3D Printing Info

Filament comparison

ASA Aero vs PLA+

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

Foaming ASA (ASA Aero) guidePLA+ / Tough PLA guide

2 selected · all documented properties

Open these two in the interactive comparisonMore ASA Aero comparisonsMore PLA+ comparisons
ASA Aero vs PLA+ — documented properties and sources
PropertyFoaming ASA (ASA Aero)ASAPLA+ / Tough PLAPLA
Market snapshot
Listing priceUSD/kg; dated snapshots$49.99/kg median; $49.99–$49.99/kg across 1 dated product listings$16.49/kg median; $10.45–$39.99/kg across 10 dated product listings
Identity & Market
Base polymer / chemistryASA with a heat-activated blowing agent that expands at the nozzle[1][2]PLA compounded with impact modifiers; suppliers publish the base as polylactic acid only[3][4]
Densityg/cm³0.99 filament (Bambu Lab, ISO 1183); Formfutura's grade reaches 0.33 g/cm³ fully expanded[1][2]1.17–1.24 (Polymaker); 1.21 (Bambu Lab, ISO 1183)[3][4]
Typical priceUSD/kg1 kg spools cluster near 50[5]Mainstream 1 kg spools cluster near 16[6][7]
Price range across brandsUSD/kg50 at Bambu Lab's 1 kg listing[5]10–40 across brands; budget house brands 10–17, Sakata 3D HR-870 26, Polymaker and Fiberlogy 36–40[8][7][9][10][11]
Market availability1–5Niche, a handful of specialist brands[5][2]Stocked by most mainstream brands[8][6][7][9][10]
Spool sizes & diameters1.75 mm; 1 kg spools[5]1.75 and 2.85 mm; 0.75, 0.85, 1 and 1.1 kg spools[9][10][8]
Typical applicationsDrone airframes, RC parts and floating or outdoor applications where mass matters and UV exposure rules out LW-PLA[2]Functional parts and enclosures that need impact tolerance but not heat resistance[3][4]
Diameter tolerance± mmNot documented±0.03 (Bambu Lab)[12]
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]190–230 (Polymaker); Bambu Lab Tough+ needs 220–250[3][4]
Bed temperature°C80–90 (Bambu Lab); 50–90 (Formfutura)[1][2]25–60 (Polymaker); 35–65 (Bambu Lab Tough+)[3][4]
Enclosure / chamber requirement1–5Enclosure recommended — Bambu Lab specifies a 45–60 °C chamber[1][13]Open frame is fine[3][4]
Recommended chamber temperature°C45–60 (Bambu Lab)[1]Not documented
Part cooling fan0–80 % (Bambu Lab); 0–50 % (Formfutura)[1][2]Fan on[3][4]
Bed surface & adhesion aidPEI sheet, BuildTak or an adhesion aid such as Magigoo (Polymaker); Simplify3D also lists Kapton tape and ASA slurry[14][15]Textured or smooth PEI; Bambu Lab recommends glue stick or liquid glue for Tough+[3][4]
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 documentedNone[3]
Bed-adhesion difficulty1–5Needs a specific surface plus adhesive[14]Sticks to anything[17]
Stringing / oozing tendency1–5Slight — Polymaker advises 1–2 mm retraction at 20–30 mm/s[14]Slight — 1–3 mm retraction handles it[3][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]Easy — minor profile tuning; Tough+ wants a hotter nozzle than plain PLA[3][4]
Hardware Wear & Reliability
Nozzle hardness required1–4Brass fine indefinitely[13]Brass fine indefinitely[18]
Abrasiveness1–5Non-abrasive[13]Non-abrasive[19][18]
Nozzle clog risk1–5Not documentedVery low[18]
Heat-creep / jam sensitivity1–5Slightly sensitive[15]Moderate — good heatbreak cooling needed; softens below 60 °C like plain PLA[20]
Hotend requirementNo special hotend required[15]No special hot-end required[17]
Moisture Behaviour
Moisture absorption (hygroscopicity)1–5High — 0.80 % saturated at 25 °C / 55 % RH, nearly double unfilled Bambu Lab ASA[1][21]Low — 0.27 % saturated at 25 °C / 55 % RH[4]
