3D Printing Info

Filament comparison

ASA vs HIPS

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

ASA guideHIPS guide

2 selected · all documented properties

Open these two in the interactive comparisonMore ASA comparisonsMore HIPS comparisons
ASA vs HIPS — documented properties and sources
PropertyASAASAHIPSABS
Market snapshot
Listing priceUSD/kg; dated snapshots$28.98/kg median; $17.99–$50.00/kg across 14 dated product listings$29.99/kg median; $27.99–$32.00/kg across 3 dated product listings
Identity & Market
Base polymer / chemistryAcrylonitrile styrene acrylate — ABS with the butadiene rubber phase replaced by an acrylate rubber that has no UV-vulnerable double bonds[1][2]High-impact polystyrene — polystyrene toughened with a butadiene rubber phase[3][4]
Densityg/cm³1.05 (Bambu Lab) to 1.13 (PolyLite ASA), ISO 1183; Prusament 1.07[5][6][2]1.04 (ISO 1183)[3]
Typical priceUSD/kg1 kg spools cluster near 30[7][8][9]1 kg spools cluster near 31[10][11]
Price range across brandsUSD/kg18–50 across brands; IEMAI 18, SUNLU 18, Ambrosia 23, Polymaker 26, Bambu Lab 30, YXPOLYER 30, Prusament 41, 3DXTech 50[12][8][7][13][9][10][14][15][16]28–32 across brands; YXPOLYER 28, Push Plastic 30, 3DXTech 32[11][10][17]
Market availability1–5Stocked by most mainstream brands[7][8][10][9]Available from several mainstream brands[10][11]
Spool sizes & diameters1.75 and 2.85 mm; 0.8, 1, 4 and 10 kg spools[10][9][7]1.75 and 2.85 mm; 1 and 3 kg spools[11][10]
Typical applicationsOutdoor fittings, signage, automotive exterior trim and anything that has to hold colour and strength in sunlight[18][1]Break-away and d-limonene-soluble support for ABS and ASA, and a light model material in its own right[4]
Diameter tolerance± mm±0.04 (Prusament)[2]Not documented
Printing Parameters
Nozzle temperature°C230–270 across brands; Prusament 260 ± 10, Bambu Lab 240–270, PolyLite 230–260[5][6][2]230–245 (Simplify3D)[19]
Bed temperature°C75–110; Prusament 110 ± 5, Bambu Lab 80–100, PolyLite 75–95[5][6][2]100–115 (Simplify3D)[19]
Enclosure / chamber requirement1–5Enclosure recommended — Polymaker calls a chamber needed at ambient temperature, Bambu Lab requires an enclosed printer and rules out its P1P and A-series machines[6][20]Enclosure recommended[20]
Recommended chamber temperature°C45–60 (Bambu Lab)[5]Not documented
Part cooling fanLow — Prusament 30 % within a 0–50 % range, Bambu Lab 0–80 %, PolyLite off[2][5][6]Part cooling fan not required[19]
Bed surface & adhesion aidSatin, smooth PEI or powder-coated sheet with a glue stick; Prusa advises a 3 mm or taller brim on large parts[2][20]Glue stick, glass plate, Kapton tape or PET sheets[19]
Maximum volumetric flow (mm³/s; see test conditions)mm³/s10–16 (PrusaSlicer guidance for ABS/ASA)[21]Not documented
Warping tendency1–5High — enclosure needed for reliable large parts; Prusa recommends a tall brim and Bambu Lab attributes cracking to cooling stress exceeding interlayer adhesion[2][20]Moderate — needs adhesion aid or draught shield[20]
Bed-adhesion difficulty1–5Needs a specific surface plus adhesive[2][20]Needs a specific surface plus adhesive[19]
Stringing / oozing tendency1–5Slight[6]Slight — HIPS oozes less than ABS[19][22]
Overall printing difficulty1–5Intermediate — dry filament and a tuned profile[20][2]Intermediate — dry filament and a tuned profile[20]
Hardware Wear & Reliability
Nozzle hardness required1–4Brass fine indefinitely[20]Brass fine indefinitely[20]
Abrasiveness1–5Non-abrasive[20]Non-abrasive[20]
Nozzle clog risk1–5Low — no special hot-end required and clogging is not among the listed drawbacks; Prusa lists no drybox and no hardened nozzle[23][24]Low — no special hot-end required, no drybox and no hardened nozzle, and 3DXTech states drying is not needed[19][24][4]
Heat-creep / jam sensitivity1–5Slightly sensitive[23]Slightly sensitive[19]
Hotend requirementNo special hot-end required[23]No special hot-end required[19]
Moisture Behaviour
