3D Printing Info

Filament comparison

ASA-CF vs PLA

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

Carbon-fibre ASA (ASA-CF) guidePLA (standard) guide

2 selected · all documented properties

Open these two in the interactive comparisonMore ASA-CF comparisonsMore PLA comparisons
ASA-CF vs PLA — documented properties and sources
PropertyCarbon-fibre ASA (ASA-CF)ASAPLA (standard)PLA
Market snapshot
Listing priceUSD/kg; dated snapshots$36.99/kg median; $25.00–$90.00/kg across 5 dated product listings$19.74/kg median; $9.99–$32.99/kg across 24 dated product listings
Identity & Market
Base polymer / chemistryASA reinforced with chopped carbon fibre — Formfutura's ApolloX CF10 is 10 wt%[1][2][3]Poly(lactic acid), a thermoplastic aliphatic polyester from fermented plant starch[4][5]
Densityg/cm³1.02 (Bambu Lab), 1.1 (Formfutura ApolloX CF10) and 1.11 (3DXTech), ISO 1183[1][2][3]1.17–1.24 (ISO 1183)[4][6][5]
Typical priceUSD/kg1 kg spools cluster near 37[7][8]Mainstream 1 kg spools cluster near 20[9][10][11]
Price range across brandsUSD/kg25–90 across brands; IEMAI 25, Ambrosia 33, Bambu Lab 37, Polymaker Fiberon 40, 3DXTech 90[12][7][8][13][14]10–33 across brands; budget house brands 10–14, premium European 26–33[15][16][17][18]
Market availability1–5Available from several mainstream brands[7][8][13][12]Ubiquitous, every brand and retailer[19][20]
Spool sizes & diameters1.75 and 2.85 mm; 0.5, 0.75 and 1 kg spools[8][13][7]1.75 and 2.85 mm; 0.75, 0.85, 1 and 1.1 kg spools plus spool-less refills[9][21][22][17][23]
Typical applicationsOutdoor structural parts, drone and antenna mounts where stiffness and UV stability both matter[1][2]Concept models, functional prototypes, low-wear toys, jigs used at room temperature[24]
Diameter tolerance± mmNot documented±0.02 (Prusament) to ±0.03 (Bambu Lab, Prusa Research standard)[4][9][25]
Printing Parameters
Nozzle temperature°C250–280 (Bambu Lab)[1]190–230; Prusament specifies 210 ± 10[4][6][5]
Bed temperature°C80–100 (Bambu Lab)[1]25–60; Prusament 40–60, Bambu Lab 35–45[4][6][5]
Enclosure / chamber requirement1–5Enclosure recommended — Bambu Lab specifies a 45–60 °C chamber[1][26]Open frame is fine[6][19]
Recommended chamber temperature°C45–60 (Bambu Lab)[1]Not documented
Part cooling fanFan on (Bambu Lab)[1]100 % from the second layer; reduce on the first one or two layers for bed adhesion[4][20]
Bed surface & adhesion aidPEI sheet, BuildTak or an adhesion aid such as Magigoo (Polymaker); Simplify3D also lists Kapton tape and ASA slurry[27][28]Smooth or textured PEI, glass or painter's tape; glue stick only where release is a problem[6][29][20]
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][30]12–20 (PrusaSlicer max volumetric speed guidance for PLA)[30]
Warping tendency1–5Moderate — needs adhesion aid or draught shield; the fibre reduces warping against unfilled ASA[26]None[31][19]
Bed-adhesion difficulty1–5Needs a specific surface plus adhesive[27]Sticks to anything — glue only needed on smooth PEI[6][5][20]
Stringing / oozing tendency1–5Slight — Polymaker advises 1–2 mm retraction at 20–30 mm/s[27]Slight — 1–3 mm retraction handles it; oozing rises with nozzle temperature[6][20][32]
Overall printing difficulty1–5Intermediate — dry filament and a tuned profile; hardened nozzle mandatory[26]Beginner — prints on any machine out of the box[19][20]