Equilibrium moisture content at ~50 % RH%0.80 saturated at 25 °C / 55 % RH (Bambu Lab)[1]0.27 saturated at 25 °C / 55 % RH (Bambu Lab Tough+)[4]
Drying temperature & time80 °C for 8 h (Bambu Lab)[1]55 °C for 6–8 h; 65–75 °C for 12 h on a Bambu Lab X1 heatbed[3][4]
Symptoms when wetBubbling and popping at the nozzle, stringing and a rough surface[22]Bubbling and popping at the nozzle, stringing, rough surface and weak layers[22]
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[22]Polymaker rates PLA low-sensitivity and publishes no dry-versus-conditioned figures for the modified grades; the loss shows as poor layer adhesion rather than a strength number[22]
Storage requirementSealed with desiccant; Polymaker rates the styrenics moderate-sensitivity[22]Sealed with desiccant below 20 % RH; shelf life at ambient is long[4][17]
Mechanical Properties
Tensile strength (XY)MPa32 ± 4 printed XY, ISO 527 (Bambu Lab)[1]35–43 (printed XY, ISO 527); 53 on My Tech Fun 4×4 mm bars for Bambu Lab Tough[3][4][23][24]
Young's modulusMPa2010 ± 260 printed XY, ISO 527 (Bambu Lab)[1]1860–2150 (printed XY, ISO 527) — below plain PLA at 2300–3427[3][4][25][26]
Elongation at break%5.1 ± 1.6 printed XY, ISO 527 (Bambu Lab)[1]5.1–5.7 (printed XY, ISO 527)[3][4]
Flexural strengthMPa58 ± 6 printed XY, ISO 178 (Bambu Lab)[1]62–65 (printed XY, ISO 178) — below plain PLA at 76–87[3][4][27][26]
Flexural modulusMPa1510 ± 120 printed XY, ISO 178 (Bambu Lab)[1]2140–2393 (printed XY, ISO 178)[3][4]
Charpy impact, notchedkJ/m²8.2 ± 1.6 printed XY, ISO 179, notched (Bambu Lab)[1]38.9–72.3 (printed XY, ISO 179, notched) — 5–9× plain PLA[3][4]
Other impact dataCharpy unnotched 32.0 ± 2.5 printed XY (Bambu Lab, ISO 179)[1]Charpy unnotched 80.6 printed XY (Bambu Lab Tough+); CNC Kitchen measured ~20 vs 5 kJ/m² for PolyLite PLA[4][23]
Layer adhesion / Z tensileMPa21 ± 4 printed Z, ISO 527 (Bambu Lab); flexural Z falls to 24 against 58 in XY[1]20.9–32.4 printed Z (ISO 527); 33.0 on My Tech Fun layer-adhesion bars vs 27.6 for PLA Basic[3][4][24]
Brittleness1–5Moderate[1]Tough — absorbs impact, yields before breaking[3][4][23]
Hardness (scale-specific)Shore A / Shore D / RockwellNot documented78.8 Shore D measured on printed bars (My Tech Fun), against 75.3 for the same maker's plain PLA[28]
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][21]Poor — 12 mm bar sagged to 20.2 mm over 5 days at 1.25 kg, the same as plain PLA[24][29]
Fatigue / repeated-flex resistance1–5Moderate — no foamed-grade S-N curve; unfilled printed ASA holds a fatigue limit at 25 % of tensile strength[1][30]Below average — impact modifiers raise absorbed energy 5–9×; plain PLA ran 38 000–49 000 cycles at 30 % of tensile strength[31][4][23]
Elasticity / flexibility1–5Rigid[1]Rigid[3]
Z strength as % of XY%66 by tensile, 41 by flexural (printed, Bambu Lab)[1]60 (Bambu Lab Tough+) to 78 (PolyMax PLA), printed[3][4]
Thermal Properties
HDT at 0.45 MPa°C85 (ISO 75, 0.45 MPa, Bambu Lab) against 100 for unfilled Bambu Lab ASA[1][21]55 (PolyMax) to 61 (Tough+), ISO 75 at 0.45 MPa[3][4]
HDT at 1.8 MPa°C78 (ISO 75, 1.8 MPa, Bambu Lab) against 92 for unfilled Bambu Lab ASA[1][21]52 (PolyMax) to 58 (Tough+), ISO 75 at 1.8 MPa[3][4]
Glass transition (Tg)°CNot documented61 (DSC)[3][4]
Melting point / Vicat°CNot documented149–151 peak melt (DSC); Vicat 62 (ISO 306)[3][4]