Moisture absorption (hygroscopicity)1–5Moderate — 0.45 % saturated at 25 °C / 55 % RH (Bambu Lab) and 0.40 % equilibrium (Polymaker); Prusa measures only 0.17 % after 7 days at 22 % RH[5][6][2]Low (0.1–0.3 %) — Simplify3D lists water resistance as a headline property[19]
Equilibrium moisture content at ~50 % RH%0.45 saturated at 25 °C / 55 % RH (Bambu Lab); 0.40 equilibrium (Polymaker); 0.17 after 7 days at 24 °C / 22 % RH (Prusa)[5][6][2]Not documented
Drying temperature & time80 °C for 8 h (Bambu Lab); 70 °C for 7 h (Polymaker)[5][6]Not documented
Symptoms when wetBubbling and popping at the nozzle, stringing, rough surface and weak layers[25]Bubbling and popping at the nozzle, stringing and a rough surface[25]
Effect of moisture on strengthNo dry-versus-conditioned figures are published for ASA; Polymaker groups the styrenics as moderate-sensitivity and the loss shows as poor layer adhesion rather than a stated strength delta[25]Polymaker rates ABS moderate-sensitivity and publishes no dry-versus-conditioned figures; absorbed water flashes to steam in the hotend and shows as bubbling and poor layer adhesion[25]
Storage requirementSealed with desiccant; Polymaker rates the styrenics moderate-sensitivity[25]Sealed with desiccant; less critical than for the polyamides[25]
Mechanical Properties
Tensile strength (XY)MPa37 ± 3 (Bambu Lab) to 43.8 (PolyLite) printed XY, ISO 527; Prusament 42 ± 1 at yield; Formfutura quotes 47.5 at yield[5][6][2][26]40 at break (printed XY, ISO 527)[3]
Young's modulusMPa2379 (PolyLite) to 2450 (Bambu Lab) printed XY, ISO 527; Prusament 1600, Formfutura 2020[5][6][2][26]1350 (printed XY, ISO 527) — the lowest modulus of the styrenics here[3]
Elongation at break%6.7 (PolyLite) to 9.2 (Bambu Lab) at break, printed XY, ISO 527; Formfutura quotes 15 at break, Prusament 3.4 at yield[5][6][26][2]18 at break (printed XY, ISO 527)[3]
Flexural strengthMPa64 ± 1 printed horizontal (Prusament, ISO 178); Bambu Lab 65 ± 5, PolyLite 73.4[2][5][6]70 (printed XY, ISO 178)[3]
Flexural modulusMPa1920 ± 130 (Bambu Lab) to 3206 (PolyLite) printed XY, ISO 178; Prusament 2000[5][6][2]1600 (printed XY, ISO 178)[3]
Charpy impact, notchedkJ/m²10.3 (PolyLite) to 19.6 (Bambu Lab) printed XY, ISO 179, notched; Prusament 12 ± 1, Formfutura 18[6][5][2][26]Not documented
Other impact dataCharpy unnotched 25 ± 3 printed horizontal and 38 ± 11 printed vertical (Prusament, ISO 179-1); Bambu Lab 41.0 ± 2.3 printed XY[2][5]Not documented
Layer adhesion / Z tensileMPa11 ± 1 (Prusa interlayer adhesion test); 31 ± 4 (Bambu Lab) and 32 (PolyLite) printed Z tensile, ISO 527[2][5][6]Not documented
Brittleness1–5Tough — absorbs impact, yields before breaking[5][2]Tough — absorbs impact, yields before breaking[3]
Hardness (scale-specific)Shore A / Shore D / Rockwell78 Shore D (Prusa Polymers method)[2]Not documented
Creep resistance / sustained load1–5Moderate — no printed-ASA creep test found; Tg of 98 °C keeps room-temperature service far below softening, unlike PLA[6][2]Moderate — no printed-HIPS creep test found; Tg of 100 °C keeps room-temperature service far below softening[3][19]
Fatigue / repeated-flex resistance1–5Moderate — fatigue limit at 25 % of tensile strength (8 MPa) on printed specimens, the best of the four polymers in that study[27]Moderate[3]
Elasticity / flexibility1–5Rigid[5]Rigid[3]
Z strength as % of XY%84 (Bambu Lab, printed Z against XY tensile); 73 for PolyLite ASA[5][6]Not documented
Thermal Properties
HDT at 0.45 MPa°C93 (Prusament) to 103 (PolyLite), ISO 75 at 0.45 MPa; Bambu Lab 100[2][6][5]Not documented
HDT at 1.8 MPa°C86 (Prusament) to 100 (PolyLite), ISO 75 at 1.8 MPa; Bambu Lab 92[2][6][5]Not documented
Glass transition (Tg)°C98 (PolyLite, DSC)[6]100 (DSC)[3]
Melting point / Vicat°CAmorphous — no melting point; Vicat 105 (PolyLite, ISO 306)[6]Amorphous — no melting point[3]
Continuous service temperature°C93 — Prusa publishes this as the temperature resistance of Prusament ASA[28]Bounded by a glass transition of 100 °C; no loaded-bar service figure is published for HIPS[3]
