3D Printing Info

Filament comparison

ASA Aero vs PC-CF

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

Foaming ASA (ASA Aero) guideCarbon-fibre PC (PC-CF) guide

2 selected · all documented properties

Open these two in the interactive comparisonMore ASA Aero comparisonsMore PC-CF comparisons
ASA Aero vs PC-CF — documented properties and sources
PropertyFoaming ASA (ASA Aero)ASACarbon-fibre PC (PC-CF)PC
Market snapshot
Listing priceUSD/kg; dated snapshots$49.99/kg median; $49.99–$49.99/kg across 1 dated product listings$62.58/kg median; $34.99–$117.33/kg across 6 dated product listings
Identity & Market
Base polymer / chemistryASA with a heat-activated blowing agent that expands at the nozzle[1][2]Polycarbonate reinforced with chopped carbon fibre[3][4]
Densityg/cm³0.99 filament (Bambu Lab, ISO 1183); Formfutura's grade reaches 0.33 g/cm³ fully expanded[1][2]1.22 (Prusament) and 1.36 (3DXTech), ISO 1183[3][4]
Typical priceUSD/kg1 kg spools cluster near 50[5]1 kg-equivalent spools span 35–117; the middle of the market is about 63[6][7][8][9][10]
Price range across brandsUSD/kg50 at Bambu Lab's 1 kg listing[5]35–117 across brands; Ambrosia 35, IEMAI 39, YXPOLYER 55, Spectrum PC CF 70, Prusament 94, 3DXTech 117[6][7][8][9][10]
Market availability1–5Niche, a handful of specialist brands[5][2]Available from several mainstream brands[6][8][11]
Spool sizes & diameters1.75 mm; 1 kg spools[5]1.75 and 2.85 mm; 0.75, 0.8 and 1 kg spools[6][8]
Typical applicationsDrone airframes, RC parts and floating or outdoor applications where mass matters and UV exposure rules out LW-PLA[2]Stiff high-temperature structural parts — jigs, drone frames and under-bonnet brackets[3][4]
Diameter tolerance± mmNot documented±0.04 (Prusament PC Blend Carbon Fiber)[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]285 ± 10 (Prusament)[3]
Bed temperature°C80–90 (Bambu Lab); 50–90 (Formfutura)[1][2]110 ± 10 (Prusament)[3]
Enclosure / chamber requirement1–5Enclosure recommended — Bambu Lab specifies a 45–60 °C chamber[1][12]Enclosure required (passive)[3][12]
Recommended chamber temperature°C45–60 (Bambu Lab)[1]Not documented
Part cooling fan0–80 % (Bambu Lab); 0–50 % (Formfutura)[1][2]Off — Prusa allows 0–20 % and warns cooling significantly reduces interlayer adhesion[3]
Bed surface & adhesion aidPEI sheet, BuildTak or an adhesion aid such as Magigoo (Polymaker); Simplify3D also lists Kapton tape and ASA slurry[13][14]PEI with a glue stick or a commercial adhesive[15]
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][16]Not documented
Warping tendency1–5Not documentedHigh — enclosure needed for reliable large parts; the fibre reduces warping against unfilled PC[3][12]
Bed-adhesion difficulty1–5Needs a specific surface plus adhesive[13]Needs a specific surface plus adhesive[15][17]
Stringing / oozing tendency1–5Slight — Polymaker advises 1–2 mm retraction at 20–30 mm/s[13]Moderate — retraction tuning needed; Polymaker flags stringing as a common PC problem[17]
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; hardened nozzle mandatory[12][3]
Hardware Wear & Reliability
Nozzle hardness required1–4Brass fine indefinitely[12]Hardened steel required[12]
Abrasiveness1–5Non-abrasive[12]Highly abrasive — standard CF composite[12]
Nozzle clog risk1–5Not documentedHigh — jams from moisture, heat creep or particles; PC already absorbs water from the air and 3DXTech adds a hardened 0.4 mm minimum nozzle, 0.25 mm layers and a 120 °C pre-dry[18][15][19]
Heat-creep / jam sensitivity1–5Slightly sensitive[14]Slightly sensitive[15]
Hotend requirementNo special hotend required[14]All-metal hot end required (Simplify3D)[15]
Moisture Behaviour
Moisture absorption (hygroscopicity)1–5High — 0.80 % saturated at 25 °C / 55 % RH, nearly double unfilled Bambu Lab ASA[1][20]Low (0.1–0.3 %) — the PC matrix takes up 0.15–0.25 % and 3DXTech specifies a 120 °C, 4 h pre-dry[21][22][18]
Equilibrium moisture content at ~50 % RH%0.80 saturated at 25 °C / 55 % RH (Bambu Lab)[1]0.11 after 7 days at 24 °C / 22 % RH (Prusa Polymers)[3]
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[23]Bubbling and popping at the nozzle, stringing and a rough surface[23]
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[23]No dry-versus-conditioned figures are published. Polymaker calls PC highly hygroscopic and requires a 70–80 °C dry for 6–8 h; run wet, the loss shows as surface defects and poor layer adhesion[17][23]
Storage requirementSealed with desiccant; Polymaker rates the styrenics moderate-sensitivity[23]Airtight containers with desiccant to prevent reabsorption[17]
Mechanical Properties
Tensile strength (XY)MPa32 ± 4 printed XY, ISO 527 (Bambu Lab)[1]64 ± 3 printed horizontal and 70 ± 3 printed vertical at yield, ISO 527-1 (Prusament); 3DXTech quotes 73 at break[3][4]
Young's modulusMPa2010 ± 260 printed XY, ISO 527 (Bambu Lab)[1]2600 printed horizontal and 3200 printed vertical, ISO 527-1 (Prusament); 3DXTech quotes 6980[3][4]
Elongation at break%5.1 ± 1.6 printed XY, ISO 527 (Bambu Lab)[1]4.6 at yield printed horizontal (Prusament); 3DXTech quotes 2.1 at break[3][4]
