Filament comparison
ASA-CF vs PEEK-CF
Compare printing settings, strength, heat resistance, dated prices and sources.
2 selected · all documented properties
| Property | Carbon-fibre ASA (ASA-CF)ASA | Fibre-reinforced PEEKHIGHTEMP |
|---|---|---|
| Market snapshot | ||
| Listing priceUSD/kg; dated snapshots | $36.99/kg median; $25.00–$90.00/kg across 5 dated product listings | $597.50/kg median; $448.00–$695.00/kg across 5 dated product listings |
| Identity & Market | ||
| Base polymer / chemistry | ASA reinforced with chopped carbon fibre — Formfutura's ApolloX CF10 is 10 wt%[1][2][3] | Short-fibre reinforced PEEK. 3DXTech's CarbonX grade is nominally 10 wt% carbon and its FibreX grade 20 wt% glass; LEHVOSS Luvocom 3F PEEK CF 9676 is 15 wt% carbon; Ensinger's machining stock runs to 30 wt% carbon[4][5][6][7] |
| Densityg/cm³ | 1.02 (Bambu Lab), 1.1 (Formfutura ApolloX CF10) and 1.11 (3DXTech), ISO 1183[1][2][3] | 1.39 (ISO 1183)[4] |
| Typical priceUSD/kg | 1 kg spools cluster near 37[8][9] | 1 kg-equivalent spools span 448–972; the middle of the market is about 598[5][6][10] |
| Price range across brandsUSD/kg | 25–90 across brands; IEMAI 25, Ambrosia 33, Bambu Lab 37, Polymaker Fiberon 40, 3DXTech 90[11][8][9][5][12] | 448-972 across formats and filler types; IEMAI 3D CF-PEEK and GF-PEEK 448 at 1 kg, 3DXTech CarbonX PEEK+CF10 598 at 2 kg and FibreX PEEK+GF20 695 at 1 kg, Luvocom 3F PEEK CF 9676 648 at 2 kg[5][6][10][13] |
| Market availability1–5 | Available from several mainstream brands[8][9][5][11] | Niche, a handful of specialist brands[5][6] |
| Spool sizes & diameters | 1.75 and 2.85 mm; 0.5, 0.75 and 1 kg spools[9][5][8] | 1.75 and 2.85 mm; 200 g to 2 kg spools[5][6] |
| Typical applications | Outdoor structural parts, drone and antenna mounts where stiffness and UV stability both matter[1][2] | Stiff aerospace and oil-and-gas parts where PEEK alone is not rigid enough[4] |
| Printing Parameters | ||
| Nozzle temperature°C | 250–280 (Bambu Lab)[1] | Not documented |
| Bed temperature°C | 80–100 (Bambu Lab)[1] | Not documented |
| Enclosure / chamber requirement1–5 | Enclosure recommended — Bambu Lab specifies a 45–60 °C chamber[1][14] | Actively heated chamber required[15][16] |
| Recommended chamber temperature°C | 45–60 (Bambu Lab)[1] | Not documented |
| Part cooling fan | Fan on (Bambu Lab)[1] | Not documented |
| Bed surface & adhesion aid | PEI sheet, BuildTak or an adhesion aid such as Magigoo (Polymaker); Simplify3D also lists Kapton tape and ASA slurry[17][18] | Not documented |
| Maximum volumetric flow (mm³/s; see test conditions)mm³/s | 20 at Bambu Lab's 250 mm/s cap on a 0.4 mm nozzle at 0.2 mm layer[1][19] | Not documented |
| Warping tendency1–5 | Moderate — needs adhesion aid or draught shield; the fibre reduces warping against unfilled ASA[14] | Moderate — needs adhesion aid or draught shield; the fibre cuts PEEK's crystallisation shrinkage[4] |
| Bed-adhesion difficulty1–5 | Needs a specific surface plus adhesive[17] | Not documented |
| Stringing / oozing tendency1–5 | Slight — Polymaker advises 1–2 mm retraction at 20–30 mm/s[17] | Not documented |
| Overall printing difficulty1–5 | Intermediate — dry filament and a tuned profile; hardened nozzle mandatory[14] | Expert / industrial hardware only[15][16] |
| Hardware Wear & Reliability | ||
| Nozzle hardness required1–4 | Hardened steel required[14] | Hardened steel required[4] |
| Abrasiveness1–5 | Highly abrasive — standard CF composite[14] | Highly abrasive — standard CF composite[4] |
