Filament comparison
ASA-GF vs PA6-GF
Compare printing settings, strength, heat resistance, dated prices and sources.
2 selected · all documented properties
| Property | Glass-fibre ASA (ASA-GF)ASA | Glass-fibre PA6 (PA6-GF)PA |
|---|---|---|
| Market snapshot | ||
| Listing priceUSD/kg; dated snapshots | $29.95/kg median; $26.99–$33.99/kg across 3 dated product listings | $59.98/kg median; $39.99–$130.00/kg across 6 dated product listings |
| Identity & Market | ||
| Base polymer / chemistry | ASA reinforced with chopped glass fibre — 10 wt% (Spectrum ASA-X GF10), 15 wt% (ZYLtech ASA-GF)[1][2] | PA6 reinforced with chopped glass fibre — Polymaker's grade is 25 wt%[3][4] |
| Densityg/cm³ | 1.07 (ZYLtech) and 1.11 (Spectrum), ISO 1183[1][2] | 1.14 (Bambu Lab) and 1.20 (Polymaker Fiberon), ISO 1183[4][3] |
| Typical priceUSD/kg | 1 kg spools cluster near 28[5][6] | 1 kg-equivalent spools span 40–130; the middle of the market is about 60[4][7][8] |
| Price range across brandsUSD/kg | 27–34 across brands; Ambrosia 27, ZYLtech 30, Siraya Tech 34[5][6][9] | 40–130 across brands; SUNLU 40, YXPOLYER 45, Polymaker Fiberon and Bambu Lab 60, 3DXTech FibreX 87, Obsidian Nylon 6+GF 130[7][4][10][8][11] |
| Market availability1–5 | Niche, a handful of specialist brands[5][1][2] | Stocked by most mainstream brands[4][7][10][8][11] |
| Spool sizes & diameters | 1.75 and 2.85 mm; 1 kg spools[2][5] | 1.75 and 2.85 mm; 0.5, 0.75 and 1 kg spools[7][10][4] |
| Typical applications | Outdoor brackets and mounts that need stiffness and dimensional stability under sun and moisture[1][2] | Stiff, heat-resistant structural parts where a matte finish and lower cost beat carbon fibre[4][3] |
| Diameter tolerance± mm | ±0.01 at 95 % probability and ±0.02 at 100 % (ZYLtech)[2] | Not documented |
| Printing Parameters | ||
| Nozzle temperature°C | 240–270 (Spectrum); 240–280 (ZYLtech)[1][2] | 260–290 (Bambu Lab)[4] |
| Bed temperature°C | 80–100 (Spectrum); 90–110 on PEI (ZYLtech)[1][2] | Not documented |
| Enclosure / chamber requirement1–5 | Enclosure recommended[12] | Enclosure required (passive) — Bambu Lab specifies a 45–60 °C chamber[4] |
| Recommended chamber temperature°C | Not documented | 45–60 (Bambu Lab)[4] |
| Part cooling fan | 0–20 % (Spectrum)[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[13][14] | PEI sheet with a glue stick, or a dedicated adhesive such as Magigoo[15][16] |
| Maximum volumetric flow (mm³/s; see test conditions)mm³/s | 2.4–5.6 at Spectrum's 30–70 mm/s on a 0.4 mm nozzle at 0.2 mm layer; ZYLtech allows up to 200 mm/s[1][2][17] | 10 at Bambu Lab's 130 mm/s cap on a 0.4 mm nozzle at 0.2 mm layer[4][17] |
| Warping tendency1–5 | Moderate — needs adhesion aid or draught shield[12] | Not documented |
| Bed-adhesion difficulty1–5 | Needs a specific surface plus adhesive[13] | Needs a specific surface plus adhesive[15] |
| Stringing / oozing tendency1–5 | Slight — Polymaker advises 1–2 mm retraction at 20–30 mm/s[13] | Moderate — retraction tuning needed[16] |
| Overall printing difficulty1–5 | Intermediate — dry filament and a tuned profile; ZYLtech requires a hardened nozzle of 0.6 mm or larger[2][1] | Expert / industrial hardware only[4][18] |
