3D Printing Info

Filament comparison

ASA Aero vs TPE SEBS

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

Foaming ASA (ASA Aero) guideTPE (SEBS) guide

2 selected · all documented properties

Open these two in the interactive comparisonMore ASA Aero comparisonsMore TPE SEBS comparisons
ASA Aero vs TPE SEBS — documented properties and sources
PropertyFoaming ASA (ASA Aero)ASATPE (SEBS)FLEX
Market snapshot
Listing priceUSD/kg; dated snapshots$49.99/kg median; $49.99–$49.99/kg across 1 dated product listings$98.25/kg median; $76.50–$120.00/kg across 2 dated product listings
Identity & Market
Base polymer / chemistryASA with a heat-activated blowing agent that expands at the nozzle[1][2]Styrene-ethylene-butadiene-styrene thermoplastic elastomer — a styrenic rubber, not a polyurethane[3]
Densityg/cm³0.99 filament (Bambu Lab, ISO 1183); Formfutura's grade reaches 0.33 g/cm³ fully expanded[1][2]1.044 printed part density (BASF Ultrafuse TPS 90A, ISO 1183-1) — the lightest elastomer here[3]
Typical priceUSD/kg1 kg spools cluster near 50[4]1 kg-equivalent spools cluster near 77[5]
Price range across brandsUSD/kg50 at Bambu Lab's 1 kg listing[4]77 for the Recreus 600 g spool; Proto-pasta only lists a 50 g coil, which prices at 120[5][6]
Market availability1–5Niche, a handful of specialist brands[4][2]Niche, a handful of specialist brands[3][6][5]
Spool sizes & diameters1.75 mm; 1 kg spools[4]1.75 and 2.85 mm; 0.05 and 0.6 kg spools[3][5]
Typical applicationsDrone airframes, RC parts and floating or outdoor applications where mass matters and UV exposure rules out LW-PLA[2]Soft-touch overmoulds and skin-contact parts where a non-polyurethane elastomer is wanted[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]260–280 (BASF Ultrafuse TPS 90A) — far hotter than any TPU here[3]
Bed temperature°C80–90 (Bambu Lab); 50–90 (Formfutura)[1][2]70–90 (BASF Ultrafuse TPS 90A)[3]
Enclosure / chamber requirement1–5Enclosure recommended — Bambu Lab specifies a 45–60 °C chamber[1][7]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]Not documented
Bed surface & adhesion aidPEI sheet, BuildTak or an adhesion aid such as Magigoo (Polymaker); Simplify3D also lists Kapton tape and ASA slurry[8][9]PEI sheet or painter's tape; Polymaker warns TPU can over-stick and advises a glue stick as a release agent[10][11]
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][12]0.8–2.4 at the 10–30 mm/s BASF specifies on a 0.4 mm nozzle at 0.2 mm layer — the slowest material in this group[3]
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]Advanced — enclosure, hardware upgrades, tuning[3]
Extruder requirementNot documentedNozzle 0.4 mm or larger; BASF caps print speed at 10–30 mm/s[3]
Hardware Wear & Reliability
Nozzle hardness required1–4Brass fine indefinitely[7]Brass fine indefinitely[13]
Abrasiveness1–5Non-abrasive[7]Non-abrasive[13]
Nozzle clog risk1–5Not documentedModerate — needs dry filament and a clean nozzle; BASF caps print speed at 10–30 mm/s and Simplify3D warns that raised feed rates on flexibles most likely end in a jam[10][3]
Heat-creep / jam sensitivity1–5Slightly sensitive[9]Not documented
Hotend requirementNo special hotend required[9]No special hot-end required, but a direct-drive extruder is (Simplify3D)[10]
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) — BASF states drying is not necessary, unique among the elastomers here[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]None — BASF states Ultrafuse TPS 90A arrives in a printable condition and drying is not necessary[3]
Symptoms when wetBubbling and popping at the nozzle, stringing and a rough surface[15]Bubbling and popping at the nozzle, stringing and a rough surface[15]
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 — the SEBS chemistry has no amide or ester linkages to take up water, and BASF specifies no drying at all[3]
Storage requirementSealed with desiccant; Polymaker rates the styrenics moderate-sensitivity[15]Sealed with desiccant; often kept in a dryer during the print[15]
Mechanical Properties
Tensile strength (XY)MPa32 ± 4 printed XY, ISO 527 (Bambu Lab)[1]Not documented
Young's modulusMPa2010 ± 260 printed XY, ISO 527 (Bambu Lab)[1]Not documented
Elongation at break%5.1 ± 1.6 printed XY, ISO 527 (Bambu Lab)[1]Not documented
Flexural strengthMPa58 ± 6 printed XY, ISO 178 (Bambu Lab)[1]Not documented
Flexural modulusMPa1510 ± 120 printed XY, ISO 178 (Bambu Lab)[1]Not documented
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]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]Very ductile — bends far before failing[3]
Hardness (scale-specific)Shore A / Shore D / RockwellNot documented89 Shore A and 29 Shore D (BASF Ultrafuse TPS 90A, ISO 7619-1)[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]Poor — no SEBS creep test; a printed 95A TPU bar crept from 74.5 to 82.7 mm over 5 days at 1.25 kg[16]
Fatigue / repeated-flex resistance1–5Moderate — no foamed-grade S-N curve; unfilled printed ASA holds a fatigue limit at 25 % of tensile strength[1][17]Excellent — living hinges viable[11]
Elasticity / flexibility1–5Rigid[1]Rubbery / highly elastic[3]
Z strength as % of XY%66 by tensile, 41 by flexural (printed, Bambu Lab)[1]Not documented
Wear resistance & frictionNot documentedAbrasion 111 mm³ (ISO 4649) — the poorest abrasion resistance in this group, well behind TPU[3]
Thermal Properties
HDT at 0.45 MPa°C85 (ISO 75, 0.45 MPa, Bambu Lab) against 100 for unfilled Bambu Lab ASA[1][14]Not documented
HDT at 1.8 MPa°C78 (ISO 75, 1.8 MPa, Bambu Lab) against 92 for unfilled Bambu Lab ASA[1][14]Not documented
Melting point / Vicat°CNot documented242–249 melting (BASF Ultrafuse TPS 90A, ISO 11357-3)[3]
Continuous service temperature°C93 — Prusa publishes this as the temperature resistance of Prusament ASA[18]Not documented
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][19]Good — years with some colour shift; Polymaker lists UV exposure among the conditions TPU withstands[11]
Chemical resistanceGood against weak acids, weak alkalis, oils and grease; dissolved by acetone[20]Withstands industrial solvents and UV exposure (Polymaker)[11]
Water / humidity resistance in service1–5Not documentedExcellent — essentially unaffected[3]
Food contactNot food safe[8]Not food safe without specific certification (Polymaker)[11]
Biodegradability / compostabilityNot biodegradable[8]Not biodegradable[11]
RecyclabilityNot accepted in household plastic collection[8]Not accepted in household plastic collection[11]
Health & Safety
Fume toxicity1–5High — hazardous VOC such as styrene; enclosure and filtration needed[21][7]Low hazard — minimal VOC and particle emission; TPU was not among the nine filaments in the chamber study[21]
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[7][21]Not documented
Ventilation / filtration requirement1–5Enclosure with carbon and HEPA filtration[21][7]Open a window / occasional ventilation[21]
Post-Processing
Sanding & machiningSands well and takes filler before painting[8]Difficult to sand or smooth; Polymaker limits post-processing to trimming or tumbling[11]
Painting & finishingPaints readily; ASA holds colour outdoors so many parts are left unpainted[8]Not documented
Gluing & solvent weldingSolvent-welds with acetone[20]Cyanoacrylate bonds TPU; no common solvent welds it[11]
Vapour / chemical smoothingAcetone vapour smoothing works[20]No practical vapour smoothing[11]
Support material pairingHIPS breaks away or dissolves in d-limonene; Bambu Lab sells a Support for ABS that also serves ASA[7]Polymaker warns TPU supports are often very difficult to remove[11]
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.[22][20]Toluene dissolves SEBS at room temperature — Kraton quotes solution viscosity at 25 % mass in toluene, 25 °C.[23]
Softened or crazed byLimonene attacks some grades — Prusa reports Prusament ASA Orange flaking apart as layer adhesion fails.[24]Soaking in hydrocarbon solvents and oils deteriorates it; short exposures are tolerated. Resists water, acids and bases.[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]Toluene will weld it, though the joint stays soft; no workshop-safe agent, and vapour smoothing is not practical.[23]

