3D Printing Info

Filament comparison

ASA Aero vs PA6

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

Foaming ASA (ASA Aero) guidePA6 (Nylon 6) guide

2 selected · all documented properties

Open these two in the interactive comparisonMore ASA Aero comparisonsMore PA6 comparisons
ASA Aero vs PA6 — documented properties and sources
PropertyFoaming ASA (ASA Aero)ASAPA6 (Nylon 6)PA
Market snapshot
Listing priceUSD/kg; dated snapshots$49.99/kg median; $49.99–$49.99/kg across 1 dated product listings$104.00/kg median; $38.99–$136.00/kg across 3 dated product listings
Identity & Market
Base polymer / chemistryASA with a heat-activated blowing agent that expands at the nozzle[1][2]Polyamide 6, ring-opened from caprolactam — the most hygroscopic of the common nylons[3][4]
Densityg/cm³0.99 filament (Bambu Lab, ISO 1183); Formfutura's grade reaches 0.33 g/cm³ fully expanded[1][2]1.06 (ISO 1183, 3DXTech iOn PA6 alloy)[5]
Typical priceUSD/kg1 kg spools cluster near 50[6]1 kg-equivalent spools span 39–136; the middle of the market is about 104, though budget unfilled PA6 has now arrived at 39[7][8]
Price range across brandsUSD/kg50 at Bambu Lab's 1 kg listing[6]39–136 across brands; YXPOLYER 39, 3DXTech iOn Nylon 6 Alloy 104, WearX Nylon 6 136. Unfilled PA6 filament stays rare — most PA6 reaches the market glass- or carbon-filled[7][8]
Market availability1–5Niche, a handful of specialist brands[6][2]Niche, a handful of specialist brands[7]
Spool sizes & diameters1.75 mm; 1 kg spools[6]1.75 and 2.85 mm; 500 g and 750 g spools[7]
Typical applicationsDrone airframes, RC parts and floating or outdoor applications where mass matters and UV exposure rules out LW-PLA[2]Wear parts, bushings and gears where PA6's toughness and abrasion resistance matter more than dimensional stability[3]
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]220–260 (Polymaker); 225–265 (Simplify3D)[3][9]
Bed temperature°C80–90 (Bambu Lab); 50–90 (Formfutura)[1][2]70–100 (Polymaker); 70–90 (Simplify3D)[3][9]
Enclosure / chamber requirement1–5Enclosure recommended — Bambu Lab specifies a 45–60 °C chamber[1][10]Enclosure required (passive)[11][3]
Recommended chamber temperature°C45–60 (Bambu Lab)[1]Not documented
Part cooling fan0–80 % (Bambu Lab); 0–50 % (Formfutura)[1][2]Part cooling fan not required (Simplify3D)[9]
Bed surface & adhesion aidPEI sheet, BuildTak or an adhesion aid such as Magigoo (Polymaker); Simplify3D also lists Kapton tape and ASA slurry[12][13]PEI sheet with a glue stick, or a dedicated adhesive such as Magigoo[9][3]
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[12]Needs a specific surface plus adhesive[9][3]
Stringing / oozing tendency1–5Slight — Polymaker advises 1–2 mm retraction at 20–30 mm/s[12]Moderate — retraction tuning needed[3]
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; the filament must be kept dry throughout the print[3][15]
Hardware Wear & Reliability
Nozzle hardness required1–4Brass fine indefinitely[10]Brass fine indefinitely for unfilled grades[3]
Abrasiveness1–5Non-abrasive[10]Non-abrasive when unfilled[3]
Nozzle clog risk1–5Not documentedVery high — frequent jams without careful setup; wet nylon pops and cracks in the melt[16][15]
Heat-creep / jam sensitivity1–5Slightly sensitive[13]Moderate — good heatbreak cooling needed[9]
Hotend requirementNo special hotend required[13]May require an all-metal hot end (Simplify3D)[9]
Moisture Behaviour
Moisture absorption (hygroscopicity)1–5High — 0.80 % saturated at 25 °C / 55 % RH, nearly double unfilled Bambu Lab ASA[1][17]Very high (>2 %) — Polymaker groups nylon with PVA as the most moisture-prone class, and its own PA6-based composites reach 2.35–3.33 % equilibrium[15][18]
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]100 °C for 8 h (Polymaker CoPA); storage below 20 % RH[11][19]
Symptoms when wetBubbling and popping at the nozzle, stringing and a rough surface[15]Popping and cracking during extrusion, then defects that Polymaker describes as very hard to diagnose[16]
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[15]Measured dry against wet on printed specimens at 6.16 % moisture (Polymaker CoPA): tensile 78.0 → 34.3 MPa, Young's modulus 2703 → 724 MPa, flexural strength 109.8 → 22.6 MPa, while notched Charpy rises 6.9 → 27.7 kJ/m² and elongation 12.7 → 13.2 %[11][16]
Storage requirementSealed with desiccant; Polymaker rates the styrenics moderate-sensitivity[15]Sealed below 20 % RH with desiccant; Polymaker says nylon often needs to stay in a dryer while printing[19][15]
Hydrolysis at melt temperatureNot documentedPolymaker requires a 100 °C dry for 8 h and storage below 20 % RH; no molecular-weight loss figure is published, and the published wet data is conditioning rather than melt hydrolysis[11][19]
Mechanical Properties
Tensile strength (XY)MPa32 ± 4 printed XY, ISO 527 (Bambu Lab)[1]62 at break (printed XY, ISO 527, 3DXTech iOn PA6 alloy); Stratasys FDM Nylon 6 conditioned to 20 °C / 50 % RH gives 67.6 ultimate and 49.3 at yield printed XZ (ASTM D638)[5][20]
Young's modulusMPa2010 ± 260 printed XY, ISO 527 (Bambu Lab)[1]2110 (printed XY, ISO 527, 3DXTech iOn PA6 alloy); Stratasys FDM Nylon 6 conditioned gives 2232 printed XZ and 1817 ZX (ASTM D638)[5][20]
Elongation at break%5.1 ± 1.6 printed XY, ISO 527 (Bambu Lab)[1]9 at break (printed XY, ISO 527, 3DXTech iOn PA6 alloy); Stratasys FDM Nylon 6 conditioned gives 38 printed XZ against 3.2 in ZX (ASTM D638)[5][20]
Flexural strengthMPa58 ± 6 printed XY, ISO 178 (Bambu Lab)[1]78 (printed XY, ISO 178, 3DXTech iOn PA6 alloy); Stratasys FDM Nylon 6 conditioned gives 97.2 printed XZ and 82 ZX (ASTM D790)[5][20]
