Filament comparison
ASA-CF vs POM
Compare printing settings, strength, heat resistance, dated prices and sources.
2 selected · all documented properties
| Property | Carbon-fibre ASA (ASA-CF)ASA | POM (acetal)ENGINEERING |
|---|---|---|
| Market snapshot | ||
| Listing priceUSD/kg; dated snapshots | $36.99/kg median; $25.00–$90.00/kg across 5 dated product listings | Not documented |
| Identity & Market | ||
| Base polymer / chemistry | ASA reinforced with chopped carbon fibre — Formfutura's ApolloX CF10 is 10 wt%[1][2][3] | Polyoxymethylene, normally the copolymer POM-C. Apium's filament grade is POM-C with antistatic additives; no unfilled POM filament was found on sale[4][5] |
| Densityg/cm³ | 1.02 (Bambu Lab), 1.1 (Formfutura ApolloX CF10) and 1.11 (3DXTech), ISO 1183[1][2][3] | 1.41 (extruded POM-C stock)[4] |
| Typical priceUSD/kg | 1 kg spools cluster near 37[6][7] | Not documented |
| Price range across brandsUSD/kg | 25–90 across brands; IEMAI 25, Ambrosia 33, Bambu Lab 37, Polymaker Fiberon 40, 3DXTech 90[8][6][7][9][10] | Not documented |
| Market availability1–5 | Available from several mainstream brands[6][7][9][8] | Special order, 1-2 makers worldwide — Apium sells a POM-C ESD filament through its own shop and states its printers are the only ones able to process POM-C; no POM filament appears in the 3DJAKE or igo3d product sitemaps, at MatterHackers or at Printed Solid[5][11][12][13] |
| Spool sizes & diameters | 1.75 and 2.85 mm; 0.5, 0.75 and 1 kg spools[7][9][6] | Not documented |
| Typical applications | Outdoor structural parts, drone and antenna mounts where stiffness and UV stability both matter[1][2] | Gears, bushings, bearings, conveyor and food-machinery parts; Apium markets its POM-C ESD grade for semiconductor insulators, aerospace fasteners and sliding parts[4][5] |
| 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] | Not documented |
| 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[15][16] | 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][17] | Not documented |
| Warping tendency1–5 | Moderate — needs adhesion aid or draught shield; the fibre reduces warping against unfilled ASA[14] | Not documented |
| Bed-adhesion difficulty1–5 | Needs a specific surface plus adhesive[15] | Not documented |
| Stringing / oozing tendency1–5 | Slight — Polymaker advises 1–2 mm retraction at 20–30 mm/s[15] | Not documented |
| Overall printing difficulty1–5 | Intermediate — dry filament and a tuned profile; hardened nozzle mandatory[14] | Not documented |
| Extruder requirement | Not documented | Apium states that the adaptive heating system on its industrial machines is what makes POM-C printable, and that no other 3D printer can process it[5] |
| Hardware Wear & Reliability | ||
| Nozzle hardness required1–4 | Hardened steel required[14] | Not documented |
| Abrasiveness1–5 | Highly abrasive — standard CF composite[14] | Not documented |
| 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[18][19] | Not documented |
| Heat-creep / jam sensitivity1–5 | Slightly sensitive[16] | Not documented |
| Hotend requirement | No special hotend required[16] | Not documented |
| Moisture Behaviour | ||
| Moisture absorption (hygroscopicity)1–5 | Moderate — 0.33 % saturated at 25 °C / 55 % RH (Bambu Lab)[1] | Low (0.1-0.3 %) — extruded POM-C stock takes up 0.18 % in 24 h and 0.80 % at saturation (ASTM D570)[4] |
| Equilibrium moisture content at ~50 % RH% | 0.33 saturated at 25 °C / 55 % RH (Bambu Lab)[1] | Not documented |
| 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[20] | 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[20] | Not documented |
| Storage requirement | Sealed with desiccant; Polymaker rates the styrenics moderate-sensitivity[20] | 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] | 66.9 at break and 64.1 at yield (extruded POM-C stock, ASTM D638; converted from 9700 and 9300 psi)[4] |
| Young's modulusMPa | 4200 ± 270 printed XY, ISO 527 (Bambu Lab); 3DXTech quotes 5355 and Formfutura 7580[1][2][3] | 2275 (extruded POM-C stock, ASTM D638; converted from 330,000 psi)[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] | 40 at break and 9 at yield (extruded POM-C stock, ASTM D638)[4] |
| Flexural strengthMPa | 72 ± 5 printed XY, ISO 178 (Bambu Lab); 3DXTech quotes 78[1][2] | 89.6 (extruded POM-C stock, ASTM D790; converted from 13,000 psi)[4] |
| Flexural modulusMPa | 3740 ± 130 printed XY, ISO 178 (Bambu Lab); 3DXTech quotes 5210[1][2] | 2758 (extruded POM-C stock, ASTM D790; converted from 400,000 psi)[4] |
| 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][21] | 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][21] | Izod 53 J/m on extruded POM-C stock, converted from 1.0 ft-lb/in[4] |
| 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] | Tough — absorbs impact, yields before breaking; extruded stock elongates 40 % before failing. No printed figure is published[4] |
| Hardness (scale-specific)Shore A / Shore D / Rockwell | Not documented | Rockwell 86 (and R120) — the source names only the R scale on extruded POM-C stock (ASTM D785)[4] |
| 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][22] | Not documented |
| 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][21] | Not documented |
| Elasticity / flexibility1–5 | Rigid[1] | Not documented |
