ASA 3D Printing
ASA is a weather-resistant alternative to ABS, which has excellent UV stability, temperature resistance and chemical resistance. This makes ASA ideal for outdoor applications. ,
About 3D Printing With ASA
ASA filament is similar in composition to ABS, but uses acrylates instead of butadiene. This gives ASA excellent UV stability, enhanced toughness, high impact resistance, and improved temperature resistance, and can be made in a variety of colors that do not fade or yellow easily when exposed to sunlight. ASA is an ABS modified material with excellent UV and impact resistance, ideal for outdoor applications such as outdoor decorations, automotive interior and exterior accessories, outdoor toys, extreme environment engineering parts, etc. In summary,ASA expands the application range of ABS through modification and is an upgraded substitute for weather-resistant ABS.
Printing with ASA at a Glance
| Application | Enclosures for outdoor equipment, sporting equipment, prototypes for the automotive industry |
| Advantages | UV resistant, high strength and durability, chemical resistance |
| Disadvantages | More expensive than ABS, and ASA printing temperature is higher to achieve interlayer adhesion |
| Lead Time | 1 day |
| Price | $ |
| Minimum Feature Size | 0.010" (0.254 mm) for parts below 16" (406.4 mm) and 0.013" (0.330 mm) for parts above 16" (406.4 mm) |
| Tolerances | Z plane: +/- 0.010” (0.254 mm) for the first inch, plus +/- 0.002” (0.0508 mm) for every inch thereafter. XY plane: +/- 0.004” (0.1016 mm) for the first inch, plus +/- 0.002” (0.0508 mm) for every inch thereafter. |
| Layer Height | 0.010" (0.254 mm) for parts below 16" (406.4 mm) and 0.013" (0.330 mm) for parts above 16" (406.4 mm) |
| Max Part Size | 24” x 36” x 36” (610 mm x 915 mm x 915 mm) |
FDM ASA Prints
FDM is the most widely used 3D printing technology and can print parts from a variety of materials. ASA materials have excellent UV and weather resistance, making them ideal for prototyping end parts and functions that are exposed to outdoor environments. Using FDM technology to print ASA materials, you can obtain the ideal choice of outdoor use class parts and prototypes. For example, the production of some sensitive equipment or sports equipment housing prototype, can use FDM printing ASA material, in order to obtain good weather resistance.
FDM ASA Properties
| Tensile Strength (MPa) | Elongation at Break (%) | Hardness (Rockwell) | Heat Deflection Temperature (℃) | Glass Transition (℃) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 29 | 2 | 82 | 98 | 108 |
Finishes
The use of FDM technology to print ASA material parts, the post-processing range is limited, mainly through the selection of multiple colors, removal of support and grinding to achieve. FDM printing ASA parts usually have obvious lamellar lines, and other printing techniques are recommended if high surface quality is required. It can also obtain a specific appearance by spraying, painting, etc., but the overall post-processing capacity is limited. In summary,FDM printing ASA parts post-processing is simple and efficient, but can not achieve complex surface treatment effect, need to choose other printing technology according to actual needs.
Cost-saving Design Tips
To reduce the cost of FDM printing ASA materials, consider the following design suggestions:
- Pay attention to the overhang needs to be supported in the design to avoid large inner cavity. Soluble support materials are available.
- Consider the characteristics of weak bond strength between layers when designing load-bearing parts.
- Optimize the structure and reduce the amount of materials.
- Set a higher printing temperature to improve the adhesion between layers.
- Select the material only when ASA characteristics are required, otherwise choose ABS with lower prices.