Flexural modulusMPa1510 ± 120 printed XY, ISO 178 (Bambu Lab)[1]2200 (printed XY, ISO 178, 3DXTech iOn PA6 alloy); Stratasys FDM Nylon 6 conditioned gives 2196 printed XZ and 1879 ZX (ASTM D790)[5][20]
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]Izod notched 106 J/m printed XZ against 43 J/m in ZX; unnotched 2873 against 192 J/m (Stratasys FDM Nylon 6, conditioned 20 °C / 50 % RH, ASTM D256 Method A) — a 15x anisotropy unnotched[20]
Layer adhesion / Z tensileMPa21 ± 4 printed Z, ISO 527 (Bambu Lab); flexural Z falls to 24 against 58 in XY[1]36.5 ultimate and 28.9 at yield printed ZX (Stratasys FDM Nylon 6, conditioned 20 °C / 50 % RH, ASTM D638)[20]
Brittleness1–5Moderate[1]Tough — absorbs impact, yields before breaking[3]
Hardness (scale-specific)Shore A / Shore D / RockwellNot documentedShore D 86 and Rockwell 85 (108) — the source does not name the scales on extruded unfilled PA66 stock (ASTM D2240, D785); no figure is published for a PA6 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]Moderate[3]
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]Excellent — living hinges viable[3]
Elasticity / flexibility1–5Rigid[1]Semi-flexible[16]
Z strength as % of XY%66 by tensile, 41 by flexural (printed, Bambu Lab)[1]54 (Stratasys FDM Nylon 6 conditioned, ZX against XZ ultimate tensile, ASTM D638); 59 on the yield figures[20]
Wear resistance & frictionNot documented3DXTech sells a dedicated wear-resistant PA6 grade; abrasion resistance is the usual reason to choose PA6 over PA12[7]
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]93 (Stratasys FDM Nylon 6, conditioned, ASTM D648 at 264 psi)[20]
Glass transition (Tg)°CNot documented105 (DSC, 3DXTech iOn PA6 alloy)[5]
Continuous service temperature°C93 — Prusa publishes this as the temperature resistance of Prusament ASA[23]Not documented
Thermal expansion (CTE)µm/m·KNot documented81.0 on extruded unfilled PA66 stock (ASTM D696; source states 4.5e-5 in/in/°F); no figure is published for a PA6 filament, and PA6 and PA66 expand almost identically[21]
Flammability / UL 94Flammable; no UL 94 rating published[17]Flammable; no UL 94 rating published for the unfilled filament grades surveyed[5]
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 and chalks under UV[3]
Chemical resistanceGood against weak acids, weak alkalis, oils and grease; dissolved by acetone[25]Withstands oils, fuels and alkalis — the usual reason to choose a polyamide[3]
Water / humidity resistance in service1–5Not documentedAbsorbs water, properties shift — a conditioned part is measurably softer and larger than the same part dry[16][11]
Food contactNot food safe[12]Polymaker notes medical-grade variants exist, but standard filament is not food-contact certified[3]
Biodegradability / compostabilityNot biodegradable[12]Not biodegradable[3]
RecyclabilityNot accepted in household plastic collection[12]Mechanically recyclable but not accepted in household plastic collection[3]
Health & Safety
Fume toxicity1–5High — hazardous VOC such as styrene; enclosure and filtration needed[4][10]Moderate — measurable VOCs and UFPs, ventilation advised[4]
VOC emission rateµg/minNot documentedUp to 180 caprolactam, the dominant VOC from nylon; total VOC reached nearly 200 µg/min, the highest of the nine filaments tested[4]
Ultrafine-particle emission rateparticles/minNot documented≈2 × 10⁸ median — low for ultrafine particles despite the highest VOC mass of any filament tested[4]
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[10][4]Caprolactam, at up to 180 µg/min from nylon filament — the largest single-VOC emission rate measured in the study[4]
Ventilation / filtration requirement1–5Enclosure with carbon and HEPA filtration[4][10]Ventilated room or enclosure recommended[4]
Post-Processing
Sanding & machiningSands well and takes filler before painting[12]Sands poorly — the toughness makes it gum rather than powder[9]
Painting & finishingPaints readily; ASA holds colour outdoors so many parts are left unpainted[12]Not documented
Gluing & solvent weldingSolvent-welds with acetone[25]Cyanoacrylate; no common solvent welds polyamide[9]
Vapour / chemical smoothingAcetone vapour smoothing works[25]No practical vapour smoothing[9]
Support material pairingHIPS breaks away or dissolves in d-limonene; Bambu Lab sells a Support for ABS that also serves ASA[10]PVA dissolves cleanly against nylon; Polymaker sells a break-away PolySupport for PA12[9]
Dimensional accuracy & detailMatte, textured surface that hides layer lines; colour lightens as the foaming degree rises, which doubles as a visual density cue[2]Parts grow as they absorb moisture after printing; Polymaker declines to publish a standard dimensional allowance because it depends on geometry and infill[16]
Solvents & Solubility
Soluble inAcetone dissolves it (Polymaker); MEK, THF, ethyl acetate and the chlorinated solvents dissolve the styrenic backbone.[26][25]Dissolved at 23 °C by formic acid above ~50 %, phenol, m-cresol, 96 % sulphuric acid or hexafluoroisopropanol — laboratory reagents.[27]
Softened or crazed byLimonene attacks some grades — Prusa reports Prusament ASA Orange flaking apart as layer adhesion fails.[28]Zinc chloride solutions stress-crack it — 10 % marginal, 37 % not resistant; alcoholic calcium chloride dissolves it.[27]
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.[29]None — nylon's only solvents are formic acid, phenol and HFIP, all of which degrade the part they wet.[27]

