{
  "opening": "PolyLite ASA's sheet, checked 21 October 2026, puts the heat-deflection temperature at 103 °C (217 °F) under a 0.45 MPa load and 100 °C (212 °F) under a 1.8 MPa load. PolyLite ABS on the same ISO 75 test is 100 °C (212 °F) and 98 °C (208 °F). Vicat is 105 °C (221 °F) and 104 °C (219 °F), with the load blank. Tensile, impact, and UV hours are not on these rows.",
  "question": "ABS vs ASA: what's the difference?",
  "slug": "abs_vs_asa",
  "useCase": "abs",
  "useCaseLabel": "ABS",
  "updated": "2026-10-26",
  "shortAnswer": "PolyLite ASA's sheet, checked 21 October 2026, puts the heat-deflection temperature at 103 °C (217 °F) under a 0.45 MPa load and 100 °C (212 °F) under a 1.8 MPa load. PolyLite ABS on the same ISO 75 test is 100 °C (212 °F) and 98 °C (208 °F). Vicat is 105 °C (221 °F) and 104 °C (219 °F), with the load blank. Tensile, impact, and UV hours are not on these rows.",
  "recommendedMaterials": [
    "abs",
    "asa"
  ],
  "printerConsiderations": [
    "Both PolyLite nozzles are 230–260 °C (446–500 °F). The beds are not the same. ABS is 90–110 °C (194–230 °F). ASA is 75–95 °C (167–203 °F).",
    "Heat-deflection differs by 3 °C (37 °F) at 0.45 MPa and by 2 °C (36 °F) at 1.8 MPa on these two sheets. That is the whole heat gap in this pair. It is not a strength gap and not a UV gap.",
    "Enclosure required is blank on PolyLite ABS and true on PolyLite ASA. UV hours are stored on neither row. Outdoor PETG versus ASA is a different page."
  ],
  "pros": [
    "The pair is one brand, ISO 75, and both loads, so the small gap stays honest.",
    "Vicat's missing load is named, so 105 °C (221 °F) versus 104 °C (219 °F) is not treated as a tighter result than the heat-deflection pair."
  ],
  "cons": [
    "A comment says ASA resists a bit better and that both print like PLA. The heat rows support a small heat-deflection gap. They do not say the print feels like PLA.",
    "on the other comment says the heat difference is negligible and that ASA is the UV and lower-offgassing choice. UV and offgassing are the comment. They are not cells here."
  ],
  "community": "The editorial summary says ASA is ABS with UV resistance, less odor, and a higher price. These sheets support a slightly higher ASA heat-deflection temperature. They do not store UV hours, odor, or price. r/BambuLab 1txmk2j, score 5, says ASA has the best resistant qualities of the two by a small amount, that both print like PLA on an H2S, and that the commenter uses Polymaker ASA when Bambu is out of the color. The other score 5 finds ABS easier, with less brand variation and better layer adhesion, and would pick ASA for UV resistance or lower offgassing, calling the heat difference negligible. Sunlu ABS is what that comment uses. r/3Dprinting 17uf9ui, score 3, calls ABS the more toxic of the two and says both are fairly toxic, so ventilate or filter. The other score 3 says both are toxic, wants an enclosure, and says the fumes settle into a film after about 20 minutes. No excerpt was supplied for r/3Dprinting 1lj71vo, r/3Dprinting 1rzo1qq, or r/3Dprinting 1kntepp.",
  "related": [
    "abs_print",
    "asa_print",
    "abs_fumes",
    "petg_vs_abs",
    "petg_outdoor"
  ],
  "faq": [
    {
      "q": "ABS vs ASA: what's the difference?",
      "a": "PolyLite ASA's sheet, checked 21 October 2026, puts the heat-deflection temperature at 103 °C (217 °F) under a 0.45 MPa load and 100 °C (212 °F) under a 1.8 MPa load. PolyLite ABS on the same ISO 75 test is 100 °C (212 °F) and 98 °C (208 °F). Vicat is 105 °C (221 °F) and 104 °C (219 °F), with the load blank. Tensile, impact, and UV hours are not on these rows."
    },
    {
      "q": "Is ASA the outdoor version of ABS?",
      "a": "These two sheets do not store UV hours. The heat-deflection gap is 103 °C (217 °F) versus 100 °C (212 °F) at 0.45 MPa, and 100 °C (212 °F) versus 98 °C (208 °F) at 1.8 MPa. [PETG outdoors](/answers/petg_outdoor) is the outdoor comparison this batch does not repeat. [How to print ASA](/answers/asa_print) and [how to print ABS](/answers/abs_print) are the setup pages. [Fumes](/answers/abs_fumes) is the ventilation page."
    },
    {
      "q": "Are the fumes different?",
      "a": "on r/3Dprinting says ABS is generally seen as the more toxic and that both are fairly toxic. Another says the fumes settle in about 20 minutes. Those are comments. [PETG versus ABS and ASA](/answers/petg_vs_abs) has the third material."
