3D Printing Info

Filament comparison

ASA vs PLA

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

ASA guidePLA (standard) guide

2 selected · all documented properties

Open these two in the interactive comparisonMore ASA comparisonsMore PLA comparisons
ASA vs PLA — documented properties and sources
PropertyASAASAPLA (standard)PLA
Market snapshot
Listing priceUSD/kg; dated snapshots$28.98/kg median; $17.99–$50.00/kg across 14 dated product listings$19.74/kg median; $9.99–$32.99/kg across 24 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]Poly(lactic acid), a thermoplastic aliphatic polyester from fermented plant starch[3][4]
Densityg/cm³1.05 (Bambu Lab) to 1.13 (PolyLite ASA), ISO 1183; Prusament 1.07[5][6][2]1.17–1.24 (ISO 1183)[3][7][4]
Typical priceUSD/kg1 kg spools cluster near 30[8][9][10]Mainstream 1 kg spools cluster near 20[11][12][13]
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[14][9][8][15][10][16][17][18][19]10–33 across brands; budget house brands 10–14, premium European 26–33[20][21][22][23]
Market availability1–5Stocked by most mainstream brands[8][9][16][10]Ubiquitous, every brand and retailer[24][25]
Spool sizes & diameters1.75 and 2.85 mm; 0.8, 1, 4 and 10 kg spools[16][10][8]1.75 and 2.85 mm; 0.75, 0.85, 1 and 1.1 kg spools plus spool-less refills[11][26][27][22][28]
Typical applicationsOutdoor fittings, signage, automotive exterior trim and anything that has to hold colour and strength in sunlight[29][1]Concept models, functional prototypes, low-wear toys, jigs used at room temperature[30]
Diameter tolerance± mm±0.04 (Prusament)[2]±0.02 (Prusament) to ±0.03 (Bambu Lab, Prusa Research standard)[3][11][31]
Printing Parameters
Nozzle temperature°C230–270 across brands; Prusament 260 ± 10, Bambu Lab 240–270, PolyLite 230–260[5][6][2]190–230; Prusament specifies 210 ± 10[3][7][4]
Bed temperature°C75–110; Prusament 110 ± 5, Bambu Lab 80–100, PolyLite 75–95[5][6][2]25–60; Prusament 40–60, Bambu Lab 35–45[3][7][4]
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][32]Open frame is fine[7][24]
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]100 % from the second layer; reduce on the first one or two layers for bed adhesion[3][25]
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][32]Smooth or textured PEI, glass or painter's tape; glue stick only where release is a problem[7][33][25]
Maximum volumetric flow (mm³/s; see test conditions)mm³/s10–16 (PrusaSlicer guidance for ABS/ASA)[34]12–20 (PrusaSlicer max volumetric speed guidance for PLA)[34]
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][32]None[35][24]
Bed-adhesion difficulty1–5Needs a specific surface plus adhesive[2][32]Sticks to anything — glue only needed on smooth PEI[7][4][25]
Stringing / oozing tendency1–5Slight[6]Slight — 1–3 mm retraction handles it; oozing rises with nozzle temperature[7][25][36]
Overall printing difficulty1–5Intermediate — dry filament and a tuned profile[32][2]Beginner — prints on any machine out of the box[24][25]
Extruder requirementNot documentedAny extruder; Bowden and direct drive both fine, no hardware upgrades[24]
Hardware Wear & Reliability
Nozzle hardness required1–4Brass fine indefinitely[32]Brass fine indefinitely[24]
Abrasiveness1–5Non-abrasive[32]Non-abrasive[35][24]
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[37][24]Very low[24][25]
Heat-creep / jam sensitivity1–5Slightly sensitive[37]Moderate — good heatbreak cooling needed; softens below 60 °C so it deforms in a warm cold zone[33][38]
Hotend requirementNo special hot-end required[37]Any standard hotend; PTFE-lined is fine at PLA temperatures[24]
Other hardware wearNot documentedNone — brass nozzles and standard drive gears are unaffected[35][24]
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]Moderate — 0.40–0.51 % saturated at 23–25 °C and 55–70 % RH[4][7][39]
