3D printers that print carbon fiber

Go Strong, Go Carbon Fiber

So, there you have it. Carbon fiber 3D printing lets you make industrial-strength parts with relative ease. Carbon printers aren’t the cheapest machines on the market, but they’re a great investment for any printer user who likes and wants their parts as tough as they come.

We’ve covered many printers, though. If that’s a bit too much to take in, here are our recommendations for the best 3D printers for carbon fiber in different categories.

For a budget carbon fiber 3D printer, pick Qidi Tech X-Plus or Pulse XE. If you need pro-level productivity, Ultimaker S5 or Markforged Mark Two are for you. In case you’re after simple usability, buy XYZ PartPro300 xT. And finally, as the cream of the crop, MakerBot METHOD X Carbon Fiber Edition is the best choice.

Armed with any of these printers, you’re ready to start producing parts that stand out from the rest with their toughness and durability.

The Carbon Fiber 3D Printer Buyer's Guide 2022

Carbon fiber is strong, stiff, light and increasingly affordable to 3D print for companies, engineers and designers. Carbon fiber is an effective replacement for many metal parts in industry, with 3D printing offering faster prototyping, functional testing, and end user part carbon fiber production.

So, for any decision makers looking to implement carbon fiber 3D printing into their workflow, we’ve summarized all your carbon fiber 3D printer options under $10,000.

Chopped carbon fiber filaments are the main filaments used for standard FDM 3D printing.

Most of the lower cost options on this list print chopped carbon fiber filaments, which are tiny sub-millimeter carbon fibers mixed with a standard thermoplastic filament, such as Nylon, ABS, or PLA.

They make the filaments stronger, stiffer and more heat resistant, and print in mostly the same way as the standard filaments, just at higher temperatures and requiring an abrasive-resistant nozzle.

Continuous carbon fibers are long (unchopped and continuous) strands that are laid on top of the original chopped carbon fiber “shell” or “matrix”.

These continuous lengths of carbon fiber are deposited by a second extruder, creating even tougher parts than can absorb tough impacts and distribute heavy loads.

Tips for 3D printing carbon fiber:

• Hardened steel or ruby nozzle: these nozzles better resist the abrasiveness of carbon fiber filaments.
• Print at a higher temperature, as hardened nozzles are less thermally conductive: generally 260°C+.
• Larger nozzle size: se a slightly larger 0.5-0.6mm nozzle rather than a 0.4mm.
• Print slower than you would print standard filaments.

Pulse XE — low cost carbon fiber 3D printer option

• Price: $999 — Available on Matterhackers here
• Build volume: 250 x 210 x 215 mm

Made by trusted 3D printer retailer Matterhackers and inspired from the original Prusa design, the Pulse XE is a low cost carbon fiber 3D printer especially designed to print Matterhackers’ NylonX filament.  

NylonX is a mix of nylon with carbon fibers, with the Pulse XE able to print a range of other carbon fiber filaments thanks to its fitted Bondtech BMG extruder and E3D V6 hot end, along with your choice of either a hardened steel nozzle or ruby-tipped nozzle if you choose to upgrade. It’s marketed as a general advanced materials 3D printer capable of printing a variety of other tougher composite and abrasive filaments.

The Pulse XE offers a far cheaper way of 3D printing carbon fiber, but you’ll likely need the enclosure kit (another $300) to avoid warping as maintaining temperature is more difficult in an open air 3D printer than an enclosed 3D printer.

• We also have a ranking of the best enclosed 3D printers.

Taking after the Prusa, it’s a reliable workhorse 3D printer that can also print standard filaments like metal filled filaments, PETG, and many advanced and abrasive filaments and composites. It prints up to 60mm/s (but be wary with tougher materials and slow down if you face issues), with resolutions of up to 20 microns possible.

You can mix and match and upgrade as you see fit based on your needs and preferences, including a hi-res LCD screen, upgrading to a 32-bit board, ruby nozzle, and a host of other improvements — it’s a very versatile carbon 3D printer that’ll save you some money compared to other 3D printers for carbon fiber if you’re on a tight budget.

Raise3D E2

• Price: $3,499 — Available on Matterhackers here / Available on Dynamism here
• Build volume: 330 x 240 x 240 mm

Raise3D make excellent professional 3D printers capable of large-scale 3D printing and high quality prototyping, and we could have also picked the Raise3D Pro2 Plus as an excellent carbon fiber 3D printer option for larger carbon fiber prototypes.

