3D Printing Info

Filament comparison

ASA Aero vs PLA-PHA

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

Foaming ASA (ASA Aero) guidePLA/PHA blend guide

2 selected · all documented properties

Open these two in the interactive comparisonMore ASA Aero comparisonsMore PLA-PHA comparisons
ASA Aero vs PLA-PHA — documented properties and sources
PropertyFoaming ASA (ASA Aero)ASAPLA/PHA blendPLA
Market snapshot
Listing priceUSD/kg; dated snapshots$49.99/kg median; $49.99–$49.99/kg across 1 dated product listings$76.40/kg median; $76.40–$76.40/kg across 1 dated product listings
Identity & Market
Base polymer / chemistryASA with a heat-activated blowing agent that expands at the nozzle[1][2]PLA blended with polyhydroxyalkanoate, a bacterially fermented bio-polyester[3]
Densityg/cm³0.99 filament (Bambu Lab, ISO 1183); Formfutura's grade reaches 0.33 g/cm³ fully expanded[1][2]1.2 (ISO 1183)[3]
Typical priceUSD/kg1 kg spools cluster near 50[4]Not documented
Price range across brandsUSD/kg50 at Bambu Lab's 1 kg listing[4]Not documented
Market availability1–5Niche, a handful of specialist brands[4][2]Niche, a handful of specialist brands[3][5]
Spool sizes & diameters1.75 mm; 1 kg spools[4]1.75 and 2.85 mm; 750 g and 2200 g spools[3]
Typical applicationsDrone airframes, RC parts and floating or outdoor applications where mass matters and UV exposure rules out LW-PLA[2]General-purpose printing where PLA's brittleness is the limiting factor[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]195–220 (colorFabb)[3]
Bed temperature°C80–90 (Bambu Lab); 50–90 (Formfutura)[1][2]50–60 (colorFabb)[3]
Enclosure / chamber requirement1–5Enclosure recommended — Bambu Lab specifies a 45–60 °C chamber[1][6]Open frame is fine[3]
Recommended chamber temperature°C45–60 (Bambu Lab)[1]Not documented
Part cooling fan0–80 % (Bambu Lab); 0–50 % (Formfutura)[1][2]0–100 %; colorFabb states the blend runs on both heated and unheated beds[3][7]
Bed surface & adhesion aidPEI sheet, BuildTak or an adhesion aid such as Magigoo (Polymaker); Simplify3D also lists Kapton tape and ASA slurry[8][9]Not documented
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][10]3.2–8 at colorFabb's 40–100 mm/s, on a 0.4 mm nozzle at 0.2 mm layer[7][10]
Bed-adhesion difficulty1–5Needs a specific surface plus adhesive[8]Not documented
Stringing / oozing tendency1–5Slight — Polymaker advises 1–2 mm retraction at 20–30 mm/s[8]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]Beginner — prints on any machine out of the box[3]
Hardware Wear & Reliability
Nozzle hardness required1–4Brass fine indefinitely[6]Brass fine indefinitely[3]
Abrasiveness1–5Non-abrasive[6]Non-abrasive[3]
Nozzle clog risk1–5Not documentedVery low — unfilled PLA blend; Prusa lists no drybox and no hardened nozzle for PLA[11]
Heat-creep / jam sensitivity1–5Slightly sensitive[9]Not documented
Hotend requirementNo special hotend required[9]Not documented
Moisture Behaviour
Moisture absorption (hygroscopicity)1–5High — 0.80 % saturated at 25 °C / 55 % RH, nearly double unfilled Bambu Lab ASA[1][12]Moderate — the PLA matrix takes up 0.40–0.51 % saturated; colorFabb publishes no figure for the blend[13][14]
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[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]Polymaker rates PLA low-sensitivity and publishes no dry-versus-conditioned figures for this grade; absorbed water flashes to steam and shows as bubbling and poor layer adhesion[15]
Storage requirementSealed with desiccant; Polymaker rates the styrenics moderate-sensitivity[15]Not documented
Mechanical Properties
Tensile strength (XY)MPa32 ± 4 printed XY, ISO 527 (Bambu Lab)[1]62–64 (ISO 527-1A, colorFabb; two grades quoted)[3]
Young's modulusMPa2010 ± 260 printed XY, ISO 527 (Bambu Lab)[1]2960–3070 (ISO 527-1A, colorFabb)[3]
Elongation at break%5.1 ± 1.6 printed XY, ISO 527 (Bambu Lab)[1]4 and 11 (ISO 527-1A, colorFabb; two grades quoted)[3]
Flexural strengthMPa58 ± 6 printed XY, ISO 178 (Bambu Lab)[1]Not documented
Flexural modulusMPa1510 ± 120 printed XY, ISO 178 (Bambu Lab)[1]2500–3300 flexural modulus (ISO 178, colorFabb)[3]
Charpy impact, notchedkJ/m²8.2 ± 1.6 printed XY, ISO 179, notched (Bambu Lab)[1]2.8–3.7 (ISO 179, notched, colorFabb)[3]
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 — colorFabb positions the blend as tougher and less brittle than its generic PLA grades[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][12]Poor — no PLA/PHA creep test; plain printed PLA sagged from 12 to 16.2–21.8 mm over 5 days at 1.25 kg[16][17][18]
Fatigue / repeated-flex resistance1–5Moderate — no foamed-grade S-N curve; unfilled printed ASA holds a fatigue limit at 25 % of tensile strength[1][19]Below average — no S-N curve for the blend; colorFabb positions it as tougher and less brittle than its generic PLA, which ran 38 000–49 000 cycles at 30 % of tensile strength[20][3]
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][12]Not documented
HDT at 1.8 MPa°C78 (ISO 75, 1.8 MPa, Bambu Lab) against 92 for unfilled Bambu Lab ASA[1][12]Not documented
Melting point / Vicat°CNot documentedAbove 155 melting (ISO 3146-C)[3]
Continuous service temperature°C93 — Prusa publishes this as the temperature resistance of Prusament ASA[21]Not documented
Flammability / UL 94Flammable; no UL 94 rating published[12]Not documented
Environment & Chemical
UV resistance1–5Excellent — designed for permanent outdoor use; Formfutura states the foaming grade retains ApolloX's UV resistance[2][22]Degrades within weeks outdoors[23]
Chemical resistanceGood against weak acids, weak alkalis, oils and grease; dissolved by acetone[24]Not documented
Food contactNot food safe[8]Not documented
Biodegradability / compostabilityNot biodegradable[8]colorFabb states the PHA component is 100 % biodegradable[3]
RecyclabilityNot accepted in household plastic collection[8]Not documented
Health & Safety
Fume toxicity1–5High — hazardous VOC such as styrene; enclosure and filtration needed[25][6]Low hazard — minimal VOC and particle emission[25]
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[6][25]Not documented
Ventilation / filtration requirement1–5Enclosure with carbon and HEPA filtration[25][6]None needed in a normal room[25]
Post-Processing
Sanding & machiningSands well and takes filler before painting[8]Not documented
Painting & finishingPaints readily; ASA holds colour outdoors so many parts are left unpainted[8]Not documented
Gluing & solvent weldingSolvent-welds with acetone[24]Not documented
Vapour / chemical smoothingAcetone vapour smoothing works[24]Not documented
Support material pairingHIPS breaks away or dissolves in d-limonene; Bambu Lab sells a Support for ABS that also serves ASA[6]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.[26][24]Chloroform dissolves the PLA phase (10 % w/v, 2–4 h at 23 °C); THF and DMF need 65 °C. Laboratory reagents.[27]
Softened or crazed byLimonene attacks some grades — Prusa reports Prusament ASA Orange flaking apart as layer adhesion fails.[28]Acetone, ethyl acetate and toluene plasticise it but dissolve <1 % even at 65 °C; submersion in acetone crazes and destroys parts.[27][29]
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]Chloroform vapour smooths and welds PLA at the cost of tensile strength; acetone does not smooth it at all.[30][29]