Extruder requirementNot documentedAny extruder; Bowden and direct drive both fine, no hardware upgrades[19]
Hardware Wear & Reliability
Nozzle hardness required1–4Hardened steel required[26]Brass fine indefinitely[19]
Abrasiveness1–5Highly abrasive — standard CF composite[26]Non-abrasive[31][19]
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[33][34]Very low[19][20]
Heat-creep / jam sensitivity1–5Slightly sensitive[28]Moderate — good heatbreak cooling needed; softens below 60 °C so it deforms in a warm cold zone[29][35]
Hotend requirementNo special hotend required[28]Any standard hotend; PTFE-lined is fine at PLA temperatures[19]
Other hardware wearNot documentedNone — brass nozzles and standard drive gears are unaffected[31][19]
Moisture Behaviour
Moisture absorption (hygroscopicity)1–5Moderate — 0.33 % saturated at 25 °C / 55 % RH (Bambu Lab)[1]Moderate — 0.40–0.51 % saturated at 23–25 °C and 55–70 % RH[5][6][36]
Equilibrium moisture content at ~50 % RH%0.33 saturated at 25 °C / 55 % RH (Bambu Lab)[1]0.43 saturated at 25 °C / 55 % RH (Bambu Lab); 0.51 equilibrium (Polymaker)[5][6]
Drying temperature & time80 °C for 8 h (Bambu Lab)[1]50–55 °C for 6–8 h in a forced-air dryer; 45 °C for 12 h in the Bambu Lab AMS HT[6][5][35]
Symptoms when wetBubbling and popping at the nozzle, stringing and a rough surface[37]Bubbling and popping at the nozzle, stringing, rough surface and weak layers[37]
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[37]Polymaker rates PLA low-sensitivity — it absorbs moisture slowly and the loss shows as poor layer adhesion and brittle layers rather than a published strength figure[37]
Storage requirementSealed with desiccant; Polymaker rates the styrenics moderate-sensitivity[37]Sealed with desiccant below 20 % RH; shelf life at ambient is long[5][20]
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]35–52 (printed XY, ISO 527); 55 mean across 16 brands and 53 for the reference PLA in a later run, both on 4×4 mm printed bars[4][6][5][38][39]
Young's modulusMPa4200 ± 270 printed XY, ISO 527 (Bambu Lab); 3DXTech quotes 5355 and Formfutura 7580[1][2][3]2300–3427 (printed XY, ISO 527)[4][6][5]
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]6.3–12.2 (printed XY, ISO 527); Prusament quotes 2.9 at yield[6][5][4]
Flexural strengthMPa72 ± 5 printed XY, ISO 178 (Bambu Lab); 3DXTech quotes 78[1][2]76–87 (printed XY, ISO 178); Fiberlogy quotes 81 by ASTM D790[4][6][5][40]
Flexural modulusMPa3740 ± 130 printed XY, ISO 178 (Bambu Lab); 3DXTech quotes 5210[1][2]2750–3230 (printed XY, ISO 178); Fiberlogy quotes 3800 by ASTM D790[4][6][5][40]
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][41]3.3–7.9 (printed XY, ISO 179, notched)[6][5]
Other impact dataCharpy unnotched 14.0 ± 2.2 printed XY (Bambu Lab, ISO 179), against 41.0 for unfilled Bambu Lab ASA[1][41]Charpy unnotched, printed: 13–14 (Prusament, ISO 179-1), 26.6 (Bambu Lab PLA Basic)[4][5]
Layer adhesion / Z tensileMPa30 ± 4 printed Z, ISO 527 (Bambu Lab); flexural Z falls to 33 against 72 in XY[1]17–31 (Prusa interlayer test and printed Z tensile); 23 mean on My Tech Fun 4×4 mm bars[4][5][39]
Brittleness1–5Brittle — snaps with little warning[1][2]Brittle — snaps with little warning[29][31]
Hardness (scale-specific)Shore A / Shore D / RockwellNot documented81 Shore D (Prusa Polymers in-house method); 75.3 Shore D measured on printed bars (My Tech Fun, Sunlu PLA)[4][42]
