3D Printing Info

Filament comparison

ASA Aero vs PE

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

Foaming ASA (ASA Aero) guidePolyethylene (PE) guide

2 selected · all documented properties

Open these two in the interactive comparisonMore ASA Aero comparisonsMore PE comparisons
ASA Aero vs PE — documented properties and sources
PropertyFoaming ASA (ASA Aero)ASAPolyethylene (PE)POLYOLEFIN
Market snapshot
Listing priceUSD/kg; dated snapshots$49.99/kg median; $49.99–$49.99/kg across 1 dated product listings$87.72/kg median; $87.72–$87.72/kg across 1 dated product listings
Identity & Market
Base polymer / chemistryASA with a heat-activated blowing agent that expands at the nozzle[1][2]Polyethylene — the simplest polyolefin, non-polar and highly crystalline. The one retailed filament grade, Spectrum HDPE, uses what Spectrum calls Low Warp technology and is denser and stiffer than plain HDPE[3][4]
Densityg/cm³0.99 filament (Bambu Lab, ISO 1183); Formfutura's grade reaches 0.33 g/cm³ fully expanded[1][2]1.10 (Spectrum HDPE filament, ISO 1183) against 0.95 for extruded HDPE stock — the filament is a modified formulation[3][4]
Typical priceUSD/kg1 kg spools cluster near 50[5]1 kg-equivalent spools cluster near 88[6]
Price range across brandsUSD/kg50 at Bambu Lab's 1 kg listing[5]87.72 — Spectrum's 500 g spools at 3DJAKE are the only PE filament listing found[6]
Market availability1–5Niche, a handful of specialist brands[5][2]Niche, a handful of specialist brands — Spectrum HDPE in six colours is the only PE filament in the 3DJAKE and igo3d product sitemaps, at MatterHackers or at Printed Solid, but it is a normal stocked item rather than a special order[7][8][9][6]
Spool sizes & diameters1.75 mm; 1 kg spools[5]1.75 mm; 500 g spools in six colours[6][7]
Typical applicationsDrone airframes, RC parts and floating or outdoor applications where mass matters and UV exposure rules out LW-PLA[2]Chemically resistant containers, packaging prototypes and consumer goods where HDPE is the production material[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]240-290 (Spectrum HDPE)[3]
Bed temperature°C80–90 (Bambu Lab); 50–90 (Formfutura)[1][2]80-100 (Spectrum HDPE)[3]
Enclosure / chamber requirement1–5Enclosure recommended — Bambu Lab specifies a 45–60 °C chamber[1][10]Enclosure recommended — Spectrum recommends a closed chamber for larger prints[3]
Recommended chamber temperature°C45–60 (Bambu Lab)[1]Not documented
Part cooling fan0–80 % (Bambu Lab); 0–50 % (Formfutura)[1][2]0-50 % part cooling (Spectrum HDPE)[3]
Bed surface & adhesion aidPEI sheet, BuildTak or an adhesion aid such as Magigoo (Polymaker); Simplify3D also lists Kapton tape and ASA slurry[11][12]Spectrum states no adhesive is necessary for its low-warp HDPE, depending on geometry[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][13]Not documented
Warping tendency1–5Not documentedModerate — needs adhesion aid or draught shield. Spectrum's low-warp grade is sold as printable on desktop machines, which is not true of plain polyethylene[3]
Bed-adhesion difficulty1–5Needs a specific surface plus adhesive[11]Needs the right surface or a thin adhesive; Spectrum states no adhesive is necessary but recommends a closed chamber for large parts[3]
Stringing / oozing tendency1–5Slight — Polymaker advises 1–2 mm retraction at 20–30 mm/s[11]Not documented
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]Intermediate — dry filament and a tuned profile; Spectrum sells the grade as desktop-printable with no dry box and no hardened nozzle[3]
Hardware Wear & Reliability
Nozzle hardness required1–4Brass fine indefinitely[10]Brass fine indefinitely — Spectrum states a ruby or hardened nozzle is not required[3]
Abrasiveness1–5Non-abrasive[10]Non-abrasive[3]
Nozzle clog risk1–5Not documentedLow — Spectrum lists no drybox and no ruby or hardened nozzle for HDPE, and very low moisture absorption[3]
Heat-creep / jam sensitivity1–5Slightly sensitive[12]Not documented
Hotend requirementNo special hotend required[12]Not documented
Moisture Behaviour
Moisture absorption (hygroscopicity)1–5High — 0.80 % saturated at 25 °C / 55 % RH, nearly double unfilled Bambu Lab ASA[1][14]Negligible (<0.1 % EMC) — Spectrum lists very low moisture absorption and no dry box[3]
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]No drying step published; Spectrum lists a dry box as not required[3]
Symptoms when wetBubbling and popping at the nozzle, stringing and a rough surface[15]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[15]Not applicable in practice — Spectrum lists very low moisture absorption and no drybox requirement for HDPE[3]
Storage requirementSealed with desiccant; Polymaker rates the styrenics moderate-sensitivity[15]Store dry at 18-25 °C out of sunlight; Spectrum quotes a 24-month shelf life[3]
Mechanical Properties
Tensile strength (XY)MPa32 ± 4 printed XY, ISO 527 (Bambu Lab)[1]29 at break (Spectrum HDPE, ISO 527; specimen type not stated) against 25.5 at yield on extruded HDPE stock (ASTM D638, from 3700 psi)[3][4]
