3D Printing Info

Filament comparison

ASA-CF vs TPU soft

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

Carbon-fibre ASA (ASA-CF) guideSoft TPU (below 85A) guide

2 selected · all documented properties

Open these two in the interactive comparisonMore ASA-CF comparisonsMore TPU soft comparisons
ASA-CF vs TPU soft — documented properties and sources
PropertyCarbon-fibre ASA (ASA-CF)ASASoft TPU (below 85A)FLEX
Market snapshot
Listing priceUSD/kg; dated snapshots$36.99/kg median; $25.00–$90.00/kg across 5 dated product listings$114.04/kg median; $109.80–$122.27/kg across 4 dated product listings
Identity & Market
Base polymer / chemistryASA reinforced with chopped carbon fibre — Formfutura's ApolloX CF10 is 10 wt%[1][2][3]Very soft thermoplastic elastomers below 85 Shore A. Fiberlogy's FiberFlex 30D measures 81 Shore A, the softest grade with a published datasheet found here[4]
Densityg/cm³1.02 (Bambu Lab), 1.1 (Formfutura ApolloX CF10) and 1.11 (3DXTech), ISO 1183[1][2][3]1.07 (Fiberlogy FiberFlex 30D, ISO 1183)[4]
Typical priceUSD/kg1 kg spools cluster near 37[5][6]1 kg-equivalent spools cluster near 115[7][8][9]
Price range across brandsUSD/kg25–90 across brands; IEMAI 25, Ambrosia 33, Bambu Lab 37, Polymaker Fiberon 40, 3DXTech 90[10][5][6][11][12]110–122 at 1 kg-equivalent; Recreus 70A 110 and 60A 116 at 500 g, NinjaTek Edge 83A 112, NinjaTek Chinchilla 75A 122; the Recreus 3 kg spools fall to 70–73[7][9][8]
Market availability1–5Available from several mainstream brands[5][6][11][10]Niche, a handful of specialist brands[4][13][7]
Spool sizes & diameters1.75 and 2.85 mm; 0.5, 0.75 and 1 kg spools[6][11][5]1.75, 2.85 and 3 mm; 0.5, 0.85, 1, 2 and 3 kg spools[4][7][14][8]
Typical applicationsOutdoor structural parts, drone and antenna mounts where stiffness and UV stability both matter[1][2]Highly compliant seals, soft grips and prosthetic liners[4]
Printing Parameters
Nozzle temperature°C250–280 (Bambu Lab)[1]Not documented
Bed temperature°C80–100 (Bambu Lab)[1]50–70 (Fiberlogy FiberFlex 30D)[4]
Enclosure / chamber requirement1–5Enclosure recommended — Bambu Lab specifies a 45–60 °C chamber[1][15]Open frame is fine[4]
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[16][17]PEI sheet or painter's tape; Polymaker warns TPU can over-stick and advises a glue stick as a release agent[18][19]
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][20]Not documented
Warping tendency1–5Moderate — needs adhesion aid or draught shield; the fibre reduces warping against unfilled ASA[15]Not documented
Bed-adhesion difficulty1–5Needs a specific surface plus adhesive[16]Not documented
Stringing / oozing tendency1–5Slight — Polymaker advises 1–2 mm retraction at 20–30 mm/s[16]Not documented
Overall printing difficulty1–5Intermediate — dry filament and a tuned profile; hardened nozzle mandatory[15]Expert / industrial hardware only — below 85 Shore A the filament buckles in almost any feed path that is not a short, constrained direct drive[14][19]
Extruder requirementNot documentedDirect drive only, with a constrained filament path; Bowden is not viable at this hardness[14][13]
Hardware Wear & Reliability
Nozzle hardness required1–4Hardened steel required[15]Brass fine indefinitely[21]
Abrasiveness1–5Highly abrasive — standard CF composite[15]Non-abrasive[21]
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[22][23]High — jams from moisture, heat creep or particles; below 85 Shore A the filament buckles and compresses, and Simplify3D warns that raised feed rates most likely end in a jam[18][19][24]
Heat-creep / jam sensitivity1–5Slightly sensitive[17]Very high — softens in the cold zone readily[19]
Hotend requirementNo special hotend required[17]No special hot-end required, but a direct-drive extruder is (Simplify3D)[18]
Moisture Behaviour
