3D Printing Info

Filament comparison

ASA vs PVB

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

ASA guidePVB guide

2 selected · all documented properties

Open these two in the interactive comparisonMore ASA comparisonsMore PVB comparisons
ASA vs PVB — documented properties and sources
PropertyASAASAPVBSPECIALTY
Market snapshot
Listing priceUSD/kg; dated snapshots$28.98/kg median; $17.99–$50.00/kg across 14 dated product listings$66.65/kg median; $49.32–$79.98/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]Polyvinyl butyral — a printable thermoplastic whose surface can be smoothed with isopropyl alcohol instead of a hot solvent[3]
Densityg/cm³1.05 (Bambu Lab) to 1.13 (PolyLite ASA), ISO 1183; Prusament 1.07[4][5][2]1.10 (Polymaker PolySmooth, ISO 1183); Prusament PVB 1.10[3][6]
Typical priceUSD/kg1 kg spools cluster near 30[7][8][9]1 kg-equivalent spools cluster near 80[8][9]
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[10][8][7][11][9][12][13][14][15]49–102 across brands; Polymaker PolySmooth 49 at 750 g, Prusament PVB 80–102 at 500 g[8][9]
Market availability1–5Stocked by most mainstream brands[7][8][12][9]Available from several mainstream brands[8][9]
Spool sizes & diameters1.75 and 2.85 mm; 0.8, 1, 4 and 10 kg spools[12][9][7]1.75 and 2.85 mm; 0.5 and 0.75 kg spools[8][9]
Typical applicationsOutdoor fittings, signage, automotive exterior trim and anything that has to hold colour and strength in sunlight[16][1]Display models and light guides where a layer-free surface matters more than strength[3]
Diameter tolerance± mm±0.04 (Prusament)[2]+/- 0.03 (Prusament PVB)[6]
Printing Parameters
Nozzle temperature°C230–270 across brands; Prusament 260 ± 10, Bambu Lab 240–270, PolyLite 230–260[4][5][2]215 +/- 10 (Prusament PVB)[6]
Bed temperature°C75–110; Prusament 110 ± 5, Bambu Lab 80–100, PolyLite 75–95[4][5][2]75 +/- 5 (Prusament PVB)[6]
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[5][17]Open frame is fine[3]
Recommended chamber temperature°C45–60 (Bambu Lab)[4]Not documented
Part cooling fanLow — Prusament 30 % within a 0–50 % range, Bambu Lab 0–80 %, PolyLite off[2][4][5]100 % part cooling (Prusament PVB)[6]
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][17]Smooth PEI sheet or satin sheet; Prusa states a brim is not generally necessary[6]
Maximum volumetric flow (mm³/s; see test conditions)mm³/s10–16 (PrusaSlicer guidance for ABS/ASA)[18]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][17]Not documented
Bed-adhesion difficulty1–5Needs a specific surface plus adhesive[2][17]Not documented
Stringing / oozing tendency1–5Slight[5]Not documented
Overall printing difficulty1–5Intermediate — dry filament and a tuned profile[17][2]Easy — minor profile tuning; it prints close to PLA[3]
Hardware Wear & Reliability
Nozzle hardness required1–4Brass fine indefinitely[17]Brass fine indefinitely[3]
Abrasiveness1–5Non-abrasive[17]Non-abrasive[3]
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[19][20]Moderate — needs dry filament and a clean nozzle; Prusa calls PVB very prone to absorbing moisture and requires a 60 °C, 4 h dry before every print[21][22]
Heat-creep / jam sensitivity1–5Slightly sensitive[19]Not documented
Hotend requirementNo special hot-end required[19]Not documented
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[4][5][2]Very high (>2 %) — 2.36 % equilibrium water absorption (Polymaker PolySmooth), above every PLA and PETG grade here[3]
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)[4][5][2]2.36 equilibrium water absorption (Polymaker PolySmooth); 2.09 for PolyCast; Prusament PVB takes up 0.18 in 24 h and 0.35 in 7 days at 24 °C and 22 % RH[3][23][6]
Drying temperature & time80 °C for 8 h (Bambu Lab); 70 °C for 7 h (Polymaker)[4][5]Maximum 60 °C for 4-8 h depending on how wet the filament is (Prusament PVB)[6]
Symptoms when wetBubbling and popping at the nozzle, stringing, rough surface and weak layers[22]Not documented
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[22]Polymaker publishes no dry-versus-conditioned figures; at 2.36 % equilibrium uptake the material has to be kept dry to print cleanly[3][22]
Storage requirementSealed with desiccant; Polymaker rates the styrenics moderate-sensitivity[22]Sealed with desiccant[22]
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[4][5][2][24]51.8 ± 0.7 printed XY, ISO 527 (PolySmooth); 53.2 ± 1.1 for PolyCast; Prusament PVB gives 50 +/- 5 at yield printed horizontal (ISO 527-1) and 57 +/- 1 on the filament (ISO 527)[3][23][6]
Young's modulusMPa2379 (PolyLite) to 2450 (Bambu Lab) printed XY, ISO 527; Prusament 1600, Formfutura 2020[4][5][2][24]2199 ± 43 printed XY and 2010 ± 69 printed Z, ISO 527 (PolySmooth); Prusament PVB gives 1700 +/- 100 in both print directions (ISO 527-1)[3][6]
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[4][5][24][2]5.7 ± 0.5 printed XY, ISO 527 (PolyCast)[23]
Flexural strengthMPa64 ± 1 printed horizontal (Prusament, ISO 178); Bambu Lab 65 ± 5, PolyLite 73.4[2][4][5]72 +/- 1 printed horizontal and 73 +/- 3 printed vertical, ISO 178 (Prusament PVB)[6]
Flexural modulusMPa1920 ± 130 (Bambu Lab) to 3206 (PolyLite) printed XY, ISO 178; Prusament 2000[4][5][2]2233 ± 106 printed XY, ISO 178 (PolyCast); Prusament PVB gives 2200 +/- 100 horizontal and 2300 +/- 100 vertical (ISO 178)[23][6]
