3D Printing Info

Filament comparison

ASA-CF vs PC-GF

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

Carbon-fibre ASA (ASA-CF) guideGlass-fibre PC (PC-GF) guide

2 selected · all documented properties

Open these two in the interactive comparisonMore ASA-CF comparisonsMore PC-GF comparisons
ASA-CF vs PC-GF — documented properties and sources
PropertyCarbon-fibre ASA (ASA-CF)ASAGlass-fibre PC (PC-GF)PC
Market snapshot
Listing priceUSD/kg; dated snapshots$36.99/kg median; $25.00–$90.00/kg across 5 dated product listings$71.27/kg median; $71.27–$71.27/kg across 1 dated product listings
Identity & Market
Base polymer / chemistryASA reinforced with chopped carbon fibre — Formfutura's ApolloX CF10 is 10 wt%[1][2][3]Polycarbonate reinforced with 30 wt% short glass fibre[4]
Densityg/cm³1.02 (Bambu Lab), 1.1 (Formfutura ApolloX CF10) and 1.11 (3DXTech), ISO 1183[1][2][3]1.17 (measured on a 100 % infill printed part, ISO 1183-A)[4]
Typical priceUSD/kg1 kg spools cluster near 37[5][6]1 kg spools cluster near 71[7]
Price range across brandsUSD/kg25–90 across brands; IEMAI 25, Ambrosia 33, Bambu Lab 37, Polymaker Fiberon 40, 3DXTech 90[8][5][6][9][10]71 — BASF Ultrafuse PC GF30 at igo3d is the only priced listing found; Owens Corning sells XSTRAND GF30-PC in 500 g and 1 kg[7][4]
Market availability1–5Available from several mainstream brands[5][6][9][8]Niche, a handful of specialist brands — neither Polymaker's nor 3DXTech's polycarbonate range contains a glass-fibre grade, but BASF Forward AM and Owens Corning both sell one through European retail[7][4][6][9]
Spool sizes & diameters1.75 and 2.85 mm; 0.5, 0.75 and 1 kg spools[6][9][5]1.75 and 2.85 mm at +/- 0.05 mm; 500 g and 1 kg net spools[4]
Typical applicationsOutdoor structural parts, drone and antenna mounts where stiffness and UV stability both matter[1][2]Functional prototyping for mechanical engineering, electronics and automotive[4]
Diameter tolerance± mmNot documented+/- 0.05 (Owens Corning XSTRAND)[4]
Printing Parameters
Nozzle temperature°C250–280 (Bambu Lab)[1]280-330 (Owens Corning XSTRAND GF30-PC)[4]
Bed temperature°C80–100 (Bambu Lab)[1]80-110 (Owens Corning XSTRAND GF30-PC)[4]
Enclosure / chamber requirement1–5Enclosure recommended — Bambu Lab specifies a 45–60 °C chamber[1][11]Enclosure required (passive) — as for unfilled PC[12][11]
Recommended chamber temperature°C45–60 (Bambu Lab)[1]Not documented
Part cooling fanFan on (Bambu Lab)[1]Not documented
Bed surface & adhesion aidPEI sheet, BuildTak or an adhesion aid such as Magigoo (Polymaker); Simplify3D also lists Kapton tape and ASA slurry[13][14]Perforated plate, DimaFix or Magigoo PC glue (Owens Corning)[4]
Maximum volumetric flow (mm³/s; see test conditions)mm³/s20 at Bambu Lab's 250 mm/s cap on a 0.4 mm nozzle at 0.2 mm layer[1][15]Not documented
Warping tendency1–5Moderate — needs adhesion aid or draught shield; the fibre reduces warping against unfilled ASA[11]Not documented
Bed-adhesion difficulty1–5Needs a specific surface plus adhesive[13]Not documented
Stringing / oozing tendency1–5Slight — Polymaker advises 1–2 mm retraction at 20–30 mm/s[13]Not documented
Overall printing difficulty1–5Intermediate — dry filament and a tuned profile; hardened nozzle mandatory[11]Not documented
Extruder requirementNot documentedOwens Corning specifies a nozzle above 0.4 mm and hardened steel nozzles and drive wheels[4]
Hardware Wear & Reliability
Nozzle hardness required1–4Hardened steel required[11]Hardened steel required — Owens Corning states glass reinforcement shortens brass nozzle and drive-wheel life[4]
Abrasiveness1–5Highly abrasive — standard CF composite[11]Highly abrasive — 30 wt% glass fibre[4]