Continuous service temperature°C93 — Prusa publishes this as the temperature resistance of Prusament ASA[32]48–57 — loaded bars begin to move at this temperature: 48 for Polymaker PLA Pro, 50 for Sunlu PLA+, 52 for Bambu Lab Tough, 57 for PolyTerra PLA+[24][33][28][29]
Thermal expansion (CTE)µm/m·KNot documented96–99 for plain printed PLA (fibre Bragg grating, 25–50 °C); no grade-specific measurement published[34]
Flammability / UL 94Flammable; no UL 94 rating published[21]Flammable; no UL 94 rating published by the major brands[4][3]
Environment & Chemical
UV resistance1–5Excellent — designed for permanent outdoor use; Formfutura states the foaming grade retains ApolloX's UV resistance[2][35]Degrades within weeks outdoors[20][36]
Chemical resistanceGood against weak acids, weak alkalis, oils and grease; dissolved by acetone[37]Good against weak acids, oils and grease; poor against strong acids and alkalis[3][4]
Food contactNot food safe[14]Base resin is food-contact grade, but printed layer grooves harbour bacteria; Prusa advises against food use[20]
Biodegradability / compostabilityNot biodegradable[14]Industrially compostable only — needs sustained 55 °C; not home compostable[38][20]
RecyclabilityNot accepted in household plastic collection[14]Mechanically recyclable; not accepted in household plastic collection[38]
Health & Safety
Fume toxicity1–5High — hazardous VOC such as styrene; enclosure and filtration needed[39][13]Low hazard — minimal VOC and particle emission[39]
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[13][39]Not documented
Ventilation / filtration requirement1–5Enclosure with carbon and HEPA filtration[39][13]None needed in a normal room[39]
Post-Processing
Sanding & machiningSands well and takes filler before painting[14]Wet sanding — dry sanding heats the surface by friction and smears it[36][20]
Painting & finishingPaints readily; ASA holds colour outdoors so many parts are left unpainted[14]Not documented
Gluing & solvent weldingSolvent-welds with acetone[37]Cyanoacrylate for most joints; some grades partially dissolve and bond with acetone[20][40]
Vapour / chemical smoothingAcetone vapour smoothing works[37]No practical vapour smoothing — only chloroform, hot benzene or THF, which are laboratory-only[20]
Support material pairingHIPS breaks away or dissolves in d-limonene; Bambu Lab sells a Support for ABS that also serves ASA[13]PolySupport and PolyDissolve S1 (Polymaker); Support for PLA (Bambu Lab)[3][4]
Dimensional accuracy & detailMatte, textured surface that hides layer lines; colour lightens as the foaming degree rises, which doubles as a visual density cue[2]55° overhangs and 30 mm bridges (Bambu Lab Tough+)[4]
Solvents & Solubility
Soluble inAcetone dissolves it (Polymaker); MEK, THF, ethyl acetate and the chlorinated solvents dissolve the styrenic backbone.[41][37]Chloroform: 10 % w/v in 2–4 h at 23 °C, every grade and morphology; THF and DMF only at 65 °C. Laboratory reagents.[42]
Softened or crazed byLimonene attacks some grades — Prusa reports Prusament ASA Orange flaking apart as layer adhesion fails.[43]Acetone, ethyl acetate and toluene plasticise it but dissolve <1 % even at 65 °C; submersion in acetone crazes and destroys parts.[42][44]
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.[44]Chloroform vapour smooths and welds PLA at the cost of tensile strength; acetone does not smooth it at all.[45][44]

