3D Printed ASA

We work with businesses, industries, and the man on the street, helping people bring their projects to life. 

Whether it’s a one-off replacement part you can’t buy anymore, a prototype for an engineering project, or a run of durable products for commercial use, we’ve got the tools, the CAD design skills, and the 3D printers to get the job done properly.

 And ASA is one of the materials that makes a lot of those jobs possible.

💪 Why ASA Is Better Than ABS

ASA was actually developed as an alternative to ABS — which you’ll know is tough but not great outdoors. ABS can go brittle if it’s left in the sun too long.

 ASA keeps all the benefits of ABS but adds in extra weather and UV resistance, which makes it far more useful in the real world.

It’s got:

High impact resistance – perfect for parts that get a lot of use or stress.

Strong tensile strength – it can take some pulling forces without snapping.

Heat resistance – holds its shape even when things get hot.

Chemical resistance – so it won’t crumble the minute it meets a bit of oil, fuel, or cleaning fluid.

Basically, it’s a tough all-rounder. If I’m printing something that’s going to be used outdoors or in a workshop, ASA is usually my first choice.

🌦️ Great for Outdoors and Industry

One of ASA’s best traits is how well it handles the weather. Unlike some plastics that start to fade or break down, ASA will sit in the garden, on a vehicle, or out on site and just keep on going. That’s why industries use it for things like:

Automotive parts (trims, housings, clips)

Electrical casings

Outdoor signage

Garden tools and household bits

For businesses, ASA means longer-lasting parts that don’t need replacing as often — which saves money. For the average person, it means if I make you a bracket, clip, or fitting in ASA, it won’t fall apart after one summer.

🛠️ How We Print ASA Properly

Now, ASA isn’t the easiest material to print if you don’t know what you’re doing. It needs higher temperatures and the right setup to stop it from warping.

Here’s how we handle it on different printers:

Bambu Lab printers – Nozzle between 240°C and 260°C, bed at 90–110°C, enclosed chamber for best results.

Creality printers – Similar nozzle temp (240–260°C), bed around 100°C, and an enclosure to avoid drafts.

Prusa printers – Nozzle 250–255°C, bed around 110°C. Sometimes we’ll use a glue stick or adhesive sheet to keep things stuck down.

The point is, we know how to dial it in so the part comes out right — strong, neat, and ready to use.

🔄 Reverse Engineering with ASA

A lot of our work at Mitchell & Son involves reverse engineering — where a customer brings us a broken or missing part, and we design and rebuild it in CAD, then print it new. 

ASA shines here because it’s durable and accurate, meaning we can give customers a proper replacement that lasts.

Instead of paying thousands for injection moulding tooling, we can make you the one or two parts you need — at a fraction of the cost. 

That’s why both industries and everyday people come to us: we save them time and money.

🌍 ASA and the Environment

I know plastic gets a bad reputation, but ASA has some environmental upsides worth mentioning:

It lasts longer than materials like ABS, so you don’t need constant replacements.

It resists chemicals and weather, so it doesn’t degrade as quickly.

It’s recyclable, so when it does reach the end of its life, it doesn’t have to go straight to landfill.

Compared to PLA, which is biodegradable but often doesn’t last long outside, ASA is a more sustainable choice when you need real durability.

⚙️ Why Businesses and Everyday People Work With Us

We’ve built our reputation on being practical, affordable, and honest. Big companies use us because we can turn jobs around quickly without the massive costs of traditional manufacturing.

 Everyday customers use us because we’ll happily take on the small jobs too — like fixing a broken train lever clip (yes, we’ve done that!) or making a custom part you just can’t buy anymore.

We don’t just print and hand it over — we guide you through materials, design, and finish, so you get something that’s fit for purpose. Need it sanded, painted, or resin-coated for extra strength? We do that too.