Nozzle clog risk1–5Moderate — needs dry filament and a clean nozzle; Prusa lists higher risk of nozzle clogging for fibre-filled composites and Simplify3D a higher tendency to clog[16][17]High — jams from moisture, heat creep or particles; PC already absorbs water from the air and Prusa lists glass-filled composites as a higher clogging risk[16][18]
Heat-creep / jam sensitivity1–5Slightly sensitive[14]Not documented
Hotend requirementNo special hotend required[14]Not documented
Moisture Behaviour
Moisture absorption (hygroscopicity)1–5Moderate — 0.33 % saturated at 25 °C / 55 % RH (Bambu Lab)[1]Negligible (<0.1 % EMC) — Owens Corning measures below 0.1 % at 23 °C and 50 % RH (ISO 62)[4]
Equilibrium moisture content at ~50 % RH%0.33 saturated at 25 °C / 55 % RH (Bambu Lab)[1]Below 0.1 at 23 °C and 50 % RH, and below 0.1 at saturation (ISO 62)[4]
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[19]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[19]No dry-versus-conditioned figures are published. Polymaker calls PC highly hygroscopic; absorbed water flashes to steam and shows as bubbling and poor layer adhesion[20][19]
Storage requirementSealed with desiccant; Polymaker rates the styrenics moderate-sensitivity[19]Not documented
Mechanical Properties
Tensile strength (XY)MPa34 ± 3 printed XY, ISO 527 (Bambu Lab); 3DXTech quotes 48 at break and Formfutura 79 at 23 °C[1][2][3]65 at break (printed, ISO 527 at 1 mm/min)[4]
Young's modulusMPa4200 ± 270 printed XY, ISO 527 (Bambu Lab); 3DXTech quotes 5355 and Formfutura 7580[1][2][3]5400 (printed, ISO 527 at 1 mm/min)[4]
Elongation at break%9.6 ± 1.4 printed XY, ISO 527 (Bambu Lab); 3DXTech quotes 3 at break and Formfutura 1.8[1][2][3]2.5 at break (printed, ISO 527 at 1 mm/min)[4]
Flexural strengthMPa72 ± 5 printed XY, ISO 178 (Bambu Lab); 3DXTech quotes 78[1][2]113 at yield (printed, ISO 178 at 2 mm/min)[4]
Flexural modulusMPa3740 ± 130 printed XY, ISO 178 (Bambu Lab); 3DXTech quotes 5210[1][2]5500 (printed, ISO 178 at 2 mm/min)[4]
Charpy impact, notchedkJ/m²6.2 ± 1.4 printed XY, ISO 179, notched (Bambu Lab) — a third of unfilled Bambu Lab ASA's 19.6[1][21]Not documented
Other impact dataCharpy unnotched 14.0 ± 2.2 printed XY (Bambu Lab, ISO 179), against 41.0 for unfilled Bambu Lab ASA[1][21]Not documented
Layer adhesion / Z tensileMPa30 ± 4 printed Z, ISO 527 (Bambu Lab); flexural Z falls to 33 against 72 in XY[1]Not documented
Brittleness1–5Brittle — snaps with little warning[1][2]Brittle — snaps with little warning; 2.5 % elongation at break[4]
Hardness (scale-specific)Shore A / Shore D / RockwellNot documentedRockwell 70 (118) — the source does not name the scales and Shore D 79 on extruded unfilled PC stock (ASTM D785, D2240); no figure is published for a glass-fibre grade[22]
Creep resistance / sustained load1–5Good — no creep test found; chopped carbon fibre lifts modulus to 4200 MPa against 2379–2450 for unfilled ASA[1][23]Excellent — holds load for years. Room-temperature tensile creep of moulded unfilled PC ran unbroken at 41 MPa until the test was stopped, and 30 wt% glass raises the tensile modulus from about 2.3 to 5.4 GPa[24][4]
Fatigue / repeated-flex resistance1–5Below average — no CF-grade S-N curve; notched Charpy falls to 6.2 kJ/m² against 19.6 for unfilled Bambu Lab ASA[1][21]Not documented
Elasticity / flexibility1–5Rigid[1]Rigid[4]
Z strength as % of XY%88 by tensile, 46 by flexural (printed, Bambu Lab)[1]Not documented
Thermal Properties
HDT at 0.45 MPa°C110 (ISO 75, 0.45 MPa, Bambu Lab) against 100 for unfilled Bambu Lab ASA[1][21]Not documented
HDT at 1.8 MPa°C102 (ISO 75, 1.8 MPa, Bambu Lab) against 92 for unfilled Bambu Lab ASA[1][21]137 (printed, ISO 75 Method A at 1.8 MPa)[4]
