ASA

Overview

ASA (Acrylonitrile Styrene Acrylate) is the UV-stable cousin of ABS. It shares most of ABS’s excellent mechanical properties while adding superior resistance to sunlight, weathering, and yellowing — making it the top FDM choice for parts that will live outdoors.

Key Properties

ASA delivers similar tensile strength to ABS (~45 MPa), good impact resistance, and a heat deflection temperature of around 95°C. Its key advantage is excellent UV stability that prevents discolouration and degradation over months of outdoor exposure.

Advantages

• Excellent UV resistance — won’t yellow or degrade in sunlight
• Good impact and heat resistance, similar to ABS
• Chemical resistant to many common substances
• Maintains mechanical properties outdoors over long periods
• Can be sanded, painted, and glued easily

Limitations

• Prone to warping during printing, like ABS
• Produces fumes during printing — requires ventilation
• Slightly more expensive than standard ABS
• Less widely available in colour variations

Common Applications

Outdoor enclosures, automotive exterior parts, garden equipment components, signage holders, sensor housings for outdoor use, marine components, and any part exposed to UV light.