Glossary · Filament

ASA

A heat- and weather-resistant printing material for parts that need to withstand sun and rain outdoors. An enclosed printer is recommended and makes printing much easier.

Explained in more detail

Acrylonitrile styrene acrylate. Printing behaviour similar to ABS: 240 to 260 °C, bed 90 to 110 °C, enclosed chamber recommended. Instead of butadiene, ASA contains acrylate rubber, which makes it considerably more UV- and weather-resistant. Dimensionally stable up to around 90 to 100 °C. Typical for parts on cars, in the garden or on house walls. Watch out for fumes when printing here too.

Where does the term come from?

ASA stands for acrylonitrile styrene acrylate. The name is modelled on ABS: the A at the end stands for the acrylate rubber that replaces the butadiene there.

In practice

For large parts, use a brim of 5 to 10 mm and clean the plate thoroughly beforehand.
Keep part cooling at 0 to 30 %, as with ABS.
Dry at 70 to 80 °C for 4 to 6 hours, although ASA absorbs less moisture than nylon or TPU.
Acetone smoothing is possible, but the result is often less even than with ABS.
ASA usually costs somewhat more than ABS, so ABS is enough for parts that stay indoors.

Not to be confused

UV-resistant does not mean more heat-resistant: like ABS, ASA withstands around 90 to 100 °C, but resists sunlight considerably longer.

Frequently asked questions

ASA or ABS, which is better?

If the part stays indoors, ABS is enough. If it goes outside into sun and rain, use ASA.

Does ASA need an enclosed printer?

It is not mandatory, but highly recommended. ASA shrinks when cooling, like ABS. Small parts can work on open printers in a warm, draught-free environment, but larger parts risk warping and layer cracks without a warm build volume.

Printers that can process ASA

According to manufacturer specifications, from the 39 printers in the wiki: