ASA

Intermediate

Acrylonitrile Styrene Acrylate

ASA is ABS's weather-resistant cousin. It offers similar mechanical properties but with significantly better UV and outdoor resistance. If you are printing anything that will live outside — garden tools, outdoor fixtures, automotive trim — ASA is the correct choice.

⚠ IMPORTANT: Dry Your Filament Before Every Print

All filaments — including ASA — absorb moisture from the air. Printing with wet filament causes stringing, bubbling, weak layer adhesion, and poor surface finish. This is the single most overlooked cause of bad prints.

Always dry your filament per the manufacturer's recommendations printed on the spool label before printing, especially if the spool has been open for more than a few days or stored in a humid environment. Read our complete filament drying guide →

About the Temperatures & Speeds Listed Below

The print temperatures and speeds shown on this page are general industry ranges — not a one-size-fits-all prescription. Every printer brand and model has different capabilities. A Bambu Lab X1C can print PLA at 500 mm/s; an Ender 3 with a Bowden extruder performs best at 40–80 mm/s.

Always follow your specific printer manufacturer's recommended settings and the temperature range printed on your filament spool label. Start at the lower end of the range and dial in from there.

Material Properties

Strength7/10

Flexibility3/10

Heat Resistance9/10

Printability5/10

ASA Variants Explained

ASA isn't one material — it's a family. Every variant below starts from the same base chemistry but is modified for a different job. Click through for full settings and brand picks on each.

ASA-CF

ASA reinforced with chopped carbon fiber. Combines exceptional UV resistance and weatherability with high stif...

Best For

Outdoor parts
Automotive exterior
Garden equipment
UV-exposed items
Marine applications

Avoid For

Beginners
Open-air printing
Indoor decorative items (more expensive than needed)

Pro Tips

01Treat like ABS — enclosure is mandatory
02Slightly higher temps than ABS for better layer bonding
03Excellent for functional outdoor prototypes
04Less warping than ABS with proper setup

Dialed-In Print Profiles

These profiles are starting points based on community-tested settings for each printer. Your results may vary depending on your specific filament brand, ambient temperature, and printer condition. Always run a test print and adjust as needed. Speeds shown reflect what these printers are capable of — entry-level machines should use the lower end of any range.

Bambu Lab X1 Carbon

Nozzle

255°C

Bed

100°C

Speed

180mm/s

1st Layer

40mm/s

Retract

0.8mm

Fan

10%

⚠ Enclosure required. Similar to ABS profile. Excellent outdoor part results.

Print Speed by Printer Tier

Print speeds vary dramatically by printer. The speeds listed in product specs (like "500 mm/s") are maximum capabilities — not recommended everyday speeds. Use this table as a general guide and always follow your printer manufacturer's recommended settings.

High-End (Bambu X1C, P2S, H2D)

Print Speed: 150–250 mm/s

Enclosed chamber required. ASA behaves similarly to ABS but with better UV resistance.

Mid-Range (Bambu A1/A1 Mini, Prusa MK4, Creality K1)

Print Speed: 50–100 mm/s

Enclosure strongly recommended. Reduce speed on large flat parts to prevent warping.

Entry-Level (Ender 3 series, Bowden extruders)

Print Speed: 30–50 mm/s

Enclosure required. ASA warps similarly to ABS without one.

Quick Specs

Print Temp240–260°C

Bed Temp90–110°C

Cost / kg$25–$40

EnclosureRequired

DryingRecommended

DifficultyIntermediate

Drying Note: Even filaments marked "Not Required" benefit from drying if the spool has been open or stored in a humid area. When in doubt, dry it.

Buy ASA Filament

Recommended brands: Hatchbox, eSUN, Polymaker, Bambu

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Printers With Dialed-In Profiles

X1 CarbonBambu Lab

Other Filaments