| Nozzle clog risk1–5 | Moderate — 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[20][21] | High — jams from moisture, heat creep or particles; 3DXTech adds a hardened 0.4 mm minimum nozzle and 0.25 mm layers to the mandatory 120 °C pre-dry[22][20] |
| Heat-creep / jam sensitivity1–5 | Slightly sensitive[18] | Not documented |
| Hotend requirement | No special hotend required[18] | Not documented |
| Moisture Behaviour | ||
| Moisture absorption (hygroscopicity)1–5 | Moderate — 0.33 % saturated at 25 °C / 55 % RH (Bambu Lab)[1] | Not documented |
| Equilibrium moisture content at ~50 % RH% | 0.33 saturated at 25 °C / 55 % RH (Bambu Lab)[1] | 0.06 in 24 h on extruded CF30 stock (ASTM D570)[7] |
| Drying temperature & time | 80 °C for 8 h (Bambu Lab)[1] | Not documented |
| Symptoms when wet | Bubbling and popping at the nozzle, stringing and a rough surface[23] | Not documented |
| Effect of moisture on strength | No dry-versus-conditioned figures are published; Polymaker groups the styrenics as moderate-sensitivity and absorbed water shows as bubbling and poor layer adhesion[23] | No dry-versus-conditioned figures are published; 3DXTech mandates a 120 °C, 4 h pre-dry before every print because trapped water flashes to steam at these nozzle temperatures[22] |
| Storage requirement | Sealed with desiccant; Polymaker rates the styrenics moderate-sensitivity[23] | Not documented |
| Mechanical Properties | ||
| Tensile strength (XY)MPa | 34 ± 3 printed XY, ISO 527 (Bambu Lab); 3DXTech quotes 48 at break and Formfutura 79 at 23 °C[1][2][3] | 105 at break (printed XY, ISO 527, CF10); 121 at yield on extruded CF30 stock (ASTM D638)[4][7] |
| Young's modulusMPa | 4200 ± 270 printed XY, ISO 527 (Bambu Lab); 3DXTech quotes 5355 and Formfutura 7580[1][2][3] | 8100 (printed XY, ISO 527, CF10) — more than double unfilled PEEK; 6343 on extruded CF30 stock (ASTM D638)[4][7] |
| 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] | 3 at break (printed XY, ISO 527), against 28 for unfilled PEEK[4][24] |
| Flexural strengthMPa | 72 ± 5 printed XY, ISO 178 (Bambu Lab); 3DXTech quotes 78[1][2] | 136 (printed XY, ISO 178, CF10); 193 on extruded CF30 stock (ASTM D790)[4][7] |
| Flexural modulusMPa | 3740 ± 130 printed XY, ISO 178 (Bambu Lab); 3DXTech quotes 5210[1][2] | 8300 (printed XY, ISO 178, CF10); 7171 on extruded CF30 stock (ASTM D790)[4][7] |
| Charpy impact, notchedkJ/m² | 6.2 ± 1.4 printed XY, ISO 179, notched (Bambu Lab) — a third of unfilled Bambu Lab ASA's 19.6[1][25] | Not documented |
| Other impact data | Charpy unnotched 14.0 ± 2.2 printed XY (Bambu Lab, ISO 179), against 41.0 for unfilled Bambu Lab ASA[1][25] | Izod notched 61.9 J/m on extruded CF30 stock, converted from 1.16 ft-lb/in (ASTM D256)[7] |
| Layer adhesion / Z tensileMPa | 30 ± 4 printed Z, ISO 527 (Bambu Lab); flexural Z falls to 33 against 72 in XY[1] | Not documented |
| Brittleness1–5 | Brittle — snaps with little warning[1][2] | Brittle — snaps with little warning; elongation falls from 28 % to 3 %[4][24] |
| Hardness (scale-specific)Shore A / Shore D / Rockwell | Not documented | Rockwell M107 on extruded PEEK-CF30 stock (ASTM D785), against M100 unfilled[7][26] |
| Creep resistance / sustained load1–5 | Good — no creep test found; chopped carbon fibre lifts modulus to 4200 MPa against 2379–2450 for unfilled ASA[1][27] | Excellent — holds load for years. Ensinger rates carbon-fibre PEEK stock as very highly creep resistant and specifies 260 °C continuous service[7] |