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. PA (Nylon) — material basics Polymaker Wiki · 2026-08 · doc
  4. 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
  5. iOn PA6-based Nylon Alloy Technical Data Sheet v2.0 3DXTech · 2026-08 · tds
  6. ASA Aero — product page Bambu Lab US Store · 2026-08 · vendor
  7. 3DXTech product catalogue 3DXTech · 2026-08 · vendor
  8. YXPOLYER PA6 Black 1 kg — product page YXPOLYER · 2026-08 · vendor
  9. Nylon — Ultimate 3D Printing Materials Guide Simplify3D · 2026-08 · doc
  10. ABS / ASA / PC Usage Guide Bambu Lab Wiki · 2026-08 · doc
  11. PolyMide CoPA Technical Data Sheet V5.4 (dry and wet status blocks) Polymaker · 2024-11 · tds
  12. ASA — material basics Polymaker Wiki · 2026-08 · doc
  13. ASA — Ultimate 3D Printing Materials Guide Simplify3D · 2026-08 · doc
  14. Max volumetric speed Prusa Knowledge Base · 2026-08 · doc
  15. Wet Filament — signs, causes and drying Polymaker Wiki · 2026-08 · doc
  16. Moisture Conditioning — effect on printed nylon properties Polymaker Wiki · 2026-08 · doc
  17. Bambu Filament Technical Data Sheet V3.0 — ASA Bambu Lab · 2026-08 · tds
  18. Fiberon PA612-CF15 Technical Data Sheet V1.1 Polymaker · 2024-12 · tds
  19. PolyMide CoPA — Technical Data Sheet page Polymaker Wiki · 2026-08 · tds
  20. FDM Nylon 6 — data sheet (conditioned 20 °C / 50 % RH) Stratasys · 2017-11 · tds
  21. TECAMID 66 natural (PA66) — 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. Chemical resistance — resistance of Ensinger plastics to chemicals (DIN 50 014, 23/50) Ensinger · 2026-08 · tds
  27. Ultramid Nylon Chemical Resistance guide (unmodified PA6 B27E and PA66 A27E) BASF · 2026-08 · tds
  28. HIPS — Knowledge Base Prusa Research · 2026-08 · doc
  29. Improve your 3D prints with chemical smoothing Prusa Research · 2026-08 · doc