Young's modulusMPa2010 ± 260 printed XY, ISO 527 (Bambu Lab)[1]3500 (Spectrum HDPE, ISO 527) against 965 on extruded HDPE stock (ASTM D638, from 140,000 psi) — the filament grade is nearly four times stiffer than plain polyethylene[3][4]
Elongation at break%5.1 ± 1.6 printed XY, ISO 527 (Bambu Lab)[1]18 at break (Spectrum HDPE, ISO 527) against above 100 on extruded stock (ASTM D638)[3][4]
Flexural strengthMPa58 ± 6 printed XY, ISO 178 (Bambu Lab)[1]27.6 on extruded HDPE stock (ASTM D790; converted from 4000 psi)[4]
Flexural modulusMPa1510 ± 120 printed XY, ISO 178 (Bambu Lab)[1]3200 (Spectrum HDPE, ISO 178) against 965 on extruded stock (ASTM D790, from 140,000 psi)[3][4]
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]Charpy 10 kJ/m2 (Spectrum HDPE, ISO 179-1; notch condition not stated); Izod 104 J/m on extruded stock, converted from 1.94 ft-lb/in (ASTM D256)[3][4]
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]Tough — absorbs impact, yields before breaking; 18 % elongation at break on the filament and above 100 % on extruded stock[3][4]
Hardness (scale-specific)Shore A / Shore D / RockwellNot documentedShore D 67 and Rockwell R54 on extruded HDPE stock (ASTM D2240, D785); Spectrum quotes Rockwell 80 HRM for its filament (ISO 2039-2)[4][3]
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][14]Not documented
Fatigue / repeated-flex resistance1–5Moderate — no foamed-grade S-N curve; unfilled printed ASA holds a fatigue limit at 25 % of tensile strength[1][16]Good — Spectrum lists outstanding abrasion and crack resistance for its HDPE, but no repeated-flex or fatigue test data was found for any PE filament[3]
Elasticity / flexibility1–5Rigid[1]Slightly flexible in thin sections — Spectrum's low-warp grade has a 3.5 GPa tensile modulus; plain extruded HDPE at 965 MPa is genuinely semi-flexible[3][4]
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][14]75 on extruded HDPE stock (ASTM D648 at 66 psi; converted from 167 °F)[4]
HDT at 1.8 MPa°C78 (ISO 75, 1.8 MPa, Bambu Lab) against 92 for unfilled Bambu Lab ASA[1][14]Not documented
Continuous service temperature°C93 — Prusa publishes this as the temperature resistance of Prusament ASA[17]110 stated as heat resistance by Spectrum with no test standard given; extruded stock is rated 120 long-term maximum (converted from 248 °F) and brittle below -76[3][4]
Thermal expansion (CTE)µm/m·KNot documented117 (extruded HDPE stock, ASTM D696; source states 6.5e-5 in/in/°F)[4]
Flammability / UL 94Flammable; no UL 94 rating published[14]Not documented
Environment & Chemical
UV resistance1–5Excellent — designed for permanent outdoor use; Formfutura states the foaming grade retains ApolloX's UV resistance[2][18]Moderate — a season or two. Spectrum describes its HDPE as UV-stable and weather-resistant but publishes no exposure data[3]
Chemical resistanceGood against weak acids, weak alkalis, oils and grease; dissolved by acetone[19]Excellent chemical resistance to acids, bases, oils and solvents (Spectrum); Ensinger lists broad chemical compatibility for HDPE stock[3][4]
Water / humidity resistance in service1–5Not documentedExcellent — essentially unaffected; Ensinger lists low moisture absorption for HDPE stock and Spectrum very low absorption for the filament[3][4]
Food contactNot food safe[11]Not documented
Biodegradability / compostabilityNot biodegradable[11]Not documented
RecyclabilityNot accepted in household plastic collection[11]Spectrum states the filament is fully recyclable; HDPE is resin code 2[3]
Health & Safety
Fume toxicity1–5High — hazardous VOC such as styrene; enclosure and filtration needed[20][10]Not documented
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][20]Not documented
Ventilation / filtration requirement1–5Enclosure with carbon and HEPA filtration[20][10]Not documented
Post-Processing
Sanding & machiningSands well and takes filler before painting[11]Easy to machine — Ensinger lists machinability as a headline property of HDPE stock[4]
Painting & finishingPaints readily; ASA holds colour outdoors so many parts are left unpainted[11]Not documented
Gluing & solvent weldingSolvent-welds with acetone[19]Not documented
Vapour / chemical smoothingAcetone vapour smoothing works[19]Not documented
Support material pairingHIPS breaks away or dissolves in d-limonene; Bambu Lab sells a Support for ABS that also serves ASA[10]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]Spectrum lists a shiny surface finish and no adhesive requirement; shrinkage remains the limit on large flat parts[3]
Solvents & Solubility
Soluble inAcetone dissolves it (Polymaker); MEK, THF, ethyl acetate and the chlorinated solvents dissolve the styrenic backbone.[21][19]None at room temperature; xylene dissolves HDPE at about 105 °C and LDPE at 75 °C. Hot decalin does the same.[22][23]
Softened or crazed byLimonene attacks some grades — Prusa reports Prusament ASA Orange flaking apart as layer adhesion fails.[24]Toluene, xylene, styrene, chloroform, dichloromethane, MEK and trichloroethylene are all unsatisfactory at 21 °C.[23]
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.[25]None — polyethylene has no room-temperature solvent, so joints are made by heat welding.[23][22]

