— FDM · MATERIAL
ASA
ABS without the UV problem. Outdoor-grade engineering plastic.
Acrylonitrile styrene acrylate. Mechanically near-identical to ABS but inherently UV-resistant — same parts, same workflow, but they don't yellow or chalk in summer sun. The right pick for any printed part that lives outdoors.
— Specs
The numbers your slicer cares about.
Density
1.07 g/cm³
Nozzle temp
240–260°C
Bed temp
95–110°C
Price
—
— Use cases
When ASA is the right call.
Best for
- Outdoor mounts, brackets, garden parts
- Automotive trim and interior parts
- Replacement covers for sun-exposed equipment
- Anything you'd print in ABS but need UV stability for
Avoid for
- Beginner-level prints (warps like ABS without enclosure)
- Open-room printing (mild VOCs, ventilate)
- Tight budgets (slightly pricier than ABS)
- Detail work where PLA's surface finish wins
— Honest assessment
Pros & cons, no marketing.
Pros
- UV-stable: keeps colour and stiffness in direct sun for years
- Same machinability as ABS — sand, drill, tap, acetone-smooth
- High continuous-use temperature (~95°C)
- Solvent-weldable just like ABS
Cons
- Warps without an enclosure on parts >100mm
- Releases styrene-family VOCs while printing — ventilate
- Slightly more expensive than ABS for similar specs
- Bed adhesion finickier than PLA / PETG
— Print tips
What we'd tell a friend printing this.
- 1Enclosure mandatory for parts > 100mm — same rules as ABS
- 2Bed 100–110°C with brim or raft for large flat parts
- 3Acetone smoothing works exactly as it does on ABS
- 4Keep drafts off the print: ASA is just as warp-sensitive as its cousin
— Compare
Also worth considering.
— Try this material