    }
  ],
  "sources": [
    {
      "title": "Polymaker PolyLite ABS technical data sheet",
      "url": "https://cdn.shopify.com/s/files/1/0548/7299/7945/files/PolyLite_ABS_TDS_EN_V5.4.pdf",
      "kind": "datasheet"
    },
    {
      "title": "Polymaker PolyLite ASA technical data sheet",
      "url": "https://cdn.shopify.com/s/files/1/0548/7299/7945/files/PolyLite_ASA_TDS_EN_V5.4.pdf",
      "kind": "datasheet"
    },
    {
      "title": "Bambu Lab ABS technical data sheet",
      "url": "https://cdn.shopify.com/s/files/1/0645/5876/0155/files/Bambu_ABS_Technical_Data_Sheet_V3.pdf",
      "kind": "datasheet"
    },
    {
      "title": "Community source, r/BambuLab 1txmk2j",
      "url": "https://www.reddit.com/r/BambuLab/comments/1txmk2j/",
      "kind": "reddit"
    },
    {
      "title": "Community source, r/3Dprinting 17uf9ui",
      "url": "https://www.reddit.com/r/3Dprinting/comments/17uf9ui/",
      "kind": "reddit"
    },
    {
      "title": "Community source, r/3Dprinting 1lj71vo",
      "url": "https://www.reddit.com/r/3Dprinting/comments/1lj71vo/",
      "kind": "reddit"
    },
    {
      "title": "Community source, r/3Dprinting 1rzo1qq",
      "url": "https://www.reddit.com/r/3Dprinting/comments/1rzo1qq/",
      "kind": "reddit"
    },
    {
      "title": "Community source, r/3Dprinting 1kntepp",
      "url": "https://www.reddit.com/r/3Dprinting/comments/1kntepp/",
      "kind": "reddit"
    }
  ],
  "recommendations": [
    {
      "rank": 1,
      "note": "Open Filament Database nozzle 230–260 °C (446–500 °F) and bed 90–110 °C (194–230 °F). Drying on the TDS is 70 °C (158 °F) for 6 h, checked 18 October 2026. Heat dataset, checked 21 October 2026, lists HDT 100 °C (212 °F) at 0.45 MPa and 98 °C (208 °F) at 1.8 MPa, ISO 75, Vicat 104 °C (219 °F) under ISO 306 with the load blank, and glass transition 101 °C (214 °F). Enclosure required is blank.",
      "brand": "Polymaker",
      "product": "Polylite ABS",
      "material": "ABS",
      "url": "/brand/polymaker/polylite-abs",
      "nozzle": "230–260 °C (446–500 °F)",
      "bed": "90–110 °C (194–230 °F)",
      "pricePerKg": null,
      "datasheetUrl": "https://cdn.shopify.com/s/files/1/0548/7299/7945/files/PolyLite_ABS_TDS_EN_V5.4.pdf",
      "affiliateUrl": null
    },
    {
      "rank": 2,
      "note": "TDS checked 21 October 2026 lists a nozzle of 230–260 °C (446–500 °F), a bed of 75–95 °C (167–203 °F), and drying at 70 °C (158 °F) for 7 h. Enclosure required is true. Heat dataset the same day lists HDT 103 °C (217 °F) at 0.45 MPa and 100 °C (212 °F) at 1.8 MPa, ISO 75, Vicat 105 °C (221 °F) under ISO 306 with the load blank, and glass transition 98 °C (208 °F).",
      "brand": "Polymaker",
      "product": "Polylite ASA",
      "material": "ASA",
      "url": "/brand/polymaker/polylite-asa",
      "nozzle": "230–260 °C (446–500 °F)",
      "bed": "75–95 °C (167–203 °F)",
      "pricePerKg": null,
      "datasheetUrl": "https://cdn.shopify.com/s/files/1/0548/7299/7945/files/PolyLite_ASA_TDS_EN_V5.4.pdf",
      "affiliateUrl": null
    },
    {
      "rank": 3,
      "note": "Technical data sheet, drying checked 18 October 2026, lists a nozzle of 230–260 °C (446–500 °F), a bed of 90–110 °C (194–230 °F), and drying at 80 °C (176 °F) for 8 h. The heat dataset has no Bambu ABS row, so this line is a print setting. It is not a second heat-deflection result.",
      "brand": "Bambu Lab",
      "product": "ABS",
      "material": "ABS",
      "url": "/brand/bambu-lab/abs",
      "nozzle": "230–260 °C (446–500 °F)",
      "bed": "90–110 °C (194–230 °F)",
      "pricePerKg": null,
      "datasheetUrl": "https://cdn.shopify.com/s/files/1/0645/5876/0155/files/Bambu_ABS_Technical_Data_Sheet_V3.pdf",
      "affiliateUrl": null
    }
  ]
}