Thermal expansion (CTE)µm/m·K69 ± 17 in XY and 115 ± 24 in the build direction (printed, TMA, 40–70 °C)[29]Not documented
Flammability / UL 94Flammable; no UL 94 rating published for standard ASA[5]Flammable; no UL 94 rating published[3]
Environment & Chemical
UV resistance1–5Excellent — designed for permanent outdoor use. After 1000 h of QUV exposure to ASTM G154 Stratasys measured yield strength falling only from 30.5 to 30.3 MPa and stress at break by 3.0 %[18]Months outdoors before embrittlement — polystyrene yellows and chalks under UV[30]
Outdoor durability1000 h QUV per ASTM G154, cycling 8 h at 60 °C and 4 h at 50 °C with condensation: yield 30.5 → 30.3 MPa, stress at break 30.5 → 29.5 MPa, elongation 2.8 → 2.3 %, modulus 1.82 → 1.95 GPa[18]Not documented
Chemical resistanceGood against weak acids, weak alkalis, oils and grease; dissolved by acetone[6]Dissolves completely in d-limonene — the basis of its use as a soluble support[4]
Water / humidity resistance in service1–5Good — minor absorption[5]Not documented
Food contactNot food safe[1]Not food safe[30]
Biodegradability / compostabilityNot biodegradable[1]Not biodegradable[30]
RecyclabilityNot accepted in household plastic collection[1]Not accepted in household plastic collection[30]
Electrical & ESD propertiesNot documentedSurface resistance above 10¹³ ohm/sq — insulating (ASTM D257)[3]
Health & Safety
Fume toxicity1–5High — hazardous VOC such as styrene; enclosure and filtration needed[31][20]High — hazardous VOC such as styrene; enclosure and filtration needed[31]
VOC emission rateµg/min12–113 styrene, the range measured across the styrenic filaments tested; ASA itself was not among them[31]12–113 styrene, the range measured across ABS and the one HIPS filament tested[31]
Ultrafine-particle emission rateparticles/min2 × 10¹⁰ to 9 × 10¹⁰ median for ABS, the closest styrenic tested; ASA itself was not measured[31]≈4 × 10⁹ median for the HIPS filament tested, an order of magnitude below ABS but forty times PLA[31]
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[20][31]Styrene was the only dominant VOC identified for the HIPS filament tested[31]
Ventilation / filtration requirement1–5Enclosure with carbon and HEPA filtration[31][20]Enclosure with carbon and HEPA filtration[31]
Post-Processing
Sanding & machiningSands well and takes filler before painting[1]Sands and paints readily, like ABS[30]
Gluing & solvent weldingSolvent-welds with acetone[6]Solvent-welds with d-limonene, and with acetone via its polystyrene backbone[19][4]
Vapour / chemical smoothingAcetone vapour smoothing works — ASA dissolves in acetone[6]d-limonene attacks the surface; acetone smoothing is far less effective than on ABS[4][19]
Support material pairingHIPS breaks away or dissolves in d-limonene; Bambu Lab sells a dedicated Support for ABS that also serves ASA[20]Used as the support material itself — dissolves in d-limonene, or breaks away from ABS and ASA[4]
Dimensional accuracy & detailWarping and cooling-stress cracking are the accuracy limits; Stratasys notes the matte finish as a deliberate aesthetic advantage[20][18]Not documented
Solvents & Solubility
Soluble inAcetone dissolves it (Polymaker); MEK, THF, ethyl acetate and the chlorinated solvents dissolve the styrenic backbone.[32][6]d-limonene, 12–24 h submerged with occasional agitation; acetone also dissolves it, and xylene does so at 23 °C.[33][32][34]
Softened or crazed byLimonene attacks some grades — Prusa reports Prusament ASA Orange flaking apart as layer adhesion fails.[35]Limonene also disrupts layer adhesion in some ABS and ASA grades, so an ABS model can flake apart in the same bath.[35]
Solvent welding & smoothing agentAcetone vapour, ~20 min at 80 °C over 5 mm of liquid (15–40 min across brands); layer adhesion up, tensile slightly down.[36]Limonene welds and lightly etches it; acetone welds through the polystyrene backbone but smooths less well than ABS.[33][35]