Moisture absorption (hygroscopicity)1–5Moderate — 0.33 % saturated at 25 °C / 55 % RH (Bambu Lab)[1]Moderate[24]
Equilibrium moisture content at ~50 % RH%0.33 saturated at 25 °C / 55 % RH (Bambu Lab)[1]Not documented
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[24]Bubbling and popping at the nozzle, stringing and a rough surface[24]
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[24]Polymaker groups TPU with the highly hygroscopic materials; no dry-versus-conditioned figures are published[24]
Storage requirementSealed with desiccant; Polymaker rates the styrenics moderate-sensitivity[24]Sealed with desiccant; often kept in a dryer during the print[24]
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]Not documented
Young's modulusMPa4200 ± 270 printed XY, ISO 527 (Bambu Lab); 3DXTech quotes 5355 and Formfutura 7580[1][2][3]Not documented
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]870 at break (Fiberlogy FiberFlex 30D, ISO 527) — the highest elongation in the dataset[4]
Flexural strengthMPa72 ± 5 printed XY, ISO 178 (Bambu Lab); 3DXTech quotes 78[1][2]Not documented
Flexural modulusMPa3740 ± 130 printed XY, ISO 178 (Bambu Lab); 3DXTech quotes 5210[1][2]Not documented
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][25]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][25]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]Very ductile — bends far before failing[4]
Hardness (scale-specific)Shore A / Shore D / RockwellNot documented81 Shore A and 30 Shore D (Fiberlogy FiberFlex 30D, ISO 7619)[4]
Creep resistance / sustained load1–5Good — no creep test found; chopped carbon fibre lifts modulus to 4200 MPa against 2379–2450 for unfilled ASA[1][26]Poor — no creep test at this hardness; a printed 95A TPU bar crept from 74.5 to 82.7 mm over 5 days at 1.25 kg[27]
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][25]Excellent — living hinges viable[19]
Elasticity / flexibility1–5Rigid[1]Rubbery / highly elastic[4]
Z strength as % of XY%88 by tensile, 46 by flexural (printed, Bambu Lab)[1]Not documented
Wear resistance & frictionNot documentedTear strength 95 kN/m (Fiberlogy FiberFlex 30D, ISO 34-1)[4]
Thermal Properties
HDT at 0.45 MPa°C110 (ISO 75, 0.45 MPa, Bambu Lab) against 100 for unfilled Bambu Lab ASA[1][25]Not documented
HDT at 1.8 MPa°C102 (ISO 75, 1.8 MPa, Bambu Lab) against 92 for unfilled Bambu Lab ASA[1][25]Not documented
Melting point / Vicat°CNot documented170 melting (Fiberlogy FiberFlex 30D, DSC)[4]
Continuous service temperature°C93 — Prusa publishes this as the temperature resistance of Prusament ASA[28]Not documented
Flammability / UL 94Flammable; no UL 94 rating published[25]Not documented
Environment & Chemical
UV resistance1–5Excellent — designed for permanent outdoor use; the acrylate rubber phase is unchanged by the fibre[29][16]Good — years with some colour shift; Polymaker lists UV exposure among the conditions TPU withstands[19]
Chemical resistanceGood against weak acids, weak alkalis, oils and grease; dissolved by acetone[26]Withstands industrial solvents and UV exposure (Polymaker)[19]
Food contactNot food safe[16]Not food safe without specific certification (Polymaker)[19]
Biodegradability / compostabilityNot biodegradable[16]Not biodegradable[19]
RecyclabilityNot accepted in household plastic collection[16]Not accepted in household plastic collection[19]
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[30][15]Low hazard — minimal VOC and particle emission; TPU was not among the nine filaments in the chamber study[30]
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[15][30]Not documented
Ventilation / filtration requirement1–5Enclosure with carbon and HEPA filtration[30][15]Open a window / occasional ventilation[30]
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[16]Difficult to sand or smooth; Polymaker limits post-processing to trimming or tumbling[19]