Flexural strengthMPa58 ± 6 printed XY, ISO 178 (Bambu Lab)[1]94 ± 3 printed horizontal and 130 ± 2 printed vertical, ISO 178 (Prusament); 3DXTech quotes 85[3][4]
Flexural modulusMPa1510 ± 120 printed XY, ISO 178 (Bambu Lab)[1]3500 printed horizontal and 4200 printed vertical, ISO 178 (Prusament); 3DXTech quotes 6540[3][4]
Charpy impact, notchedkJ/m²8.2 ± 1.6 printed XY, ISO 179, notched (Bambu Lab)[1]12 ± 1 printed horizontal and 17 ± 2 printed vertical, ISO 179-1 notched (Prusament)[3]
Other impact dataCharpy unnotched 32.0 ± 2.5 printed XY (Bambu Lab, ISO 179)[1]Charpy unnotched 32 ± 5 printed horizontal and 35 ± 4 printed vertical (Prusament, ISO 179-1)[3]
Layer adhesion / Z tensileMPa21 ± 4 printed Z, ISO 527 (Bambu Lab); flexural Z falls to 24 against 58 in XY[1]23 ± 2 (Prusa Polymers interlayer adhesion test) — above the 21 ± 2 of unfilled Prusament PC Blend[3][22]
Brittleness1–5Moderate[1]Moderate[3][4]
Hardness (scale-specific)Shore A / Shore D / RockwellNot documented83 Shore D (Prusa Polymers method), against 79 for unfilled Prusament PC Blend[3][22]
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][20]Excellent — holds load for years. Room-temperature tensile creep of moulded unfilled PC ran unbroken at 41 MPa until the test was stopped; short carbon fibre raises the flexural modulus from about 2.1 to 3.5-6.5 GPa, which reduces creep strain further[24][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][25]Good. No fatigue test data was found for a carbon-fibre PC filament; the unfilled polymer is rated Good on the same scale[24]
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][20]114 (ISO 75, 0.45 MPa, Prusament)[3]
HDT at 1.8 MPa°C78 (ISO 75, 1.8 MPa, Bambu Lab) against 92 for unfilled Bambu Lab ASA[1][20]106 (ISO 75, 1.8 MPa, Prusament), against 93 for unfilled Prusament PC Blend[3][22]
Glass transition (Tg)°CNot documented127 (3DXTech, DSC)[4]
Continuous service temperature°C93 — Prusa publishes this as the temperature resistance of Prusament ASA[26]113 — Prusa publishes this as the temperature resistance of Prusament PC Blend[22]
Flammability / UL 94Flammable; no UL 94 rating published[20]Not documented
Environment & Chemical
UV resistance1–5Excellent — designed for permanent outdoor use; Formfutura states the foaming grade retains ApolloX's UV resistance[2][27]Degrades within weeks outdoors unless stabilised[17]
Chemical resistanceGood against weak acids, weak alkalis, oils and grease; dissolved by acetone[28]Withstands oils, solvents and fuels; Polymaker rates it good against weak acids[17]
Food contactNot food safe[13]Bisphenol-A polycarbonate is not offered as food-contact filament[17]
Biodegradability / compostabilityNot biodegradable[13]Not biodegradable[17]
RecyclabilityNot accepted in household plastic collection[13]Mechanically recyclable but not accepted in household plastic collection[17]
Electrical & ESD propertiesNot documentedSurface resistance above 10⁹ ohm/sq — not static-dissipative (3DXTech, ASTM D257)[4]
Health & Safety
Fume toxicity1–5High — hazardous VOC such as styrene; enclosure and filtration needed[29][12]Moderate — measurable VOCs and UFPs, ventilation advised[29]
Ultrafine-particle emission rateparticles/minNot documented≈4 × 10¹⁰ median — the highest ultrafine-particle rate of the nine filaments in the chamber study, above every ABS tested[29]
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[12][29]Not documented
Ventilation / filtration requirement1–5Enclosure with carbon and HEPA filtration[29][12]Ventilated room or enclosure recommended[29][12]
Dust & fibre handling hazardNot documentedCarbon fibre is bound in the matrix; sanding dust should not be inhaled[4]
Post-Processing
Sanding & machiningSands well and takes filler before painting[13]Sands and machines well; the toughness means it cuts rather than chips[15]
Painting & finishingPaints readily; ASA holds colour outdoors so many parts are left unpainted[13]Not documented
Gluing & solvent weldingSolvent-welds with acetone[28]Cyanoacrylate; dichloromethane solvent-welds PC but is a laboratory reagent[15]
Vapour / chemical smoothingAcetone vapour smoothing works[28]No practical vapour smoothing[15]
Support material pairingHIPS breaks away or dissolves in d-limonene; Bambu Lab sells a Support for ABS that also serves ASA[12]Prints its own supports; 3DXTech sells a dedicated PC break-away support[15]
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.[30][28]Dichloromethane and chloroform dissolve the matrix and leave the fibre; DMF and dioxane do the same (Covestro).[31]
Softened or crazed byLimonene attacks some grades — Prusa reports Prusament ASA Orange flaking apart as layer adhesion fails.[32]Methanol, butyl acetate, ether, 1 % NaOH and phthalate plasticisers stress-crack it; acetone, MEK and xylene swell it.[31]
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.[33]Dichloromethane cement welds the resin, but the fibre keeps the joint from flowing closed. Controlled carcinogen.[34]