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]0.43 saturated at 25 °C / 55 % RH (Bambu Lab); 0.51 equilibrium (Polymaker)[4][7]
Drying temperature & time80 °C for 8 h (Bambu Lab); 70 °C for 7 h (Polymaker)[5][6]50–55 °C for 6–8 h in a forced-air dryer; 45 °C for 12 h in the Bambu Lab AMS HT[7][4][38]
Symptoms when wetBubbling and popping at the nozzle, stringing, rough surface and weak layers[40]Bubbling and popping at the nozzle, stringing, rough surface and weak layers[40]
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[40]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[40]
Storage requirementSealed with desiccant; Polymaker rates the styrenics moderate-sensitivity[40]Sealed with desiccant below 20 % RH; shelf life at ambient is long[4][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][41]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[3][7][4][42][43]
Young's modulusMPa2379 (PolyLite) to 2450 (Bambu Lab) printed XY, ISO 527; Prusament 1600, Formfutura 2020[5][6][2][41]2300–3427 (printed XY, ISO 527)[3][7][4]
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][41][2]6.3–12.2 (printed XY, ISO 527); Prusament quotes 2.9 at yield[7][4][3]
Flexural strengthMPa64 ± 1 printed horizontal (Prusament, ISO 178); Bambu Lab 65 ± 5, PolyLite 73.4[2][5][6]76–87 (printed XY, ISO 178); Fiberlogy quotes 81 by ASTM D790[3][7][4][44]
Flexural modulusMPa1920 ± 130 (Bambu Lab) to 3206 (PolyLite) printed XY, ISO 178; Prusament 2000[5][6][2]2750–3230 (printed XY, ISO 178); Fiberlogy quotes 3800 by ASTM D790[3][7][4][44]
Charpy impact, notchedkJ/m²10.3 (PolyLite) to 19.6 (Bambu Lab) printed XY, ISO 179, notched; Prusament 12 ± 1, Formfutura 18[6][5][2][41]3.3–7.9 (printed XY, ISO 179, notched)[7][4]
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]Charpy unnotched, printed: 13–14 (Prusament, ISO 179-1), 26.6 (Bambu Lab PLA Basic)[3][4]
Layer adhesion / Z tensileMPa11 ± 1 (Prusa interlayer adhesion test); 31 ± 4 (Bambu Lab) and 32 (PolyLite) printed Z tensile, ISO 527[2][5][6]17–31 (Prusa interlayer test and printed Z tensile); 23 mean on My Tech Fun 4×4 mm bars[3][4][43]
Brittleness1–5Tough — absorbs impact, yields before breaking[5][2]Brittle — snaps with little warning[33][35]
Hardness (scale-specific)Shore A / Shore D / Rockwell78 Shore D (Prusa Polymers method)[2]81 Shore D (Prusa Polymers in-house method); 75.3 Shore D measured on printed bars (My Tech Fun, Sunlu PLA)[3][45]
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]Poor — deforms under load at room temperature; 12 mm bar sagged to 20.3 mm over 5 days at 1.25 kg[46][47]
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[48]Poor — 38 000–49 000 cycles at 30 % of tensile strength, against 79 000–193 000 for PETG (printed, R = 0.2, 7 Hz)[49][33]
Elasticity / flexibility1–5Rigid[5]Rigid[35]
Z strength as % of XY%84 (Bambu Lab, printed Z against XY tensile); 73 for PolyLite ASA[5][6]77–89 on TDS specimens; ≈44 on My Tech Fun 4×4 mm bars[7][4][43]
Thermal Properties
HDT at 0.45 MPa°C93 (Prusament) to 103 (PolyLite), ISO 75 at 0.45 MPa; Bambu Lab 100[2][6][5]55–60 (ISO 75, 0.45 MPa)[3][7][4]
HDT at 1.8 MPa°C86 (Prusament) to 100 (PolyLite), ISO 75 at 1.8 MPa; Bambu Lab 92[2][6][5]54–58 (ISO 75, 1.8 MPa)[3][7][4]
Glass transition (Tg)°C98 (PolyLite, DSC)[6]55–61 (DSC)[3][7][4]
Melting point / Vicat°CAmorphous — no melting point; Vicat 105 (PolyLite, ISO 306)[6]145–160 peak melt (Prusament, ISO 11357); 150 and 160 by DSC (PolyLite, Bambu Lab); Vicat 57–63 (ISO 306)[30][7][4]
Continuous service temperature°C93 — Prusa publishes this as the temperature resistance of Prusament ASA[50]50–55 — loaded bars begin to move at this temperature[35][43]
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[4][51]
Thermal expansion (CTE)µm/m·K69 ± 17 in XY and 115 ± 24 in the build direction (printed, TMA, 40–70 °C)[52]96 ± 5 at 0° and 99 ± 5 at 90° raster (printed PLA, fibre Bragg grating, 25–50 °C)[53]