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. Ultrafuse TPS 90A Technical Data Sheet (Version 1.1, SEBS) BASF Forward AM · 2020-12 · tds
  4. ASA Aero — product page Bambu Lab US Store · 2026-08 · vendor
  5. Recreus product catalogue Recreus · 2026-08 · vendor
  6. Proto-pasta product catalogue Proto-pasta · 2026-08 · vendor
  7. ABS / ASA / PC Usage Guide Bambu Lab Wiki · 2026-08 · doc
  8. ASA — material basics Polymaker Wiki · 2026-08 · doc
  9. ASA — Ultimate 3D Printing Materials Guide Simplify3D · 2026-08 · doc
  10. Flexible (TPE/TPU) — Ultimate 3D Printing Materials Guide Simplify3D · 2026-08 · doc
  11. TPU — material basics Polymaker Wiki · 2026-08 · doc
  12. Max volumetric speed Prusa Knowledge Base · 2026-08 · doc
  13. Extrudr Product Catalogue (DURAPRO PA12 data block) Extrudr · 2025-03 · tds
  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. BambuLab TPU 95A HF vs Qidi TPU 95A HF — results spreadsheet My Tech Fun (Igor Gaspar) · 2024-02 · test
  17. 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
  18. Prusament ASA — material page Prusa Polymers · 2026-08 · doc
  19. ASA — FDM Material Data Sheet (includes 1000 h QUV exposure results) Stratasys · 2026-08 · tds
  20. PolyLite ASA Technical Data Sheet Polymaker · 2024-11 · tds
  21. 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
  22. Chemical resistance — resistance of Ensinger plastics to chemicals (DIN 50 014, 23/50) Ensinger · 2026-08 · tds
  23. KRATON polymers Grade Range — chemical resistance and toluene solution data Kraton Corporation · 2025-07 · tds
  24. HIPS — Knowledge Base Prusa Research · 2026-08 · doc
  25. Improve your 3D prints with chemical smoothing Prusa Research · 2026-08 · doc