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. Prusament PC Blend Carbon Fiber Technical Datasheet v2.0 Prusa Polymers · 2023-04 · tds
  4. CarbonX Carbon Fiber ezPC Polycarbonate Technical Data Sheet 3DXTech · 2026-08 · tds
  5. ASA Aero — product page Bambu Lab US Store · 2026-08 · vendor
  6. Printed Solid product catalogue Printed Solid · 2026-08 · vendor
  7. Spectrum PC CF Carbon Black, 1.75 mm / 250 g 3DJAKE · 2026-08 · vendor
  8. 3DXTech product catalogue 3DXTech · 2026-08 · vendor
  9. IEMAI CF-PC 3D Printing Filament product page IEMAI 3D · 2026-08 · vendor
  10. YXPOLYER PC CF product page YXPOLYER · 2026-08 · vendor
  11. Filastruder product catalogue Filastruder · 2026-08 · vendor
  12. ABS / ASA / PC Usage Guide Bambu Lab Wiki · 2026-08 · doc
  13. ASA — material basics Polymaker Wiki · 2026-08 · doc
  14. ASA — Ultimate 3D Printing Materials Guide Simplify3D · 2026-08 · doc
  15. Polycarbonate — Ultimate 3D Printing Materials Guide Simplify3D · 2026-08 · doc
  16. Max volumetric speed Prusa Knowledge Base · 2026-08 · doc
  17. PC — material basics Polymaker Wiki · 2026-08 · doc
  18. CARBONX ezPC+CF — product page (print recommendations) 3DXTech · 2026-08 · doc
  19. Composite materials filled with carbon, kevlar or glass Prusa Knowledge Base · 2026-08 · doc
  20. Bambu Filament Technical Data Sheet V3.0 — ASA Bambu Lab · 2026-08 · tds
  21. Bambu Filament Technical Data Sheet V2.0 — PC Bambu Lab · 2026-08 · tds
  22. Prusament PC Blend Technical Datasheet v1.1 Prusa Polymers · 2022-02 · tds
  23. Wet Filament — signs, causes and drying Polymaker Wiki · 2026-08 · doc
  24. Experimental data for creep and dynamic mechanical properties of polycarbonate and polycarbonate/ABS Data in Brief 42:108264 · 2022-06 · paper
  25. 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
  26. Prusament ASA — material page Prusa Polymers · 2026-08 · doc
  27. ASA — FDM Material Data Sheet (includes 1000 h QUV exposure results) Stratasys · 2026-08 · tds
  28. PolyLite ASA Technical Data Sheet Polymaker · 2024-11 · tds
  29. 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
  30. Chemical resistance — resistance of Ensinger plastics to chemicals (DIN 50 014, 23/50) Ensinger · 2026-08 · tds
  31. Makrolon — The chemical resistance (Makrolon 2800, 6 days at 23 °C and 50 °C) Covestro · 2016-12 · tds
  32. HIPS — Knowledge Base Prusa Research · 2026-08 · doc
  33. Improve your 3D prints with chemical smoothing Prusa Research · 2026-08 · doc
  34. Weld-On 3 Acrylic Plastic Cement — technical data sheet (shipped as dichloromethane) IPS Corporation · 2002-07 · tds