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. ASA — material basics Polymaker Wiki · 2026-08 · doc
  2. Prusament ASA Technical Datasheet v1.1 Prusa Polymers · 2024-05 · tds
  3. 3DXMAX HIPS Technical Data Sheet 3DXTech · 2026-08 · tds
  4. 3DXMAX HIPS — product page 3DXTech · 2026-08 · vendor
  5. Bambu Filament Technical Data Sheet V3.0 — ASA Bambu Lab · 2026-08 · tds
  6. PolyLite ASA Technical Data Sheet Polymaker · 2024-11 · tds
  7. ASA — product page Bambu Lab US Store · 2026-08 · vendor
  8. Polymaker product catalogue Polymaker · 2026-08 · vendor
  9. Printed Solid product catalogue Printed Solid · 2026-08 · vendor
  10. 3DXTech product catalogue 3DXTech · 2026-08 · vendor
  11. Push Plastic product catalogue Push Plastic · 2026-08 · vendor
  12. Filastruder product catalogue Filastruder · 2026-08 · vendor
  13. ZYLtech ASA-GF Glass Fiber filament — product page ZYLtech · 2026-08 · vendor
  14. IEMAI ASA 3D Printing Filament product page IEMAI 3D · 2026-08 · vendor
  15. SUNLU ASA 3D Printer Filament 1 kg SUNLU · 2026-08 · vendor
  16. YXPOLYER ASA Purple product page YXPOLYER · 2026-08 · vendor
  17. YXPOLYER HIPS product page YXPOLYER · 2026-08 · vendor
  18. ASA — FDM Material Data Sheet (includes 1000 h QUV exposure results) Stratasys · 2026-08 · tds
  19. HIPS — Ultimate 3D Printing Materials Guide Simplify3D · 2026-08 · doc
  20. ABS / ASA / PC Usage Guide Bambu Lab Wiki · 2026-08 · doc
  21. Max volumetric speed Prusa Knowledge Base · 2026-08 · doc
  22. ABS — Ultimate 3D Printing Materials Guide Simplify3D · 2026-08 · doc
  23. ASA — Ultimate 3D Printing Materials Guide Simplify3D · 2026-08 · doc
  24. Filament Material Guide Prusa Knowledge Base · 2026-08 · doc
  25. Wet Filament — signs, causes and drying Polymaker Wiki · 2026-08 · doc
  26. ApolloX Technical Data Sheet Formfutura · 2026-08 · tds
  27. Mechanical, Fatigue, and Thermal Characterization of ASA, Nylon 12, PC and PC-ABS Manufactured by Fused Filament Fabrication (FFF) Polymers 18(2):302 · 2026-01 · paper
  28. Prusament ASA — material page Prusa Polymers · 2026-08 · doc
  29. Basalt Fiber Composites with Reduced Thermal Expansion for Additive Manufacturing Polymers 14(15):3216 · 2022-08 · paper
  30. ABS — material basics Polymaker Wiki · 2026-08 · doc
  31. 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
  32. Chemical resistance — resistance of Ensinger plastics to chemicals (DIN 50 014, 23/50) Ensinger · 2026-08 · tds
  33. D-Limonene — FDM post-processing guide Filament2Print · 2026-08 · review
  34. US 5,278,282 Polymer recycling by selective dissolution — xylene dissolution temperatures Nauman & Lynch, Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute · 1994-01 · paper
  35. HIPS — Knowledge Base Prusa Research · 2026-08 · doc
  36. Improve your 3D prints with chemical smoothing Prusa Research · 2026-08 · doc