Creep resistance / sustained load1–5Good — no creep test found; chopped carbon fibre lifts modulus to 4200 MPa against 2379–2450 for unfilled ASA[1][43]Poor — deforms under load at room temperature; 12 mm bar sagged to 20.3 mm over 5 days at 1.25 kg[44][45]
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][41]Poor — 38 000–49 000 cycles at 30 % of tensile strength, against 79 000–193 000 for PETG (printed, R = 0.2, 7 Hz)[46][29]
Elasticity / flexibility1–5Rigid[1]Rigid[31]
Z strength as % of XY%88 by tensile, 46 by flexural (printed, Bambu Lab)[1]77–89 on TDS specimens; ≈44 on My Tech Fun 4×4 mm bars[6][5][39]
Thermal Properties
HDT at 0.45 MPa°C110 (ISO 75, 0.45 MPa, Bambu Lab) against 100 for unfilled Bambu Lab ASA[1][41]55–60 (ISO 75, 0.45 MPa)[4][6][5]
HDT at 1.8 MPa°C102 (ISO 75, 1.8 MPa, Bambu Lab) against 92 for unfilled Bambu Lab ASA[1][41]54–58 (ISO 75, 1.8 MPa)[4][6][5]
Glass transition (Tg)°CNot documented55–61 (DSC)[4][6][5]
Melting point / Vicat°CNot documented145–160 peak melt (Prusament, ISO 11357); 150 and 160 by DSC (PolyLite, Bambu Lab); Vicat 57–63 (ISO 306)[24][6][5]
Continuous service temperature°C93 — Prusa publishes this as the temperature resistance of Prusament ASA[47]50–55 — loaded bars begin to move at this temperature[31][39]
Annealing responseNot documentedBambu Lab conditions specimens at 55 °C for 8 h; annealing at 50–60 °C for 6–12 h raises crystallinity but can warp parts[5][48]
Thermal expansion (CTE)µm/m·KNot documented96 ± 5 at 0° and 99 ± 5 at 90° raster (printed PLA, fibre Bragg grating, 25–50 °C)[49]
Flammability / UL 94Flammable; no UL 94 rating published[41]Flammable; no UL 94 rating published by the major brands[5][6]
Environment & Chemical
UV resistance1–5Excellent — designed for permanent outdoor use; the acrylate rubber phase is unchanged by the fibre[50][27]Degrades within weeks outdoors[29][24]
Outdoor durabilityNot documentedNot suitable for long-term outdoor use — UV embrittlement plus softening above 55 °C in direct sun[24][29]
Chemical resistanceGood against weak acids, weak alkalis, oils and grease; dissolved by acetone[43]Good against weak acids, oils and grease; poor against strong acids and alkalis; dissolved by chloroform, THF and hot benzene[6][29]
Water / humidity resistance in service1–5Not documentedGood — insoluble in water, absorbs 0.4–0.5 % at equilibrium[5][51]
Food contactNot food safe[27]Base resin is food-contact grade and EN 71-3 certified by some brands, but printed layer grooves harbour bacteria; Prusa advises against food use[29][51]
Biodegradability / compostabilityNot biodegradable[27]Industrially compostable only — needs sustained 55 °C and specific microbial conditions; not home compostable[51][29][5]
RecyclabilityNot accepted in household plastic collection[27]Mechanically recyclable; not accepted in household plastic collection, so brand take-back schemes are the practical route[51]
Electrical & ESD propertiesSurface resistance above 10⁹ ohm/sq — not static-dissipative (3DXTech, ASTM D257)[2]Not documented
Health & Safety
Fume toxicity1–5High — hazardous VOC such as styrene; enclosure and filtration needed[52][26]Low hazard — minimal VOC and particle emission[52]
VOC emission rateµg/minNot documented4–5 lactide, the dominant VOC (chamber study, three printers)[52]