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. Spectrum HDPE Technical Data Sheet Spectrum Filaments · 2025-10 · tds
  4. TECAFINE HDPE natural — stock shape properties Ensinger · 2026-08 · tds
  5. ASA Aero — product page Bambu Lab US Store · 2026-08 · vendor
  6. Spectrum HDPE Traffic Black, 1.75 mm / 500 g 3DJAKE · 2026-08 · vendor
  7. 3DJAKE product catalogue 3DJAKE · 2026-08 · vendor
  8. igo3d product sitemap (17452 product URLs) igo3d · 2026-08 · vendor
  9. Printed Solid product catalogue Printed Solid · 2026-08 · vendor
  10. ABS / ASA / PC Usage Guide Bambu Lab 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. Max volumetric speed Prusa Knowledge Base · 2026-08 · doc
  14. Bambu Filament Technical Data Sheet V3.0 — ASA Bambu Lab · 2026-08 · tds
  15. Wet Filament — signs, causes and drying Polymaker Wiki · 2026-08 · doc
  16. 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
  17. Prusament ASA — material page Prusa Polymers · 2026-08 · doc
  18. ASA — FDM Material Data Sheet (includes 1000 h QUV exposure results) Stratasys · 2026-08 · tds
  19. PolyLite ASA Technical Data Sheet Polymaker · 2024-11 · tds
  20. 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
  21. Chemical resistance — resistance of Ensinger plastics to chemicals (DIN 50 014, 23/50) Ensinger · 2026-08 · tds
  22. US 5,278,282 Polymer recycling by selective dissolution — xylene dissolution temperatures Nauman & Lynch, Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute · 1994-01 · paper
  23. HDPE Chemical Resistance Guide (21 °C and 60 °C) INEOS Olefins & Polymers USA · 2026-08 · tds
  24. HIPS — Knowledge Base Prusa Research · 2026-08 · doc
  25. Improve your 3D prints with chemical smoothing Prusa Research · 2026-08 · doc