ASA Quick Start Guide
Acrylonitrile styrene acrylate (ASA) was developed in the 1960s as an improved alternative to Acrylonitrile butadiene styrene (ABS). Substituting the butadiene in ABS with acrylate, the resulting polymer exhibits the same valued properties of ABS (impact resistance, toughness, and rigidity) but with the added benefits of being 10x more UV resistant, a trait that makes it perfect for outdoor parts in the Australian sun. Additional benefits also include an increased chemical resistance to solvents and an increased heat resistance.
While the same 3D printing equipment is required to print ASA as ABS, (a heated bed and an enclosure) ASA tends to be more forgiving as it experiences decreased warping, making it more forgiving to print for beginners.
For more information on what ASA is and what it’s good for, check out our Introduction to ASA (Coming Soon).
When printing in ASA, provided you have a heated bed and an enclosure for your 3D printer, use the following settings for best results:
Extruder Temperature
Bed Temperature
Fan Speed
Print Speed
Retraction Distance
Retraction Speed
In order to print ASA successfully, having the correct the hardware setup and temperature settings outlined above are only half the battle. Here are some best practices to ensure reliable ASA prints.
+ Have the right equipment before starting.
If you haven't gathered by now, having both and heated build surface and an enclosure are a must when printing in ASA.
When compared with ABS, ASA experiences less shrinkage when cooling (0.7% versus 1.6% for ABS), but the problem is not entirely non-existent. For this reason, you'll want to ensure your printer is equipped with both to ensure your part stays warp-free and stuck to the bed.
+ Invest in a good build surface
When printing in ASA we recommend investing in textured print surfaces like our Ziflex or PEI Build Surfaces to assist in keeping your print anchored to the build plate.
In addition to helping to reduce warping on your printer, these upgrades will facilitate trouble-free part removal, extending the time between calibrations of the bed level.
+ Print with slow fan speeds
Decrease your fan speed to a speed of 20-30%, you will achieve an optimal balance between cooling and reducing warping and shrinkage.
+ Keep Your Filament Dry
ASA is a hygroscopic material meaning it will absorb moisture from the surrounding air. This absorbed moisture in the filament is not a problem once the part has been printed but does present a problem during printing and can result in a 3D printed part with:
- Weaker interlayer bonding
- Stringing and fine hairs developing on the print
- Poor surface resolution
As such, keep your filament stored in a dry environment with, like in an airtight bag or a box filled with desiccant packs. This should preserve the filament and prevent it from absorbing too much moisture.
If your filament is already wet, then you can dry it out with an oven set at around 60 °C. Leave the spool in the oven for a few hours while the moisture is cooked out.
For more in-detailed tips about filament storage check out our [Filament Storage & Handling Guide] (Coming Soon)3.
+ Adjust One Setting At A Time
Dialling in your ASA print settings can be a little tricky and sometimes requires the manipulation of multiple settings to achieve the perfect result. Try tackling the settings tweaks using the tips outlined above in the following order adjusting one setting at a time.
- Printing Temperature
- Travel Speed
- Retraction
- Coasting
- Fan Speed
+ Adhesion Hack
- ABS & ASA Slurry If you are experiencing issues with adhesion, apply a thin layer of ABS or ASA slurry on top of a heated build plate just prior to printing when your heat bed has reached printing temperature.
- Disable Fan Try disabling your part cooling fan and printing 5-10°C for the first few layers of the print to keep the part stuck to the print bed.
+ Acetone Smoothing
As with ABS, ASA can be smoothed by exposure to acetone vapours, resulting in a glass like, gloss surface.
+ Dissolvable Supports
HIPS is a great dissolvable support option for ASA and can prove valuable for 3D prints with complex geometries or overhangs.
For a more in-detail look at the best practices when 3D printing in ASA, check out our next guide in this series ASA Filament Ultimate Printing Guide (Coming Soon).
Weather-Resistant Outdoor Parts
Outdoor Signage
Automotive Components