| Extruder requirement | ZYLtech specifies a hardened nozzle 0.6 mm or larger; Spectrum bases its settings on a 0.5 mm nozzle[2][1] | 0.6 mm nozzle recommended by Bambu Lab; 0.4 and 0.8 also supported[4] |
| Hardware Wear & Reliability | ||
| Nozzle hardness required1–4 | Hardened steel required — Spectrum recommends ruby or hardened, ZYLtech requires hardened[1][2] | Hardened steel required — Polymaker measures brass nozzle life at about 9 h on PA6-GF25 and recommends hardened steel or ruby[3] |
| Abrasiveness1–5 | Highly abrasive — standard GF composite[1][2] | Highly abrasive — standard GF composite; Polymaker puts brass nozzle life at roughly 9 h on PA6-GF25[3] |
| Nozzle clog risk1–5 | Moderate — needs dry filament and a clean nozzle; Prusa lists higher risk of nozzle clogging for glass-filled composites[19] | Very high — frequent jams without careful setup[18] |
| Heat-creep / jam sensitivity1–5 | Slightly sensitive[14] | Moderate — good heatbreak cooling needed[15] |
| Hotend requirement | No special hotend required[14] | May require an all-metal hot end (Simplify3D)[15] |
| Moisture Behaviour | ||
| Moisture absorption (hygroscopicity)1–5 | Moderate — the ASA matrix takes up 0.40–0.45 % saturated at 25 °C / 55 % RH; no glass-filled grade publishes its own figure[20][21][22] | Very high (>2 %) — 2.56 % saturated at 25 °C / 55 % RH (Bambu Lab) and 3.33 % equilibrium (Polymaker Fiberon), the highest in the dataset[4][3] |
| Equilibrium moisture content at ~50 % RH% | Not documented | 2.56 saturated at 25 °C / 55 % RH (Bambu Lab); 3.33 equilibrium (Polymaker Fiberon PA6-GF25)[4][3] |
| Drying temperature & time | Not documented | 80 °C for 8–12 h (Bambu Lab)[4] |
| Symptoms when wet | Bubbling and popping at the nozzle, stringing and a rough surface[18] | Popping and cracking during extrusion, then hard-to-diagnose defects[23] |
| 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[18] | Polymaker publishes dry and wet printed blocks for PA6-GF25 itself: at 4.57 % moisture tensile falls 80.1 → 40.2 MPa and modulus 5357 → 1794 MPa, while notched Charpy rises 10.0 → 28.0 kJ/m²[3][23] |
| Storage requirement | Sealed with desiccant; Polymaker rates the styrenics moderate-sensitivity[18] | Sealed below 20 % RH with desiccant[18] |
| Hydrolysis at melt temperature | Not documented | Polymaker specifies an 80–100 °C dry and storage below 20 % RH; no molecular-weight loss figure is published, and the wet data it does publish is conditioning rather than melt hydrolysis[24][25] |
| Mechanical Properties | ||
| Tensile strength (XY)MPa | 33–36 at break, ISO 527 (ZYLtech; specimen type not stated); Spectrum quotes 55 at break on injection-moulded specimens[2][1] | 75 ± 6 (Bambu Lab) and 80.1 ± 1.8 (Polymaker Fiberon, dry/annealed) printed XY, ISO 527; Fiberon falls to 40.2 ± 2.1 conditioned to 4.57 % moisture. Stratasys FDM PA6/66-GF30-FR gives 60.2-61.1 at break and 61.7-62.3 at yield printed XZ (ASTM D638)[4][3][26] |
