# Do I need an enclosure to print ABS/ASA?

These ranked rows list 230–270 °C (446–518 °F).

An enclosure helps ABS and ASA only when the air inside it is hot. A closed MK3 at 36 degrees still warped ASA, and ABS still split layers inside an enclosure when the comments said the chamber itself was too cool.

Use an enclosure for ABS and ASA when you can hold the air around the part hot, and treat a cool closed box as the same draft the open printer had. [ABS printing](/answers/abs_print), [ASA printing](/answers/asa_print), and [warping](/answers/warping) are the three guides around this one.

## What "enclosed" failed to fix

[r/3Dprinting vvtizp](https://www.reddit.com/r/3Dprinting/comments/vvtizp/) already had ABS in an enclosure. The bed was 105 °C (221 °F), the nozzle was 250 °C (482 °F), the layer was 0.5 mm, the nozzle was a 1 mm CHT, and the speed was 120 mm/s. The layers still separated. A score-58 comment says heat the enclosure to 70 °C (158 °F). A score-16 comment says a smaller bead, about 1 mm wide and 0.2 mm high, or a slower speed, lets the plastic cool in a controlled way. [eSUN ABS+](/brand/esun-3d/abs-plus) lists 230–260 °C (446–500 °F) and a bed of 90–110 °C (194–230 °F), so the post's 250 °C (482 °F) and 105 °C (221 °F) sit inside the row. Enclosure required is blank. 70 °C (158 °F) is the comment, not a stored chamber setpoint.

[r/prusa3d 17d5ku8](https://www.reddit.com/r/prusa3d/comments/17d5ku8/) is ASA on an MK3 in an enclosure at 36 degrees, warping the same way it warped with no enclosure. The leading comment, from someone who prints a lot of ASA, says wipe fingerprints with isopropyl, use the highest bed temperature, preheat at least 15 minutes by running the bed, turn the part-cooling fan off, and keep the part off the cooler outer edge of the bed. A score-17 comment says 36 degrees is way too low, starts at at least 45 degrees, and sees the chamber settle at 55, and keeps the electronics outside the box. The post and that comment write "degrees" and do not write a unit symbol. [Prusament ASA](/brand/prusament/asa) lists 250–270 °C (482–518 °F) and 100–120 °C (212–248 °F). [PolyLite ASA](/brand/polymaker/polylite-asa) lists 235–260 °C (455–500 °F) and 90–110 °C (194–230 °F). Enclosure required is blank on both.

[r/3Dprinting zp4gz5](https://www.reddit.com/r/3Dprinting/comments/zp4gz5/) is ABS in an enclosure that was itself outdoors. A score-35 comment says the enclosure has to raise the air temperature around the part, and a cold day outside works against that. A score-25 comment says the enclosure needs to be a minimum of 20–30 °C (68–86 °F), and that printing outside in 40 °F is unlikely to work without a heater.

## Printers and the other two threads

The [MK4S](/printer/prusa-mk4s) stores an optional enclosure, a 290 °C (554 °F) nozzle, and a 120 °C (248 °F) bed. The [CORE One+](/printer/prusa-core-one-plus) stores a heated enclosed chamber at the same maxima. [Prusa filament fit](/answers/mk4_filament) is that comparison. [ABS](/material/abs) and [ASA](/material/asa) are the hubs. [Build plates](/answers/plate) is the isopropyl step from the ASA comment.

[r/prusa3d 1107u40](https://www.reddit.com/r/prusa3d/comments/1107u40/) asks about printing Lack-enclosure parts in Polymaker PLA Pro when the instructions say PETG. A comment says their parts are black PLA, three years with no issues, and that those parts are not seeing temperatures above 100 °F or much load. That is a comment about the enclosure's own printed brackets.

[r/3Dprinting 1rzvg8o](https://www.reddit.com/r/3Dprinting/comments/1rzvg8o/) asks for an enclosed printer that does not lock the user to a filament brand. A comment points at Prusa's site. The thread does not list an ABS temperature.

Updated 2026-10-17. Sources accessed 2026-10-17. Use case: ABS.

## Ranked filaments

| Rank | Filament | Nozzle | Bed | Price per kg |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | eSUN 3D ABS+ | 230–260 °C (446–500 °F) | 90–110 °C (194–230 °F) | — |
| 2 | Polymaker Polylite ASA | 235–260 °C (455–500 °F) | 90–110 °C (194–230 °F) | — |
| 3 | Prusament ASA | 250–270 °C (482–518 °F) | 100–120 °C (212–248 °F) | — |

## What the community says

r/3Dprinting vvtizp is ABS layer separation inside an enclosure at 105 °C (221 °F) bed and 250 °C (482 °F) nozzle. The leading comment says heat the enclosure to 70 °C (158 °F). Another says the layer is too tall at 0.5 mm. r/prusa3d 17d5ku8 is ASA warping in an MK3 enclosure at 36 degrees, the same warp as with no enclosure. The tips comment wants isopropyl, the highest bed, a 15 minute preheat, and the part fan off. Another comment wants at least 45 degrees and sees 55 later. r/3Dprinting zp4gz5 is ABS in an enclosure outdoors with poor layer adhesion. A score-35 comment says the enclosure has to raise the ambient temperature, and a cold day outside lowers it. A score-25 comment says the enclosure needs to be a minimum of 20–30 °C (68–86 °F) and that 40 °F outside is unlikely to work. r/prusa3d 1107u40 asks about Polymaker PLA Pro for Lack-enclosure parts that the instructions want in PETG. A comment printed those parts in PLA and reports three years with no issues, and says the parts are not above 100 °F or under much load. r/3Dprinting 1rzvg8o asks for an enclosed printer that does not lock filament. A comment points at Prusa.

## Sources

- [PolyLite ASA technical data sheet](https://cdn.shopify.com/s/files/1/0548/7299/7945/files/PolyLite_ASA_TDS_EN_V5.4.pdf) (datasheet)
- [eSUN 3D brand site](https://esun3d.com/) (manufacturer)
- [Original Prusa MK4S](https://www.prusa3d.com/product/original-prusa-mk4s-3d-printer-5/) (manufacturer)
- [Prusa CORE One+](https://www.prusa3d.com/product/prusa-core-one-kit/) (manufacturer)
- [Open Filament Database, eSUN 3D ABS+](https://api.openfilamentdatabase.org/api/v1/brands/esun_3d/materials/ABS/filaments/abs+/index.json) (other)
- [Open Filament Database, Prusament ASA](https://api.openfilamentdatabase.org/api/v1/brands/prusament/materials/ASA/filaments/asa/index.json) (other)
- [Community source, r/3Dprinting vvtizp](https://www.reddit.com/r/3Dprinting/comments/vvtizp/) (reddit)
- [Community source, r/prusa3d 17d5ku8](https://www.reddit.com/r/prusa3d/comments/17d5ku8/) (reddit)
- [Community source, r/3Dprinting zp4gz5](https://www.reddit.com/r/3Dprinting/comments/zp4gz5/) (reddit)
- [Community source, r/prusa3d 1107u40](https://www.reddit.com/r/prusa3d/comments/1107u40/) (reddit)
- [Community source, r/3Dprinting 1rzvg8o](https://www.reddit.com/r/3Dprinting/comments/1rzvg8o/) (reddit)

HTML: https://filamentfacts.com/answers/abs_enclosure