Flammability / UL 94Flammable; no UL 94 rating published for standard ASA[5]Flammable; no UL 94 rating published by the major brands[4][7]
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 %[29]Degrades within weeks outdoors[33][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[29]Not suitable for long-term outdoor use — UV embrittlement plus softening above 55 °C in direct sun[30][33]
Chemical resistanceGood against weak acids, weak alkalis, oils and grease; dissolved by acetone[6]Good against weak acids, oils and grease; poor against strong acids and alkalis; dissolved by chloroform, THF and hot benzene[7][33]
Water / humidity resistance in service1–5Good — minor absorption[5]Good — insoluble in water, absorbs 0.4–0.5 % at equilibrium[4][54]
Food contactNot food safe[1]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[33][54]
Biodegradability / compostabilityNot biodegradable[1]Industrially compostable only — needs sustained 55 °C and specific microbial conditions; not home compostable[54][33][4]
RecyclabilityNot accepted in household plastic collection[1]Mechanically recyclable; not accepted in household plastic collection, so brand take-back schemes are the practical route[54]
Health & Safety
Fume toxicity1–5High — hazardous VOC such as styrene; enclosure and filtration needed[55][32]Low hazard — minimal VOC and particle emission[55]
VOC emission rateµg/min12–113 styrene, the range measured across the styrenic filaments tested; ASA itself was not among them[55]4–5 lactide, the dominant VOC (chamber study, three printers)[55]
Ultrafine-particle emission rateparticles/min2 × 10¹⁰ to 9 × 10¹⁰ median for ABS, the closest styrenic tested; ASA itself was not measured[55]≈1 × 10⁸ median across three printers; only laywood ≈8 × 10⁷ and laybrick ≈6 × 10⁷ were lower[55]
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[32][55]Lactide (3,6-dimethyl-1,4-dioxane-2,5-dione) dominates; no styrene or caprolactam as a leading species[55]
Ventilation / filtration requirement1–5Enclosure with carbon and HEPA filtration[55][32]None needed in a normal room[55]
Post-Processing
Sanding & machiningSands well and takes filler before painting[1]Wet sanding — dry sanding heats the surface by friction and smears it[30][33]
Gluing & solvent weldingSolvent-welds with acetone[6]Cyanoacrylate for most joints; some grades partially dissolve and bond with acetone, depending on additives and colour[33][31]
Vapour / chemical smoothingAcetone vapour smoothing works — ASA dissolves in acetone[6]No practical vapour smoothing — only chloroform, hot benzene or THF, which are laboratory-only[33]
Support material pairingHIPS breaks away or dissolves in d-limonene; Bambu Lab sells a dedicated Support for ABS that also serves ASA[32]PolySupport and PolyDissolve S1 (Polymaker); Support for PLA (Bambu Lab)[7][4]
Dimensional accuracy & detailWarping and cooling-stress cracking are the accuracy limits; Stratasys notes the matte finish as a deliberate aesthetic advantage[32][29]Good — low shrinkage and features under 0.2 mm resolve; 55° overhangs and 30 mm bridges[35][4][25]
Solvents & Solubility
Soluble inAcetone dissolves it (Polymaker); MEK, THF, ethyl acetate and the chlorinated solvents dissolve the styrenic backbone.[56][6]Chloroform: 10 % w/v in 2–4 h at 23 °C, every grade and morphology; THF and DMF only at 65 °C. Laboratory reagents.[57]
Softened or crazed byLimonene attacks some grades — Prusa reports Prusament ASA Orange flaking apart as layer adhesion fails.[58]Acetone, ethyl acetate and toluene plasticise it but dissolve <1 % even at 65 °C; submersion in acetone crazes and destroys parts.[57][59]
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.[59]Chloroform vapour smooths and welds PLA at the cost of tensile strength; acetone does not smooth it at all.[60][59]