Charpy impact, notchedkJ/m²10.3 (PolyLite) to 19.6 (Bambu Lab) printed XY, ISO 179, notched; Prusament 12 ± 1, Formfutura 18[5][4][2][24]7 +/- 1 printed horizontal and 10 +/- 1 printed vertical, ISO 179-1 notched (Prusament PVB)[6]
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][4]Charpy unnotched 55 +/- 7 printed horizontal and 59 +/- 12 printed vertical (Prusament PVB, ISO 179-1)[6]
Layer adhesion / Z tensileMPa11 ± 1 (Prusa interlayer adhesion test); 31 ± 4 (Bambu Lab) and 32 (PolyLite) printed Z tensile, ISO 527[2][4][5]26.3 ± 2.1 printed Z, ISO 527 (PolyCast); Prusament PVB gives 49 +/- 5 at yield printed vertical (ISO 527-1) and 9 +/- 1 on Prusa's interlayer adhesion test[23][6]
Brittleness1–5Tough — absorbs impact, yields before breaking[4][2]Moderate[3]
Hardness (scale-specific)Shore A / Shore D / Rockwell78 Shore D (Prusa Polymers method)[2]Shore D 77 (Prusa Polymers method)[6]
Creep resistance / sustained load1–5Moderate — no printed-ASA creep test found; Tg of 98 °C keeps room-temperature service far below softening, unlike PLA[5][2]Not documented
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[25]Not documented
Elasticity / flexibility1–5Rigid[4]Rigid[3]
Z strength as % of XY%84 (Bambu Lab, printed Z against XY tensile); 73 for PolyLite ASA[4][5]98 (Prusament PVB, printed vertical against horizontal tensile yield, ISO 527-1: 49 +/- 5 against 50 +/- 5) — the most isotropic printed material in this dataset[6]
Thermal Properties
HDT at 0.45 MPa°C93 (Prusament) to 103 (PolyLite), ISO 75 at 0.45 MPa; Bambu Lab 100[2][5][4]68 (PolySmooth) and 67 (PolyCast), ISO 75 at 0.45 MPa; Prusament PVB 63 (ISO 75 at 0.45 MPa)[3][23][6]
HDT at 1.8 MPa°C86 (Prusament) to 100 (PolyLite), ISO 75 at 1.8 MPa; Bambu Lab 92[2][5][4]66 (PolySmooth) and 53 (PolyCast), ISO 75 at 1.8 MPa; Prusament PVB 58 (ISO 75 at 1.8 MPa)[3][23][6]
Glass transition (Tg)°C98 (PolyLite, DSC)[5]70 (DSC) for both PolySmooth and PolyCast[3][23]
Melting point / Vicat°CAmorphous — no melting point; Vicat 105 (PolyLite, ISO 306)[5]Amorphous — no melting point; Vicat 70 (PolySmooth) and 67 (PolyCast), ISO 306[3][23]
Continuous service temperature°C93 — Prusa publishes this as the temperature resistance of Prusament ASA[26]Not documented
Thermal expansion (CTE)µm/m·K69 ± 17 in XY and 115 ± 24 in the build direction (printed, TMA, 40–70 °C)[27]Not documented
Flammability / UL 94Flammable; no UL 94 rating published for standard ASA[4]Not documented
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 %[16]Not documented
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[16]Not documented
Chemical resistanceGood against weak acids, weak alkalis, oils and grease; dissolved by acetone[5]Not documented
Water / humidity resistance in service1–5Good — minor absorption[4]Not documented
Food contactNot food safe[1]Not documented
Biodegradability / compostabilityNot biodegradable[1]Not documented
RecyclabilityNot accepted in household plastic collection[1]Not documented
Health & Safety
Fume toxicity1–5High — hazardous VOC such as styrene; enclosure and filtration needed[28][17]Low hazard — minimal VOC and particle emission; none of these materials was in the chamber study[28]
VOC emission rateµg/min12–113 styrene, the range measured across the styrenic filaments tested; ASA itself was not among them[28]Not documented
Ultrafine-particle emission rateparticles/min2 × 10¹⁰ to 9 × 10¹⁰ median for ABS, the closest styrenic tested; ASA itself was not measured[28]Not documented
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[17][28]Not documented
Ventilation / filtration requirement1–5Enclosure with carbon and HEPA filtration[28][17]Open a window / occasional ventilation[28]
Post-Processing
Sanding & machiningSands well and takes filler before painting[1]Not documented
Gluing & solvent weldingSolvent-welds with acetone[5]Not documented
Vapour / chemical smoothingAcetone vapour smoothing works — ASA dissolves in acetone[5]Isopropyl alcohol vapour smoothing is the point of the material — Polymaker markets PolySmooth for hands-free post-processing to a layer-free surface[3]
Support material pairingHIPS breaks away or dissolves in d-limonene; Bambu Lab sells a dedicated Support for ABS that also serves ASA[17]PolyDissolve S1 is rated for PVB (Polymaker)[29]
Dimensional accuracy & detailWarping and cooling-stress cracking are the accuracy limits; Stratasys notes the matte finish as a deliberate aesthetic advantage[17][16]PolyCast is the investment-casting variant of the same chemistry — it burns out cleanly rather than being smoothed[23]
Solvents & Solubility
Soluble inAcetone dissolves it (Polymaker); MEK, THF, ethyl acetate and the chlorinated solvents dissolve the styrenic backbone.[30][5]Isopropyl alcohol dissolves it; Prusa describes PVB as soluble only in IPA, and it is not water-soluble.[21]
Softened or crazed byLimonene attacks some grades — Prusa reports Prusament ASA Orange flaking apart as layer adhesion fails.[31]Not documented
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.[32]Isopropyl alcohol: brushed or sprayed on for speed, or several hours in IPA vapour for a glass-like surface.[32][21]