Glass transition (Tg)°CNot documented145 (DSC, ISO 11357)[4]
Melting point / Vicat°CNot documented270 stated as melting point (ISO 11357) — unusual for an amorphous polymer, but this is the published figure[4]
Continuous service temperature°C93 — Prusa publishes this as the temperature resistance of Prusament ASA[25]Not documented
Thermal expansion (CTE)µm/m·KNot documented26.2 in XY and 77.4 in Z (printed, ISO 11359-2) — a threefold anisotropy, and the lowest in-plane expansion of any polycarbonate here[4]
Flammability / UL 94Flammable; no UL 94 rating published[21]UL 94 V-0 verified (Owens Corning)[4]
Environment & Chemical
UV resistance1–5Excellent — designed for permanent outdoor use; the acrylate rubber phase is unchanged by the fibre[26][13]Good — years with some colour shift. Owens Corning lists UV resistance as a product benefit but publishes no exposure data[4]
Chemical resistanceGood against weak acids, weak alkalis, oils and grease; dissolved by acetone[23]Not documented
Water / humidity resistance in service1–5Not documentedExcellent — essentially unaffected; below 0.1 % water at saturation (ISO 62)[4]
Food contactNot food safe[13]Not documented
Biodegradability / compostabilityNot biodegradable[13]Not documented
RecyclabilityNot accepted in household plastic collection[13]Not documented
Electrical & ESD propertiesSurface resistance above 10⁹ ohm/sq — not static-dissipative (3DXTech, ASTM D257)[2]Electrically insulating (Owens Corning)[4]
Health & Safety
Fume toxicity1–5High — hazardous VOC such as styrene; enclosure and filtration needed[27][11]Moderate — measurable VOCs and UFPs, ventilation advised[27]
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[27]
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[11][27]Not documented
Ventilation / filtration requirement1–5Enclosure with carbon and HEPA filtration[27][11]Ventilated room or enclosure recommended[27][11]
Dust & fibre handling hazardCarbon fibre is bound in the matrix; sanding dust should not be inhaled[2]Owens Corning warns that the glass reinforcement is abrasive when melted and advises sufficient ventilation and avoiding extrusion fumes[4]
Post-Processing
Sanding & machiningSands well and takes filler before painting[13]Not documented
Painting & finishingPaints readily; ASA holds colour outdoors so many parts are left unpainted[13]Not documented
Gluing & solvent weldingSolvent-welds with acetone[23]Not documented
Vapour / chemical smoothingAcetone vapour smoothing works[23]Not documented
Support material pairingHIPS breaks away or dissolves in d-limonene; Bambu Lab sells a Support for ABS that also serves ASA[11]Not documented
Dimensional accuracy & detailMatte fibre-filled finish hides layer lines[1]High dimensional stability is the headline benefit; the 26.2 um/m*K in-plane CTE is a third of unfilled PC's[4]
Solvents & Solubility
Soluble inAcetone dissolves the resin and leaves the fibre; MEK, THF, ethyl acetate and chlorinated solvents attack the styrenic backbone.[28][23]Dichloromethane and chloroform dissolve the matrix and leave the fibre; DMF and dioxane do the same (Covestro).[29]
Softened or crazed byLimonene attacks some grades — Prusa reports Prusament ASA Orange flaking apart as layer adhesion fails.[30]Methanol, butyl acetate, ether, 1 % NaOH and phthalate plasticisers stress-crack it; acetone, MEK and xylene swell it.[29]
Solvent welding & smoothing agentAcetone vapour reaches only the resin fraction, so the fibre is left standing proud of the smoothed surface.[31][23]Dichloromethane cement welds the resin, but the fibre keeps the joint from flowing closed. Controlled carcinogen.[32]