Painting & finishingPaints readily; ASA holds colour outdoors so many parts are left unpainted[16]Not documented
Gluing & solvent weldingSolvent-welds with acetone[26]Cyanoacrylate bonds TPU; no common solvent welds it[19]
Vapour / chemical smoothingAcetone vapour smoothing works[26]No practical vapour smoothing[19]
Support material pairingHIPS breaks away or dissolves in d-limonene; Bambu Lab sells a Support for ABS that also serves ASA[15]Polymaker warns TPU supports are often very difficult to remove[19]
Dimensional accuracy & detailMatte fibre-filled finish hides layer lines[1]Not documented
Solvents & Solubility
Soluble inAcetone dissolves the resin and leaves the fibre; MEK, THF, ethyl acetate and chlorinated solvents attack the styrenic backbone.[31][26]DMF, DMSO, NMP and THF dissolve TPU; acetone, MEK and cyclohexanone are partial solvents. All laboratory reagents.[32]
Softened or crazed byLimonene attacks some grades — Prusa reports Prusament ASA Orange flaking apart as layer adhesion fails.[33]Toluene and benzene swell it up to +50 % by weight at 23 °C; esters swell it severely; ethanol and IPA soften it.[32]
Solvent welding & smoothing agentAcetone vapour reaches only the resin fraction, so the fibre is left standing proud of the smoothed surface.[34][26]None practical — the true solvents (DMF, THF, NMP) are laboratory reagents and leave the joint swollen and weak.[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. FiberFlex 30D Technical Data Sheet Fiberlogy · 2026-08 · tds
  5. ASA-CF — product page Bambu Lab US Store · 2026-08 · vendor
  6. Polymaker product catalogue Polymaker · 2026-08 · vendor
  7. Recreus product catalogue Recreus · 2026-08 · vendor
  8. Chinchilla product page — print guidelines, spool sizes and price NinjaTek · 2026-08 · vendor
  9. NinjaFlex Edge product page — durometer, print guidelines and price NinjaTek · 2026-08 · vendor
  10. Filastruder product catalogue Filastruder · 2026-08 · vendor
  11. 3DXTech product catalogue 3DXTech · 2026-08 · vendor
  12. IEMAI CF-ASA 3D Printing Filament product page IEMAI 3D · 2026-08 · vendor
  13. Filaflex 82A product page (Shore hardness and elongation) Recreus · 2026-08 · vendor
  14. NinjaFlex 85A Technical Specifications NinjaTek · 2026-08 · tds
  15. ABS / ASA / PC Usage Guide Bambu Lab Wiki · 2026-08 · doc
  16. ASA — material basics Polymaker Wiki · 2026-08 · doc
  17. ASA — Ultimate 3D Printing Materials Guide Simplify3D · 2026-08 · doc
  18. Flexible (TPE/TPU) — Ultimate 3D Printing Materials Guide Simplify3D · 2026-08 · doc
  19. TPU — material basics Polymaker Wiki · 2026-08 · doc
  20. Max volumetric speed Prusa Knowledge Base · 2026-08 · doc
  21. Extrudr Product Catalogue (DURAPRO PA12 data block) Extrudr · 2025-03 · tds
  22. Composite materials filled with carbon, kevlar or glass Prusa Knowledge Base · 2026-08 · doc
  23. Carbon Fiber Filled — Ultimate 3D Printing Materials Guide Simplify3D · 2026-08 · doc
  24. Wet Filament — signs, causes and drying Polymaker Wiki · 2026-08 · doc
  25. Bambu Filament Technical Data Sheet V3.0 — ASA Bambu Lab · 2026-08 · tds
  26. PolyLite ASA Technical Data Sheet Polymaker · 2024-11 · tds
  27. BambuLab TPU 95A HF vs Qidi TPU 95A HF — results spreadsheet My Tech Fun (Igor Gaspar) · 2024-02 · test
  28. Prusament ASA — material page Prusa Polymers · 2026-08 · doc
  29. ASA — FDM Material Data Sheet (includes 1000 h QUV exposure results) Stratasys · 2026-08 · tds
  30. 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
  31. Chemical resistance — resistance of Ensinger plastics to chemicals (DIN 50 014, 23/50) Ensinger · 2026-08 · tds
  32. Elastollan — Chemical properties: swelling and chemical resistance BASF · 2026-08 · tds
  33. HIPS — Knowledge Base Prusa Research · 2026-08 · doc
  34. Improve your 3D prints with chemical smoothing Prusa Research · 2026-08 · doc