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. PolyMax PLA Technical Data Sheet V5.4 Polymaker · 2024-11 · tds
  4. Bambu Filament Technical Data Sheet V3.0 — PLA Tough+ Bambu Lab · 2026-08 · tds
  5. ASA Aero — product page Bambu Lab US Store · 2026-08 · vendor
  6. eSUN PLA+ 1.75mm 1KG eSUN Official Store · 2026-08 · vendor
  7. Overture PLA+ 1.75mm Overture3D · 2026-08 · vendor
  8. JAYO PLA+ 1.1KG Reusable Spool 1.75mm JAYO Official Store · 2026-08 · vendor
  9. Polymaker PolyMax PLA 0.75kg Polymaker Shop · 2026-08 · vendor
  10. Fiberlogy Impact PLA 850g 3DJake International · 2026-08 · vendor
  11. PLA HR-870 NATURAL Sakata 3D Filaments · 2026-08 · vendor
  12. PLA Basic — product page Bambu Lab US Store · 2026-08 · vendor
  13. ABS / ASA / PC Usage Guide Bambu Lab Wiki · 2026-08 · doc
  14. ASA — material basics Polymaker Wiki · 2026-08 · doc
  15. ASA — Ultimate 3D Printing Materials Guide Simplify3D · 2026-08 · doc
  16. Max volumetric speed Prusa Knowledge Base · 2026-08 · doc
  17. PLA — Ultimate 3D Printing Materials Guide Simplify3D · 2026-08 · doc
  18. Filament Material Guide Prusa Knowledge Base · 2026-08 · doc
  19. Prusament PLA — material page Prusa Polymers · 2026-08 · doc
  20. PLA — material guide Prusa Knowledge Base · 2026-08 · doc
  21. Bambu Filament Technical Data Sheet V3.0 — ASA Bambu Lab · 2026-08 · tds
  22. Wet Filament — signs, causes and drying Polymaker Wiki · 2026-08 · doc
  23. The difference of PLA and PLA+ tested! (feat. Polymaker) CNC Kitchen · 2020-08 · test
  24. BambuLab PLA Basic vs PLA Tough vs PLA-CF — results spreadsheet My Tech Fun (Igor Gaspar) · 2026-08 · test
  25. Prusament PLA Technical Datasheet v1.1 Prusa Polymers · 2022-02 · tds
  26. PolyLite PLA Technical Data Sheet V5.4 Polymaker · 2024-11 · tds
  27. Bambu Filament Technical Data Sheet V3.0 — PLA Basic Bambu Lab · 2026-08 · tds
  28. Carbon Fiber PLA vs META-PLA vs PLA+ vs PLA by Sunlu — results spreadsheet My Tech Fun (Igor Gaspar) · 2026-08 · test
  29. PolyTerra PLA vs PLA+ — results spreadsheet My Tech Fun (Igor Gaspar) · 2026-08 · test
  30. 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
  31. Mechanical Properties of Additively Manufactured Polymeric Materials — PLA and PETG — For Biomechanical Applications Polymers 16(13):1868 · 2024-06 · paper
  32. Prusament ASA — material page Prusa Polymers · 2026-08 · doc
  33. Polymaker PLA Pro vs PLA-CF — results spreadsheet My Tech Fun (Igor Gaspar) · 2026-08 · test
  34. Characterization of Thermal Expansion Coefficient of 3D Printing Polymeric Materials Using Fiber Bragg Grating Sensors Materials 17(18):4668 · 2024-09 · paper
  35. ASA — FDM Material Data Sheet (includes 1000 h QUV exposure results) Stratasys · 2026-08 · tds
  36. Prusament PLA Technical Data Sheet v1.0 Prusa Polymers · 2018-09 · tds
  37. PolyLite ASA Technical Data Sheet Polymaker · 2024-11 · tds
  38. Filamentive PLA (recycled) — product page Filamentive · 2026-08 · vendor
  39. 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
  40. Prusament rPLA Corn Pigment 1kg — product page Prusa Research · 2026-08 · vendor
  41. Chemical resistance — resistance of Ensinger plastics to chemicals (DIN 50 014, 23/50) Ensinger · 2026-08 · tds
  42. Solubility Study of Ingeo Biopolymer Grades in Common Organic Solvents (NWPD003) NatureWorks · 2019-10 · tds
  43. HIPS — Knowledge Base Prusa Research · 2026-08 · doc
  44. Improve your 3D prints with chemical smoothing Prusa Research · 2026-08 · doc
  45. 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