| Fatigue / repeated-flex resistance1–5 | Below average — no CF-grade S-N curve; notched Charpy falls to 6.2 kJ/m² against 19.6 for unfilled Bambu Lab ASA[1][25] | Good. Victrex rates PEEK for long-term fatigue as well as creep; the fibre cuts elongation at break from 28 % to 3 %, which limits repeated large-strain flexing[28][4][24] |
| Elasticity / flexibility1–5 | Rigid[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°C | 110 (ISO 75, 0.45 MPa, Bambu Lab) against 100 for unfilled Bambu Lab ASA[1][25] | 265 (printed XY, ISO 75 at 0.45 MPa, CarbonX PEEK+CF10) against 140 for unfilled PEEK[4][24] |
| HDT at 1.8 MPa°C | 102 (ISO 75, 1.8 MPa, Bambu Lab) against 92 for unfilled Bambu Lab ASA[1][25] | 316 on extruded CF30 stock, converted from 600 °F at 264 psi (ASTM D648)[7] |
| Glass transition (Tg)°C | Not documented | 143 (DSC, CarbonX PEEK+CF10) — the fibre does not move the glass transition[4] |
| Melting point / Vicat°C | Not documented | 334 melting on extruded CF30 stock, converted from 633 °F[7] |
| Continuous service temperature°C | 93 — Prusa publishes this as the temperature resistance of Prusament ASA[29] | 260 long-term on extruded CF30 stock, converted from 500 °F; 300 short term[7] |
| Thermal expansion (CTE)µm/m·K | Not documented | 14.4 (extruded PEEK-CF30 stock, ASTM D696; source states 0.80e-5 in/in/°F) — about a third of unfilled PEEK[7][26] |
| Flammability / UL 94 | Flammable; no UL 94 rating published[25] | UL 94 V-0 on the base resin; Ensinger lists extruded PEEK-CF30 stock as inherently flame resistant[24][7] |
| Environment & Chemical | ||
| UV resistance1–5 | Excellent — designed for permanent outdoor use; the acrylate rubber phase is unchanged by the fibre[30][17] | Not documented |
| Chemical resistance | Good against weak acids, weak alkalis, oils and grease; dissolved by acetone[27] | Not documented |
| Food contact | Not food safe[17] | Not documented |
| Biodegradability / compostability | Not biodegradable[17] | Not documented |
| Recyclability | Not accepted in household plastic collection[17] | Not documented |
| Electrical & ESD properties | Surface resistance above 10⁹ ohm/sq — not static-dissipative (3DXTech, ASTM D257)[2] | Surface resistance above 10⁹ ohm/sq — not static-dissipative (ASTM D257)[4] |
| Health & Safety | ||
| Fume toxicity1–5 | High — hazardous VOC such as styrene; enclosure and filtration needed[31][14] | Moderate — measurable VOCs and UFPs, ventilation advised. None of these polymers was in the chamber study, and all are processed far above the temperatures it covered[31] |
| Hazardous species emitted | Styrene. 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[14][31] | Not documented |
| Ventilation / filtration requirement1–5 | Enclosure with carbon and HEPA filtration[31][14] | Ventilated room or enclosure recommended[31] |
| Dust & fibre handling hazard | Carbon fibre is bound in the matrix; sanding dust should not be inhaled[2] | Carbon fibre is bound in the matrix; sanding dust should not be inhaled[4] |
| Post-Processing | ||
| Sanding & machining | Sands well and takes filler before painting[17] | Not documented |
| Painting & finishing | Paints readily; ASA holds colour outdoors so many parts are left unpainted[17] | Not documented |
| Gluing & solvent welding | Solvent-welds with acetone[27] | Not documented |
| Vapour / chemical smoothing | Acetone vapour smoothing works[27] | Not documented |
| Support material pairing | HIPS breaks away or dissolves in d-limonene; Bambu Lab sells a Support for ABS that also serves ASA[14] | Not documented |
| Dimensional accuracy & detail | Matte fibre-filled finish hides layer lines[1] | Not documented |
| Solvents & Solubility | ||