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. Prusament PLA Technical Datasheet v1.1 Prusa Polymers · 2022-02 · tds
  4. Bambu Filament Technical Data Sheet V3.0 — PLA Basic Bambu Lab · 2026-08 · tds
  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. PolyLite PLA Technical Data Sheet V5.4 Polymaker · 2024-11 · tds
  8. ASA — product page Bambu Lab US Store · 2026-08 · vendor
  9. Polymaker product catalogue Polymaker · 2026-08 · vendor
  10. Printed Solid product catalogue Printed Solid · 2026-08 · vendor
  11. PLA Basic — product page Bambu Lab US Store · 2026-08 · vendor
  12. MH Build Series PLA Filament White 1.75mm 1kg MatterHackers · 2026-08 · vendor
  13. 3DJAKE ecoPLA Black 1.75mm 1000g 3DJake International · 2026-08 · vendor
  14. Filastruder product catalogue Filastruder · 2026-08 · vendor
  15. ZYLtech ASA-GF Glass Fiber filament — product page ZYLtech · 2026-08 · vendor
  16. 3DXTech product catalogue 3DXTech · 2026-08 · vendor
  17. IEMAI ASA 3D Printing Filament product page IEMAI 3D · 2026-08 · vendor
  18. SUNLU ASA 3D Printer Filament 1 kg SUNLU · 2026-08 · vendor
  19. YXPOLYER ASA Purple product page YXPOLYER · 2026-08 · vendor
  20. JAYO PLA Classic 1.1KG 1.75mm JAYO Official Store · 2026-08 · vendor
  21. ELEGOO PLA Filament 1.75mm Colored 1KG Elegoo US Official Store · 2026-08 · vendor
  22. Fillamentum PLA Extrafill Natural 1kg Fillamentum USA · 2026-08 · vendor
  23. Prusament PLA Jet Black 1kg (NFC) Prusa Research · 2026-08 · vendor
  24. Filament Material Guide Prusa Knowledge Base · 2026-08 · doc
  25. PLA — Ultimate 3D Printing Materials Guide Simplify3D · 2026-08 · doc
  26. Fiberlogy rPLA Refill Anthracite 850 g 3DJake International · 2026-08 · vendor
  27. JAYO Silk PLA+ 1.75mm 1.1kg JAYO Official Store · 2026-08 · vendor
  28. ColorFabb PLA/PHA 750g 3D Universe · 2026-08 · vendor
  29. ASA — FDM Material Data Sheet (includes 1000 h QUV exposure results) Stratasys · 2026-08 · tds
  30. Prusament PLA Technical Data Sheet v1.0 Prusa Polymers · 2018-09 · tds
  31. Prusament rPLA Corn Pigment 1kg — product page Prusa Research · 2026-08 · vendor
  32. ABS / ASA / PC Usage Guide Bambu Lab Wiki · 2026-08 · doc
  33. PLA — material guide Prusa Knowledge Base · 2026-08 · doc
  34. Max volumetric speed Prusa Knowledge Base · 2026-08 · doc
  35. Prusament PLA — material page Prusa Polymers · 2026-08 · doc
  36. PLA — material basics Polymaker Wiki · 2026-08 · doc
  37. ASA — Ultimate 3D Printing Materials Guide Simplify3D · 2026-08 · doc
  38. Filament Drying Recommendations Bambu Lab Wiki · 2026-08 · doc
  39. PolySonic PLA Technical Data Sheet V5.4 Polymaker · 2024-11 · tds
  40. Wet Filament — signs, causes and drying Polymaker Wiki · 2026-08 · doc
  41. ApolloX Technical Data Sheet Formfutura · 2026-08 · tds
  42. 16 PLA brand comparison test — results spreadsheet My Tech Fun (Igor Gaspar) · 2022-10 · test
  43. Creality Hyper PLA filament review — results spreadsheet My Tech Fun (Igor Gaspar) · 2026-08 · test
  44. Easy PLA — product and technical data Fiberlogy · 2026-08 · tds
  45. Carbon Fiber PLA vs META-PLA vs PLA+ vs PLA by Sunlu — results spreadsheet My Tech Fun (Igor Gaspar) · 2026-08 · test
  46. BambuLab PLA Basic vs PLA Tough vs PLA-CF — results spreadsheet My Tech Fun (Igor Gaspar) · 2026-08 · test
  47. PolyTerra PLA vs PLA+ — results spreadsheet My Tech Fun (Igor Gaspar) · 2026-08 · test
  48. 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
  49. Mechanical Properties of Additively Manufactured Polymeric Materials — PLA and PETG — For Biomechanical Applications Polymers 16(13):1868 · 2024-06 · paper
  50. Prusament ASA — material page Prusa Polymers · 2026-08 · doc
  51. Bambu Filament Technical Data Sheet V3.0 — PLA Matte Bambu Lab · 2026-08 · tds
  52. Basalt Fiber Composites with Reduced Thermal Expansion for Additive Manufacturing Polymers 14(15):3216 · 2022-08 · paper
  53. Characterization of Thermal Expansion Coefficient of 3D Printing Polymeric Materials Using Fiber Bragg Grating Sensors Materials 17(18):4668 · 2024-09 · paper
  54. Filamentive PLA (recycled) — product page Filamentive · 2026-08 · vendor
  55. 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
  56. Chemical resistance — resistance of Ensinger plastics to chemicals (DIN 50 014, 23/50) Ensinger · 2026-08 · tds
  57. Solubility Study of Ingeo Biopolymer Grades in Common Organic Solvents (NWPD003) NatureWorks · 2019-10 · tds
  58. HIPS — Knowledge Base Prusa Research · 2026-08 · doc
  59. Improve your 3D prints with chemical smoothing Prusa Research · 2026-08 · doc
  60. 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