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. PLA/PHA technical data sheet colorFabb · 2026-08 · tds
  4. ASA Aero — product page Bambu Lab US Store · 2026-08 · vendor
  5. woodFill technical data sheet colorFabb · 2026-08 · tds
  6. ABS / ASA / PC Usage Guide Bambu Lab Wiki · 2026-08 · doc
  7. glowFill technical data sheet colorFabb · 2026-08 · tds
  8. ASA — material basics Polymaker Wiki · 2026-08 · doc
  9. ASA — Ultimate 3D Printing Materials Guide Simplify3D · 2026-08 · doc
  10. Max volumetric speed Prusa Knowledge Base · 2026-08 · doc
  11. Filament Material Guide Prusa Knowledge Base · 2026-08 · doc
  12. Bambu Filament Technical Data Sheet V3.0 — ASA Bambu Lab · 2026-08 · tds
  13. Bambu Filament Technical Data Sheet V3.0 — PLA Basic Bambu Lab · 2026-08 · tds
  14. PolyLite PLA Technical Data Sheet V5.4 Polymaker · 2024-11 · tds
  15. Wet Filament — signs, causes and drying Polymaker Wiki · 2026-08 · doc
  16. BambuLab PLA Basic vs PLA Tough vs PLA-CF — results spreadsheet My Tech Fun (Igor Gaspar) · 2026-08 · test
  17. Polymaker PLA Pro vs PLA-CF — results spreadsheet My Tech Fun (Igor Gaspar) · 2026-08 · test
  18. Carbon Fiber PLA vs META-PLA vs PLA+ vs PLA by Sunlu — results spreadsheet My Tech Fun (Igor Gaspar) · 2026-08 · test
  19. 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
  20. Mechanical Properties of Additively Manufactured Polymeric Materials — PLA and PETG — For Biomechanical Applications Polymers 16(13):1868 · 2024-06 · paper
  21. Prusament ASA — material page Prusa Polymers · 2026-08 · doc
  22. ASA — FDM Material Data Sheet (includes 1000 h QUV exposure results) Stratasys · 2026-08 · tds
  23. PLA — material guide Prusa Knowledge Base · 2026-08 · doc
  24. PolyLite ASA Technical Data Sheet Polymaker · 2024-11 · tds
  25. 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
  26. Chemical resistance — resistance of Ensinger plastics to chemicals (DIN 50 014, 23/50) Ensinger · 2026-08 · tds
  27. Solubility Study of Ingeo Biopolymer Grades in Common Organic Solvents (NWPD003) NatureWorks · 2019-10 · tds
  28. HIPS — Knowledge Base Prusa Research · 2026-08 · doc
  29. Improve your 3D prints with chemical smoothing Prusa Research · 2026-08 · doc
  30. Effect of vapour smoothing in trichloromethane on 3D printed PLA — surface, mechanical and chemical structure Pitale, Keche & Chopra, Engineering Research Express 6(4) 045579 · 2024-12 · paper