| Young's modulusMPa | 2540–2890 (ZYLtech; specimen type not stated) and 2550 (Spectrum, injection-moulded), ISO 527[2][1] | 2850 ± 260 (Bambu Lab) and 5357 ± 211 (Polymaker Fiberon, dry) printed XY, ISO 527; Fiberon falls to 1794 ± 84 conditioned. Stratasys FDM PA6/66-GF30-FR gives 5600-5830 printed XZ against 3050-3140 in ZX (ASTM D638)[4][3][26] |
| Elongation at break% | 3.4 at break (ZYLtech; specimen type not stated); Spectrum quotes 2.80 at yield on injection-moulded specimens[2][1] | 2.4 ± 0.2 dry (Polymaker Fiberon) to 3.9 ± 0.8 (Bambu Lab) printed XY, ISO 527; the Fiberon grade rises to 4.2 ± 0.7 conditioned[4][3] |
| Flexural modulusMPa | 2130–2480 flexural modulus, ISO 178 (ZYLtech; specimen type not stated)[2] | 3670 ± 140 printed XY, ISO 178 (Bambu Lab)[4] |
| Charpy impact, notchedkJ/m² | 8.3 notched Charpy at 23 °C on injection-moulded specimens (Spectrum, ISO 179-1eA); ZYLtech publishes notched Izod 6.9 by ISO 180 instead[1][2] | 10.0 ± 0.7 printed XY dry and 28.0 ± 1.0 conditioned, ISO 179 notched (Polymaker Fiberon); Bambu Lab 7.2 ± 2.3[3][4] |
| Other impact data | Charpy unnotched 25 kJ/m² at 23 °C on injection-moulded specimens (Spectrum, ISO 179-1eU); ZYLtech notched Izod 6.9 kJ/m² (ISO 180)[1][2] | Charpy unnotched 27.2 ± 2.2 printed XY (Bambu Lab, ISO 179). Stratasys FDM PA6/66-GF30-FR gives Izod notched 74.6-77.1 J/m printed XZ against 17.2-22.1 in ZX (ASTM D256)[4][26] |
| Layer adhesion / Z tensileMPa | Not documented | 27 ± 5 (Bambu Lab) and 60.7 ± 1.1 (Polymaker Fiberon, dry) printed Z, ISO 527 — the two makers differ by more than a factor of two; Fiberon falls to 26.3 ± 1.5 conditioned. Stratasys FDM PA6/66-GF30-FR gives 23.7-24.4 at break printed ZX (ASTM D638)[4][3][26] |
| Brittleness1–5 | Brittle — snaps with little warning; elongation at break 3.4 %[2] | Brittle — snaps with little warning; elongation at break 2.4 % in XY[3] |
| Hardness (scale-specific)Shore A / Shore D / Rockwell | Not documented | Rockwell M88 / R117 on extruded PA66-GF30 stock (ASTM D785)[27] |
| Creep resistance / sustained load1–5 | Good — no creep test found; chopped glass fibre lifts modulus to 2540–2890 against 2379–2450 for unfilled ASA[2][21][20] | Good. Ensinger lists high creep resistance as a headline property of extruded PA66-GF30 stock; the rating is held below Excellent because equilibrium moisture uptake of 3.33 % softens the matrix in service[27][3] |
| Fatigue / repeated-flex resistance1–5 | Below average — no GF-grade S-N curve; elongation at break falls to 3.4 % against 6.7–9.2 % for unfilled ASA[2][21][20] | Good. Ensinger lists high fatigue strength as a headline property of extruded PA66-GF30 stock[27] |
| Elasticity / flexibility1–5 | Rigid[2] | Rigid[4] |
| Z strength as % of XY% | Not documented | 36 (Bambu Lab) to 76 (Polymaker Fiberon), printed; Stratasys FDM PA6/66-GF30-FR gives 39-41 (ZX against XZ tensile at break, ASTM D638)[4][3][26] |
| Thermal Properties | ||
| HDT at 0.45 MPa°C | 100 (Spectrum, injection-moulded, ISO 75 at 0.45 MPa)[1] | 182 (Bambu Lab) and 191 (Polymaker Fiberon), ISO 75 at 0.45 MPa. Stratasys FDM PA6/66-GF30-FR gives 161 printed XY and 185 XZ (ASTM D648 at 66 psi)[4][3][26] |
| HDT at 1.8 MPa°C | 97–99 unannealed (ZYLtech, ISO 75 at 1.8 MPa; specimen type not stated); Spectrum 90 on injection-moulded specimens[2][1] | 157 (Polymaker Fiberon) and 158 (Bambu Lab), ISO 75 at 1.8 MPa[4][3] |