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. PolySmooth Technical Data Sheet V5.4 Polymaker · 2024-11 · tds
  4. Bambu Filament Technical Data Sheet V3.0 — ASA Bambu Lab · 2026-08 · tds
  5. PolyLite ASA Technical Data Sheet Polymaker · 2024-11 · tds
  6. Prusament PVB Technical Datasheet v1.1 Prusa Polymers · 2022-02 · 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. Filastruder product catalogue Filastruder · 2026-08 · vendor
  11. ZYLtech ASA-GF Glass Fiber filament — product page ZYLtech · 2026-08 · vendor
  12. 3DXTech product catalogue 3DXTech · 2026-08 · vendor
  13. IEMAI ASA 3D Printing Filament product page IEMAI 3D · 2026-08 · vendor
  14. SUNLU ASA 3D Printer Filament 1 kg SUNLU · 2026-08 · vendor
  15. YXPOLYER ASA Purple product page YXPOLYER · 2026-08 · vendor
  16. ASA — FDM Material Data Sheet (includes 1000 h QUV exposure results) Stratasys · 2026-08 · tds
  17. ABS / ASA / PC Usage Guide Bambu Lab Wiki · 2026-08 · doc
  18. Max volumetric speed Prusa Knowledge Base · 2026-08 · doc
  19. ASA — Ultimate 3D Printing Materials Guide Simplify3D · 2026-08 · doc
  20. Filament Material Guide Prusa Knowledge Base · 2026-08 · doc
  21. Prusament PVB — material page Prusa Polymers · 2026-08 · tds
  22. Wet Filament — signs, causes and drying Polymaker Wiki · 2026-08 · doc
  23. PolyCast Technical Data Sheet V5.4 Polymaker · 2024-11 · tds
  24. ApolloX Technical Data Sheet Formfutura · 2026-08 · tds
  25. 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
  26. Prusament ASA — material page Prusa Polymers · 2026-08 · doc
  27. Basalt Fiber Composites with Reduced Thermal Expansion for Additive Manufacturing Polymers 14(15):3216 · 2022-08 · paper
  28. 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
  29. PolyDissolve S1 Technical Data Sheet V5.4 Polymaker · 2024-11 · tds
  30. Chemical resistance — resistance of Ensinger plastics to chemicals (DIN 50 014, 23/50) Ensinger · 2026-08 · tds
  31. HIPS — Knowledge Base Prusa Research · 2026-08 · doc
  32. Improve your 3D prints with chemical smoothing Prusa Research · 2026-08 · doc