| Z strength as % of XY% | 88 by tensile, 46 by flexural (printed, Bambu Lab)[1] | Not documented |
| Wear resistance & friction | Not documented | Wear factor 65e-10 in3*min/(ft*lb*h) and a dynamic coefficient of friction of 0.21 at 40 psi and 50 fpm (ASTM D3702, extruded stock) — the properties that make acetal the default gear and bushing plastic; Apium lists good sliding properties as the reason for its grade[4][5] |
| Thermal Properties | ||
| HDT at 0.45 MPa°C | 110 (ISO 75, 0.45 MPa, Bambu Lab) against 100 for unfilled Bambu Lab ASA[1][21] | 158 (extruded POM-C stock, ASTM D648 at 66 psi; converted from 316 °F)[4] |
| HDT at 1.8 MPa°C | 102 (ISO 75, 1.8 MPa, Bambu Lab) against 92 for unfilled Bambu Lab ASA[1][21] | 110 (extruded POM-C stock, ASTM D648 at 264 psi; converted from 230 °F)[4] |
| Melting point / Vicat°C | Not documented | 165 melting (extruded POM-C stock; converted from 329 °F)[4] |
| Continuous service temperature°C | 93 — Prusa publishes this as the temperature resistance of Prusament ASA[23] | 91 long term and 141 intermittent (extruded POM-C stock; converted from 195 °F and 285 °F)[4] |
| Thermal expansion (CTE)µm/m·K | Not documented | 84.6 (extruded POM-C stock, ASTM D696; source states 4.7e-5 in/in/°F)[4] |
| Flammability / UL 94 | Flammable; no UL 94 rating published[21] | UL 94 HB on extruded POM-C stock[4] |
| Environment & Chemical | ||
| UV resistance1–5 | Excellent — designed for permanent outdoor use; the acrylate rubber phase is unchanged by the fibre[24][15] | Not documented |
| Chemical resistance | Good against weak acids, weak alkalis, oils and grease; dissolved by acetone[22] | Good chemical resistance, particularly to bases; Apium lists resistance to bases as a headline property[4][5] |
| Water / humidity resistance in service1–5 | Not documented | Good — minor absorption; 0.80 % water at saturation (ASTM D570, extruded stock)[4] |
| Food contact | Not food safe[15] | Not documented |
| Biodegradability / compostability | Not biodegradable[15] | Not documented |
| Recyclability | Not accepted in household plastic collection[15] | Not documented |
| Electrical & ESD properties | Surface resistance above 10⁹ ohm/sq — not static-dissipative (3DXTech, ASTM D257)[2] | Volume resistance 1e14 ohm-cm, dielectric strength 500 V/mil and dielectric constant 3.7 at 60 Hz on extruded stock (ASTM D257, D149, D150); Apium's filament grade adds antistatic agents[4][5] |
| Health & Safety | ||
| Fume toxicity1–5 | High — hazardous VOC such as styrene; enclosure and filtration needed[25][14] | Not documented |
| 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][25] | Not documented |
| Ventilation / filtration requirement1–5 | Enclosure with carbon and HEPA filtration[25][14] | Not documented |
| Dust & fibre handling hazard | Carbon fibre is bound in the matrix; sanding dust should not be inhaled[2] | Not documented |
| Post-Processing | ||
| Sanding & machining | Sands well and takes filler before painting[15] | Easy to machine — Ensinger lists machinability as a headline property of POM-C stock[4] |
| Painting & finishing | Paints readily; ASA holds colour outdoors so many parts are left unpainted[15] | Not documented |
| Gluing & solvent welding | Solvent-welds with acetone[22] | Not documented |
| Vapour / chemical smoothing | Acetone vapour smoothing works[22] | 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.[26][22] | Hexafluoroisopropanol dissolves it at room temperature; NMP and DMF only when hot. Laboratory reagents.[27] |
| Softened or crazed by | Limonene attacks some grades — Prusa reports Prusament ASA Orange flaking apart as layer adhesion fails.[28] | Acids, oxidants, halogens and hot concentrated zinc chloride attack it; alcohols, ketones and esters do not.[27][26] |
| Solvent welding & smoothing agent | Acetone vapour reaches only the resin fraction, so the fibre is left standing proud of the smoothed surface.[29][22] | None — no solvent softens POM below its melting point, which is why it is bolted or heat-welded rather than glued.[27] |
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
- TECAFORM AH natural (POM-C) — stock shape properties Ensinger · 2026-08 · tds
- POM-C ESD 3D printing — material page Apium 3D Technologies · 2026-08 · doc
- ASA-CF — product page Bambu Lab US Store · 2026-08 · vendor
- Polymaker product catalogue Polymaker · 2026-08 · vendor
- Filastruder product catalogue Filastruder · 2026-08 · vendor
- 3DXTech product catalogue 3DXTech · 2026-08 · vendor
- IEMAI CF-ASA 3D Printing Filament product page IEMAI 3D · 2026-08 · vendor
- 3DJAKE product catalogue 3DJAKE · 2026-08 · vendor
- igo3d product sitemap (17452 product URLs) igo3d · 2026-08 · vendor
- Printed Solid product catalogue Printed Solid · 2026-08 · vendor
- ABS / ASA / PC Usage Guide Bambu Lab Wiki · 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
- Wet Filament — signs, causes and drying Polymaker Wiki · 2026-08 · doc
- Bambu Filament Technical Data Sheet V3.0 — ASA Bambu Lab · 2026-08 · tds
- PolyLite ASA Technical Data Sheet Polymaker · 2024-11 · tds
- 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
- Resistance of Ultramid, Ultraform and Ultradur to chemicals (TI-KTU/AS-28 e) BASF · 2000-10 · tds
- HIPS — Knowledge Base Prusa Research · 2026-08 · doc
- Improve your 3D prints with chemical smoothing Prusa Research · 2026-08 · doc