| Glass transition (Tg)°C | Not documented | 67 (Bambu Lab) and 70.4 (Polymaker Fiberon), DSC; Stratasys measures 51.5 on FDM PA6/66-GF30-FR (ASTM D7426)[4][3][26] |
| Melting point / Vicat°C | Amorphous ASA matrix; Vicat 98 (Spectrum, ISO 306). ZYLtech quotes a 210–220 °C melting range by ISO 11357 for its grade[1][2] | 214.5 (Polymaker Fiberon) and 219 (Bambu Lab) melting, DSC; Vicat 210–212 (ISO 306)[4][3] |
| Continuous service temperature°C | 93 — Prusa publishes this as the temperature resistance of Prusament ASA[28] | Not documented |
| Thermal expansion (CTE)µm/m·K | Not documented | 48.6 on extruded PA66-GF30 stock (ASTM D696; source states 2.7e-5 in/in/°F). Stratasys measures much higher on printed FDM PA6/66-GF30-FR — 95.4 over -20 to 5 °C and 214 over 25 to 80 °C in XY (ASTM E831)[27][26] |
| Flammability / UL 94 | Flammable; no UL 94 rating published[20] | Flammable; no UL 94 rating published for the grades surveyed[24] |
| Environment & Chemical | ||
| UV resistance1–5 | Excellent — designed for permanent outdoor use; Spectrum states the parts resist prolonged UV and moisture exposure[1][29] | Months outdoors before embrittlement — unstabilised polyamide yellows under UV[16] |
| Chemical resistance | Good against weak acids, weak alkalis, oils and grease; dissolved by acetone[21] | Withstands oils, fuels and alkalis[16] |
| Water / humidity resistance in service1–5 | Not documented | Absorbs water, properties shift[23] |
| Food contact | Not food safe[13] | Not food-contact certified as filament[16] |
| Biodegradability / compostability | Not biodegradable[13] | Not biodegradable[16] |
| Recyclability | Not accepted in household plastic collection[13] | Not accepted in household plastic collection[16] |
| Electrical & ESD properties | Not documented | Surface resistivity above 10¹² ohm — insulating (Polymaker Fiberon, ANSI/ESD S11.11)[3] |
| Health & Safety | ||
| Fume toxicity1–5 | High — hazardous VOC such as styrene; enclosure and filtration needed[30][12] | Moderate — measurable VOCs and UFPs, ventilation advised[30] |
| VOC emission rateµg/min | Not documented | Up to 180 caprolactam, the dominant VOC from nylon and the largest single-VOC rate in the study[30] |
| Ultrafine-particle emission rateparticles/min | Not documented | ≈2 × 10⁸ median for nylon — low for particles despite the highest VOC mass measured[30] |
| 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[12][30] | Caprolactam, at up to 180 µg/min from nylon filament[30] |
| Ventilation / filtration requirement1–5 | Enclosure with carbon and HEPA filtration[30][12] | Ventilated room or enclosure recommended[30] |
| Dust & fibre handling hazard | Glass fibre is bound in the matrix; avoid inhaling sanding dust[1] | Glass fibre is bound in the matrix; avoid inhaling sanding dust[3] |
| Post-Processing | ||
| Sanding & machining | Sands well and takes filler before painting[13] | Sands poorly — gums rather than powders[15] |
| Painting & finishing | Paints readily; ASA holds colour outdoors so many parts are left unpainted[13] | Not documented |
