Home › Guides › ABS & ASA Print Settings: The Complete Guide

ABS & ASA Print Settings: The Complete Guide

ABS and ASA are the classic "tough, heat-resistant" filaments — strong, durable and able to survive a hot car. They are also the ones that punish you for skipping the setup: without an enclosure they warp and crack, and their fumes need ventilation. Get the environment right and they become reliable engineering materials. (ASA is essentially UV-stable ABS and prints the same way.)

In this guide series

ABS vs ASA at a glance

ABS and ASA are close cousins. ASA is formulated to resist UV, so it holds colour and strength outdoors where ABS yellows and gets brittle. Otherwise they print almost identically.

  • Hotend: ABS 230–255°C, ASA 240–260°C
  • Bed: 90–110°C
  • Cooling: off, or very low
  • Enclosure: essential — not optional
  • Ventilation: required (styrene fumes)
  • Nozzle: brass is fine

Choose ASA for outdoor parts; ABS for indoor parts where UV isn’t a factor and you want the lowest cost.

The two things that make or break ABS/ASA

  1. A stable, warm chamber. ABS and ASA shrink as they cool; uneven cooling makes corners lift and layers crack. An enclosure that holds heat is the single biggest factor. See how to stop ABS/ASA warping.
  2. Ventilation. Melting ABS/ASA releases styrene and ultrafine particles. Print in a vented enclosure, not a living space. See ABS ventilation & safety.
💡 Want the exact numbers for your machine? See ABS settings across 25 printers, or pick your printer for a hardware-aware profile.

FAQ

What temperature for ABS and ASA?
ABS prints around 230–255°C, ASA around 240–260°C, both on a 90–110°C bed. Keep part cooling off or very low.
Do I really need an enclosure for ABS?
Yes. Without an enclosure ABS and ASA warp, crack and delaminate on all but the smallest parts. It is the most important requirement for these materials.
Is ABS dangerous to print?
ABS releases styrene fumes and fine particles when melted. It is not something to print in an unventilated room — use a vented enclosure or print away from living spaces.
ABS or ASA — which should I use?
Use ASA for anything outdoors or in sunlight (it resists UV); use ABS for indoor parts to save a little money. They print almost identically.

More ABS guides

How to Stop ABS & ASA Warping and CrackingWhy ABS and ASA warp and crack, and how to fix it: build an enclosure, control c…ABS & ASA Ventilation and SafetyABS and ASA release styrene fumes and ultrafine particles when printed. How to v…

Reviewed 2026-08-18. Starting points and general guidance — always calibrate for your filament brand and machine.