Thermoplastic · Weatherable styrenic
AdvancedASA
Acrylonitrile Styrene Acrylate · Luran S
UV-stable alternative to ABS — the choice for outdoor parts that face sun and weather.
Print temperatures
Nozzle 240–260 °C Bed 90–110 °C
ASA was BASF's answer to ABS's biggest flaw — UV degradation. Swapping butadiene for acrylate rubber keeps ABS-like toughness and heat resistance but survives years of sun without yellowing or going brittle.
In FDM it's the go-to “outdoor ABS,” printing very similarly — it warps, needs an enclosure, and emits fumes — but holds up outdoors.
Strengths & trade-offs
- Excellent UV / weather resistance (outdoor-grade)
- ABS-like toughness and ~95–100 °C heat resistance
- Acetone-smoothable
- Good chemical resistance
- Rigid and durable
- Warps — heated bed + enclosure needed
- Emits styrene-type fumes (ventilation)
- More expensive than ABS
- Sensitive to drafts
- Not biodegradable
Best for
Outdoor partsAutomotive exterior trimGarden and patio itemsSignagePlanters
Did you know
- ASA was engineered specifically to fix ABS's UV weakness — its acrylate rubber has no double bonds for sunlight to break.
- BASF still sells the original 1970 grade as “Luran S.”