| Gluing & solvent welding | Solvent-welds with acetone[21] | Cyanoacrylate; no common solvent welds polyamide[15] |
| Vapour / chemical smoothing | Acetone vapour smoothing works[21] | No practical vapour smoothing[15] |
| Support material pairing | HIPS breaks away or dissolves in d-limonene; Bambu Lab sells a Support for ABS that also serves ASA[12] | 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.[31][21] | Formic acid, phenol, m-cresol and hexafluoroisopropanol dissolve the matrix at 23 °C, leaving the fibre; laboratory reagents.[32] |
| Softened or crazed by | Limonene attacks some grades — Prusa reports Prusament ASA Orange flaking apart as layer adhesion fails.[33] | Zinc chloride solutions stress-crack the nylon matrix, alcoholic calcium chloride dissolves it, mineral acids attack it.[32] |
| Solvent welding & smoothing agent | Acetone vapour reaches only the resin fraction, so the fibre is left standing proud of the smoothed surface.[34][21] | None — nylon's only solvents (formic acid, phenol, HFIP) degrade the part, and the fibre blocks surface flow anyway.[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
- Spectrum ASA-X GF10 Technical Data Sheet (mechanical and thermal data marked injection-moulded) Spectrum Filaments · 2026-08 · tds
- ZYLtech ASA-GF Filament Technical Data Sheet v1 ZYLtech · 2026-08 · tds
- Fiberon PA6-GF25 Technical Data Sheet V1.1 Polymaker · 2024-12 · tds
- Bambu Filament Technical Data Sheet — PA6-GF Bambu Lab · 2026-08 · tds
- Filastruder product catalogue Filastruder · 2026-08 · vendor
- ZYLtech ASA-GF Glass Fiber filament — product page ZYLtech · 2026-08 · vendor
- Polymaker product catalogue Polymaker · 2026-08 · vendor
- SUNLU Nylon-6 Glass Fiber (PA6-GF) 3D Printer Filament 1 kg — product page SUNLU · 2026-08 · vendor
- Siraya Tech Fibreheart ASA-GF Filament product page Siraya Tech · 2026-08 · vendor
- 3DXTech product catalogue 3DXTech · 2026-08 · vendor
- YXPOLYER PA6-GF Black 1 kg — product page YXPOLYER · 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
- Nylon — Ultimate 3D Printing Materials Guide Simplify3D · 2026-08 · doc
- PA (Nylon) — material basics Polymaker Wiki · 2026-08 · doc
- Max volumetric speed Prusa Knowledge Base · 2026-08 · doc
- Wet Filament — signs, causes and drying Polymaker Wiki · 2026-08 · doc
- Composite materials filled with carbon, kevlar or glass Prusa Knowledge Base · 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 Technical Datasheet v1.1 Prusa Polymers · 2024-05 · tds
- Moisture Conditioning — effect on printed nylon properties Polymaker Wiki · 2026-08 · doc
- Fiberon PA6-CF20 Technical Data Sheet V1.1 Polymaker · 2024-12 · tds
- PolyMide CoPA Technical Data Sheet V5.4 (dry and wet status blocks) Polymaker · 2024-11 · tds
- FDM PA6/66-GF30-FR — Material Data Sheet Stratasys · 2026-07 · tds
- TECAMID 66 GF30 black (PA66-GF30) — stock shape properties Ensinger · 2026-08 · 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
- Ultramid Nylon Chemical Resistance guide (unmodified PA6 B27E and PA66 A27E) BASF · 2026-08 · tds
- HIPS — Knowledge Base Prusa Research · 2026-08 · doc
- Improve your 3D prints with chemical smoothing Prusa Research · 2026-08 · doc