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-CF Bambu Lab · 2026-08 · tds
  2. CarbonX Carbon Fiber ASA Technical Data Sheet 3DXTech · 2026-08 · tds
  3. ApolloX CF10 Technical Data Sheet Formfutura · 2026-08 · tds
  4. XSTRAND GF30-PC Data Sheet Owens Corning · 2019-04 · tds
  5. ASA-CF — product page Bambu Lab US Store · 2026-08 · vendor
  6. Polymaker product catalogue Polymaker · 2026-08 · vendor
  7. BASF Ultrafuse PC GF30 Black 2.85 mm 1.000 g igo3d · 2026-08 · vendor
  8. Filastruder product catalogue Filastruder · 2026-08 · vendor
  9. 3DXTech product catalogue 3DXTech · 2026-08 · vendor
  10. IEMAI CF-ASA 3D Printing Filament product page IEMAI 3D · 2026-08 · vendor
  11. ABS / ASA / PC Usage Guide Bambu Lab Wiki · 2026-08 · doc
  12. PolyLite PC Technical Data Sheet V5.4 Polymaker · 2024-11 · tds
  13. ASA — material basics Polymaker Wiki · 2026-08 · doc
  14. ASA — Ultimate 3D Printing Materials Guide Simplify3D · 2026-08 · doc
  15. Max volumetric speed Prusa Knowledge Base · 2026-08 · doc
  16. Composite materials filled with carbon, kevlar or glass Prusa Knowledge Base · 2026-08 · doc
  17. Carbon Fiber Filled — Ultimate 3D Printing Materials Guide Simplify3D · 2026-08 · doc
  18. Polycarbonate — Ultimate 3D Printing Materials Guide Simplify3D · 2026-08 · doc
  19. Wet Filament — signs, causes and drying Polymaker Wiki · 2026-08 · doc
  20. PC — material basics Polymaker Wiki · 2026-08 · doc
  21. Bambu Filament Technical Data Sheet V3.0 — ASA Bambu Lab · 2026-08 · tds
  22. TECANAT natural (PC) — stock shape properties Ensinger · 2026-08 · tds
  23. PolyLite ASA Technical Data Sheet Polymaker · 2024-11 · tds
  24. Experimental data for creep and dynamic mechanical properties of polycarbonate and polycarbonate/ABS Data in Brief 42:108264 · 2022-06 · paper
  25. Prusament ASA — material page Prusa Polymers · 2026-08 · doc
  26. ASA — FDM Material Data Sheet (includes 1000 h QUV exposure results) Stratasys · 2026-08 · tds
  27. 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
  28. Chemical resistance — resistance of Ensinger plastics to chemicals (DIN 50 014, 23/50) Ensinger · 2026-08 · tds
  29. Makrolon — The chemical resistance (Makrolon 2800, 6 days at 23 °C and 50 °C) Covestro · 2016-12 · tds
  30. HIPS — Knowledge Base Prusa Research · 2026-08 · doc
  31. Improve your 3D prints with chemical smoothing Prusa Research · 2026-08 · doc
  32. Weld-On 3 Acrylic Plastic Cement — technical data sheet (shipped as dichloromethane) IPS Corporation · 2002-07 · tds