ASA Filament Guide: The Outdoor Engineering Plastic
What ASA is for
Outdoor signage, garden brackets, sprinkler caps, weather-station housings, motorcycle and car interior trim, antenna mounts, anything that lives in direct sun for years. ASA is what was used for original Lego bricks and current outdoor fittings precisely because it does not yellow or get brittle in UV.
Print settings
- Nozzle 240 to 260 C
- Bed 95 to 110 C, PEI or ABS slurry
- Enclosure recommended for prints over ~80 mm in any direction
- Layer fan off or minimal
- Slow first layer with brim for tall prints
ASA vs ABS, PETG and PC
| Property | ASA | ABS | PETG | PC |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| UV resistance | Best | Good | Fair | Fair |
| Heat resistance | ~95 C | ~95 C | ~75 C | ~110 C |
| Print difficulty | Moderate | Moderate | Easy | Hard |
| Smell | Mild | Strong | None | Mild |
| Cost | Medium | Low | Low | High |
ASA CF for functional parts
ASA CF (carbon fibre filled ASA) is the pick for outdoor brackets, drone parts and any functional outdoor print that needs both UV stability and stiffness. Needs a hardened nozzle.