa Research · 2026-08 · doc
  30. Improve your 3D prints with chemical smoothing Prusa Research · 2026-08 · doc