3RDAX™ ASA 1.75mm

3RDAX™ ASA 1.75mm 3D Printer Filament

ABOUT THIS FILAMENT
ASA is one of the best all round materials for functional parts that need to handle outdoor conditions, heat, and long term exposure. It is closely related to ABS and shares many of the same strengths, including good toughness, solid heat resistance, a high Vicat softening temperature, and easy post processing, but improves on one of ABS’s biggest weaknesses, UV stability.

Where ABS can fade, weaken, or become brittle after long periods in the sun, ASA is designed to handle it. That makes it a far better choice for parts that will live outdoors, inside hot vehicles, or anywhere exposed to changing weather conditions over time.

It is not as easy to print as PLA or PETG and still benefits from the same care and setup as ABS, but the trade off is a material that offers strong real world durability without stepping into the higher cost or complexity of nylon or polycarbonate.

WHERE IT WORKS BEST
ASA works best for parts that need to remain stable in outdoor or high heat environments. It is a strong choice for automotive trims, brackets, housings, mounts, covers, workshop fixtures, marine accessories, and external components where UV exposure, weather, or heat would eventually degrade other materials.

It is also a practical choice for parts that may need sanding, painting, gluing, or machining after printing, making it suitable for both rough workshop parts and cleaner finished components.

For many users, ASA becomes the logical step up from ABS when long term outdoor durability matters just as much as the mechanical performance of the part.

WHERE IT COMES FROM
ASA stands for Acrylonitrile Styrene Acrylate. Like ABS, it is a petroleum based thermoplastic, meaning its raw materials originate from crude oil and natural gas. These are refined into the chemical building blocks used to create the polymer, which are then blended together to produce the final material.

ASA is made by combining acrylonitrile and styrene with an acrylic rubber component. This is where it differs from ABS, which uses butadiene rubber instead. That change in the rubber component is what gives ASA its improved resistance to weathering and long term environmental exposure, while still keeping much of the strength, toughness, and printability that makes ABS so widely used.

That balance is what makes ASA such a practical material. It keeps the familiar functional feel of ABS, but with improved long term durability where the environment matters.

PRINTING WITH IT
ASA prints much like ABS and benefits from stable temperatures during printing. An enclosure is strongly recommended, especially for larger parts, as ASA can still warp or shrink as it cools if exposed to changing air temperatures. It is also sensitive to drafts, so shielding the printer from windows, fans, heat pumps, or air conditioning can make a noticeable difference in print success.

Bed adhesion is important with ASA, particularly on larger flat parts or sharper cornered prints where lifting can quickly ruin a long print. A good build surface and quality adhesive can save a lot of frustration here, and products like Dimafix can make a significant difference in improving first layer hold and reducing edge lift.

Like ABS, ASA also produces noticeable fumes during printing, so ventilation is recommended. Once printed, it sands, machines, glues, and paints very well, making it one of the more versatile functional materials available for finished parts.

MATERIAL COMPATIBILITY
ASA performs best as a single material print and bonds reliably to itself when printed correctly. It can work alongside certain support materials designed for higher temperature environments, but it does not naturally pair well with lower temperature materials like PLA or PETG due to the large differences in print temperature and shrink behaviour.

For most users, ASA works best when treated as its own material system rather than mixed with other common filaments. Like ABS, consistency in temperature and material behaviour tends to produce the best results.

BASE, CARBON OR GLASS?
Standard ASA offers the best balance of weather resistance, toughness, and printability, making it the most versatile option for general outdoor and automotive parts.

ASA Carbon Fiber increases stiffness, reduces flex, and often gives a cleaner matte finish, making it better suited to structural parts where rigidity matters more than impact resistance. It also requires a hardened nozzle due to the abrasive Carbon Fiber content.

ASA Glass Fiber improves stiffness and dimensional stability while maintaining strong outdoor performance, making it useful for parts where dimensional stability under heat or load is more important.

For most outdoor functional parts, standard ASA remains one of the most practical and capable materials available, with the reinforced options offering more specialised performance where needed.

TECHNICAL DATA

Material Type: ASA
Diameter: 1.75 mm ± 0.03 mm
Net Weight: 1 kg
Composition: Acrylonitrile Styrene Acrylate
Density: x g/cm³
Approx. Length per kg: x m
Vicat Softening Temperature: Not tested
Heat Deflection Temperature: x °C
Tensile Strength (Yield): x MPa
Elongation at Break: x %
Flexural Strength: x MPa
Flexural Modulus: x MPa
Izod Impact Strength: x J/m
Certifications: CE and RoHS compliant

Want to know what these specs actually mean? Download the Technical Data Sheet.

PRINT SETTINGS
Nozzle Temperature: 240 to 270 °C
Bed Temperature: 90 to 115 °C
Enclosure: Strongly recommended
Nozzle Type: Standard brass nozzle suitable
Cooling: Minimal cooling recommended
Drying: Recommended for best consistency
Build Surface: PEI, glass, textured plate, or suitable high temperature print surface
Bed Adhesive: Recommended, particularly for larger parts or difficult geometries