| Soluble in | Acetone dissolves the resin and leaves the fibre; MEK, THF, ethyl acetate and chlorinated solvents attack the styrenic backbone.[32][27] | 95–98 wt% sulphuric acid dissolves the matrix at 40–70 °C and leaves the fibre. Nothing else touches PEEK.[33][32] |
| Softened or crazed by | Limonene attacks some grades — Prusa reports Prusament ASA Orange flaking apart as layer adhesion fails.[34] | Concentrated nitric, hydrofluoric, hydrobromic and hydriodic acids attack it; DCM, DMSO and THF swell thin-walled sections.[35][32] |
| Solvent welding & smoothing agent | Acetone vapour reaches only the resin fraction, so the fibre is left standing proud of the smoothed surface.[36][27] | None — no solvent softens PEEK, so parts are joined thermally or mechanically, never chemically.[35][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
- Bambu Filament Technical Data Sheet V1.0 — ASA-CF Bambu Lab · 2026-08 · tds
- CarbonX Carbon Fiber ASA Technical Data Sheet 3DXTech · 2026-08 · tds
- ApolloX CF10 Technical Data Sheet Formfutura · 2026-08 · tds
- CarbonX Carbon Fiber PEEK Technical Data Sheet v3 3DXTech · 2026-08 · tds
- 3DXTech product catalogue 3DXTech · 2026-08 · vendor
- 3D4Makers product catalogue 3D4Makers · 2026-08 · vendor
- TECAPEEK CF30 black (PEEK-CF30) — stock shape properties Ensinger · 2026-08 · tds
- ASA-CF — product page Bambu Lab US Store · 2026-08 · vendor
- Polymaker product catalogue Polymaker · 2026-08 · vendor
- IEMAI 3D CF-PEEK 3D Printing Filament — store page IEMAI 3D · 2026-08 · vendor
- Filastruder product catalogue Filastruder · 2026-08 · vendor
- IEMAI CF-ASA 3D Printing Filament product page IEMAI 3D · 2026-08 · vendor
- IEMAI 3D GF-PEEK 3D Printing Filament — store page IEMAI 3D · 2026-08 · vendor
- ABS / ASA / PC Usage Guide Bambu Lab Wiki · 2026-08 · doc
- Prusament PEI 1010 Technical Datasheet v1.0 Prusa Polymers · 2024-09 · tds
- Prusament PEI 1010 — material page Prusa Polymers · 2026-08 · doc
- ASA — material basics Polymaker Wiki · 2026-08 · doc
- ASA — Ultimate 3D Printing Materials Guide Simplify3D · 2026-08 · doc
- Max volumetric speed Prusa Knowledge Base · 2026-08 · doc
- Composite materials filled with carbon, kevlar or glass Prusa Knowledge Base · 2026-08 · doc
- Carbon Fiber Filled — Ultimate 3D Printing Materials Guide Simplify3D · 2026-08 · doc
- CARBONX PEEK+CF10 — product page (print recommendations) 3DXTech · 2026-08 · doc
- Wet Filament — signs, causes and drying Polymaker Wiki · 2026-08 · doc
- ThermaX PEEK Technical Data Sheet v3 3DXTech · 2026-08 · tds
- Bambu Filament Technical Data Sheet V3.0 — ASA Bambu Lab · 2026-08 · tds
- TECAPEEK natural (PEEK) — stock shape properties Ensinger · 2026-08 · tds
- PolyLite ASA Technical Data Sheet Polymaker · 2024-11 · tds
- PEEK polymers — product overview Victrex · 2026-08 · doc
- Prusament ASA — material page Prusa Polymers · 2026-08 · doc
- ASA — FDM Material Data Sheet (includes 1000 h QUV exposure results) Stratasys · 2026-08 · tds
- 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
- Chemical resistance — resistance of Ensinger plastics to chemicals (DIN 50 014, 23/50) Ensinger · 2026-08 · tds
- The Effects of Sulfonated Poly(ether ether ketone) Ion Exchange Preparation Conditions on Membrane Properties Yee, Zhang & Ladewig, Membranes 3(3) 182–195 · 2013-07 · paper
- HIPS — Knowledge Base Prusa Research · 2026-08 · doc
- What solvents are not compatible with PEEK? — fluidics technical FAQ IDEX Health & Science · 2026-08 · doc
- Improve your 3D prints with chemical smoothing Prusa Research · 2026-08 · doc