Ultrafine-particle emission rateparticles/minNot documented≈1 × 10⁸ median across three printers; only laywood ≈8 × 10⁷ and laybrick ≈6 × 10⁷ were lower[52]
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[26][52]Lactide (3,6-dimethyl-1,4-dioxane-2,5-dione) dominates; no styrene or caprolactam as a leading species[52]
Ventilation / filtration requirement1–5Enclosure with carbon and HEPA filtration[52][26]None needed in a normal room[52]
Dust & fibre handling hazardCarbon fibre is bound in the matrix; sanding dust should not be inhaled[2]Not documented
Post-Processing
Sanding & machiningSands well and takes filler before painting[27]Wet sanding — dry sanding heats the surface by friction and smears it[24][29]
Painting & finishingPaints readily; ASA holds colour outdoors so many parts are left unpainted[27]Not documented
Gluing & solvent weldingSolvent-welds with acetone[43]Cyanoacrylate for most joints; some grades partially dissolve and bond with acetone, depending on additives and colour[29][25]
Vapour / chemical smoothingAcetone vapour smoothing works[43]No practical vapour smoothing — only chloroform, hot benzene or THF, which are laboratory-only[29]
Support material pairingHIPS breaks away or dissolves in d-limonene; Bambu Lab sells a Support for ABS that also serves ASA[26]PolySupport and PolyDissolve S1 (Polymaker); Support for PLA (Bambu Lab)[6][5]
Dimensional accuracy & detailMatte fibre-filled finish hides layer lines[1]Good — low shrinkage and features under 0.2 mm resolve; 55° overhangs and 30 mm bridges[31][5][20]
Solvents & Solubility
Soluble inAcetone dissolves the resin and leaves the fibre; MEK, THF, ethyl acetate and chlorinated solvents attack the styrenic backbone.[53][43]Chloroform: 10 % w/v in 2–4 h at 23 °C, every grade and morphology; THF and DMF only at 65 °C. Laboratory reagents.[54]
Softened or crazed byLimonene attacks some grades — Prusa reports Prusament ASA Orange flaking apart as layer adhesion fails.[55]Acetone, ethyl acetate and toluene plasticise it but dissolve <1 % even at 65 °C; submersion in acetone crazes and destroys parts.[54][56]
Solvent welding & smoothing agentAcetone vapour reaches only the resin fraction, so the fibre is left standing proud of the smoothed surface.[56][43]Chloroform vapour smooths and welds PLA at the cost of tensile strength; acetone does not smooth it at all.[57][56]

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. Prusament PLA Technical Datasheet v1.1 Prusa Polymers · 2022-02 · tds
  5. Bambu Filament Technical Data Sheet V3.0 — PLA Basic Bambu Lab · 2026-08 · tds
  6. PolyLite PLA Technical Data Sheet V5.4 Polymaker · 2024-11 · tds
  7. ASA-CF — product page Bambu Lab US Store · 2026-08 · vendor
  8. Polymaker product catalogue Polymaker · 2026-08 · vendor
  9. PLA Basic — product page Bambu Lab US Store · 2026-08 · vendor
  10. MH Build Series PLA Filament White 1.75mm 1kg MatterHackers · 2026-08 · vendor
  11. 3DJAKE ecoPLA Black 1.75mm 1000g 3DJake International · 2026-08 · vendor
  12. Filastruder product catalogue Filastruder · 2026-08 · vendor
  13. 3DXTech product catalogue 3DXTech · 2026-08 · vendor
  14. IEMAI CF-ASA 3D Printing Filament product page IEMAI 3D · 2026-08 · vendor
  15. JAYO PLA Classic 1.1KG 1.75mm JAYO Official Store · 2026-08 · vendor
  16. ELEGOO PLA Filament 1.75mm Colored 1KG Elegoo US Official Store · 2026-08 · vendor
  17. Fillamentum PLA Extrafill Natural 1kg Fillamentum USA · 2026-08 · vendor
  18. Prusament PLA Jet Black 1kg (NFC) Prusa Research · 2026-08 · vendor
  19. Filament Material Guide Prusa Knowledge Base · 2026-08 · doc
  20. PLA — Ultimate 3D Printing Materials Guide Simplify3D · 2026-08 · doc
  21. Fiberlogy rPLA Refill Anthracite 850 g 3DJake International · 2026-08 · vendor
  22. JAYO Silk PLA+ 1.75mm 1.1kg JAYO Official Store · 2026-08 · vendor
  23. ColorFabb PLA/PHA 750g 3D Universe · 2026-08 · vendor
  24. Prusament PLA Technical Data Sheet v1.0 Prusa Polymers · 2018-09 · tds
  25. Prusament rPLA Corn Pigment 1kg — product page Prusa Research · 2026-08 · vendor
  26. ABS / ASA / PC Usage Guide Bambu Lab Wiki · 2026-08 · doc
  27. ASA — material basics Polymaker Wiki · 2026-08 · doc
  28. ASA — Ultimate 3D Printing Materials Guide Simplify3D · 2026-08 · doc
  29. PLA — material guide Prusa Knowledge Base · 2026-08 · doc
  30. Max volumetric speed Prusa Knowledge Base · 2026-08 · doc
  31. Prusament PLA — material page Prusa Polymers · 2026-08 · doc
  32. PLA — material basics Polymaker Wiki · 2026-08 · doc
  33. Composite materials filled with carbon, kevlar or glass Prusa Knowledge Base · 2026-08 · doc
  34. Carbon Fiber Filled — Ultimate 3D Printing Materials Guide Simplify3D · 2026-08 · doc
  35. Filament Drying Recommendations Bambu Lab Wiki · 2026-08 · doc
  36. PolySonic PLA Technical Data Sheet V5.4 Polymaker · 2024-11 · tds
  37. Wet Filament — signs, causes and drying Polymaker Wiki · 2026-08 · doc
  38. 16 PLA brand comparison test — results spreadsheet My Tech Fun (Igor Gaspar) · 2022-10 · test
  39. Creality Hyper PLA filament review — results spreadsheet My Tech Fun (Igor Gaspar) · 2026-08 · test
  40. Easy PLA — product and technical data Fiberlogy · 2026-08 · tds
  41. Bambu Filament Technical Data Sheet V3.0 — ASA Bambu Lab · 2026-08 · tds
  42. Carbon Fiber PLA vs META-PLA vs PLA+ vs PLA by Sunlu — results spreadsheet My Tech Fun (Igor Gaspar) · 2026-08 · test
  43. PolyLite ASA Technical Data Sheet Polymaker · 2024-11 · tds
  44. BambuLab PLA Basic vs PLA Tough vs PLA-CF — results spreadsheet My Tech Fun (Igor Gaspar) · 2026-08 · test
  45. PolyTerra PLA vs PLA+ — results spreadsheet My Tech Fun (Igor Gaspar) · 2026-08 · test
  46. Mechanical Properties of Additively Manufactured Polymeric Materials — PLA and PETG — For Biomechanical Applications Polymers 16(13):1868 · 2024-06 · paper
  47. Prusament ASA — material page Prusa Polymers · 2026-08 · doc
  48. Bambu Filament Technical Data Sheet V3.0 — PLA Matte Bambu Lab · 2026-08 · tds
  49. Characterization of Thermal Expansion Coefficient of 3D Printing Polymeric Materials Using Fiber Bragg Grating Sensors Materials 17(18):4668 · 2024-09 · paper
  50. ASA — FDM Material Data Sheet (includes 1000 h QUV exposure results) Stratasys · 2026-08 · tds
  51. Filamentive PLA (recycled) — product page Filamentive · 2026-08 · vendor
  52. 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
  53. Chemical resistance — resistance of Ensinger plastics to chemicals (DIN 50 014, 23/50) Ensinger · 2026-08 · tds
  54. Solubility Study of Ingeo Biopolymer Grades in Common Organic Solvents (NWPD003) NatureWorks · 2019-10 · tds
  55. HIPS — Knowledge Base Prusa Research · 2026-08 · doc
  56. Improve your 3D prints with chemical smoothing Prusa Research · 2026-08 · doc
  57. 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