The Raise3D E2 is an enclosed 3D printer featuring IDEX technologies with Mirror and Duplication modes for efficient and effective dual extrusion 3D printing that still offers good print volumes. It’s fully enclosed, with a controlled heated chamber ideal for printing small to medium-sized carbon fiber prototypes.

• And if you’re looking to print larger (up to 600mm tall) prototypes instead, go for the Raise3D Pro2 Plus.

The Raise3D E2 comes with a host of features that make your workflow easier and more efficient, including filament run out sensors, print resume features in the event of a power loss, and a full-color touchscreen with all analytics viewable during printing. The printer also comes with a flexible build plate that makes removing parts easier without damaging them — ideal for quickly removing carbon fiber prototypes to test them and iterate.

The Raise3D E2 CF is also set for release soon, further adding to the carbon fiber printing potential the E2 offers.

It’s not a specialized carbon fiber 3D printer, but it can handle carbon fiber filaments without issue. Beyond just carbon fiber 3D printing, the E2 also comfortably prints glass fiber infused filaments, PP, PC, Nylon, metal filled filaments, ABS, and more.

Fusion3 F410 — large carbon fiber 3D printer 

• Carbon fiber 3D printer price: $4,999 
• Build volume: 355 x 355 x 315 mm

Offering professional quality and industrial volume at desktop prices, the Fusion3 F410 is one of the top options around if you’re looking for a 3D printer for carbon fiber.

It’s fast — 250mm/s print speed — offers up to 20-micron layer resolution, and is ideal for both businesses and classrooms for 3D printing either larger prototypes or many smaller parts simultaneously for a class. You can add HEPA air filters to keep your print environment more pleasant and prevent any harmful gases being inhaled during the print process.

For 3D carbon fiber printing, the F410’s excellent build volume, large heated bed and enclosed print area make it ideal for high temperature filament printing. It’s been tried and tested with a number of different carbon fiber reinforced filaments, including 3DXTech and various other brands and composites, proving every time to work well. Almost all carbon fiber filaments should be compatible with it, owing to its 300°C maximum nozzle temperature — but you can read the full list of compatible filaments here.

The F410 comes with a hardened steel nozzle that can handle the abrasiveness of carbon fiber and other trickier filaments, and is an ideal carbon fiber 3D printer for under $5,000.

Makerbot Method and Method X Carbon Fiber Edition

• Price: $5,499 — Available on Matterhackers here / Available on Dynamism here
• Build volume: 190 x 190 x 196 mm

Makerbot’s specialized carbon fiber printer, the Method (and Method X) Carbon Fiber Edition, is designed to save businesses costs prototyping and creating, improve productivity, and encourage faster innovation.

The Method Carbon Fiber prints carbon fiber-reinforced Nylon as well as a host of other engineering-grade composite filaments. Makerbot themselves offer two carbon fiber Nylon blends:

• Nylon 6/66: offering fantastic strength to weight ratio and good heat resistance.
• Nylon 12: offering better moisture resistance, as well as a simpler and more reliable 3D printing experience overall.

Both Nylon carbon fiber 3D printer materials work well in structural applications and in general tough part production, with Makerbot championing the materials for replacing metal parts.

In addition to these carbon fiber nylon filaments, Makerbot offer SR-30 soluble filaments that can be dissolved for flawless surface finishes on parts, and a range of other high-quality materials. You can also use other materials as the Method is an open platform for other advanced filaments.

The Method features a 60°C heated chamber, and if you want to go higher, you can instead buy the Makerbot Method X which can reach 110°C to print a wider range of composite materials. You get a dual extruder for multi-material or multi-color 3D printing, and up to 20-micron resolution and 0.2mm dimensional accuracy.

Some may find the smaller than average build volume an issue, especially as if you are planning on using the dual extruder the X-axis maxes out at 152mm rather than 190mm. However, for small and medium part production the Method Carbon Fiber 3D printer is a great overall option, packed with features to maximize prototyping efficiency including a flexible steel build plate for adhesion and quick part removal, a 5-inch full color touchscreen for efficient printer interaction, and a camera for remote print monitoring.

Ultimaker S5

• Price: $5,995 — Available on Matterhackers here / Available on Dynamism here
• Build volume: 330 x 240 x 300 mm

A favorite among designers, prototypers and companies worldwide, the Ultimaker S5 marries fantastic precision and part quality, with the robustness and reliability of a top FDM 3D printer.Switching to the CC print core for 3D printing carbon fiber on the Ultimaker S5.

The S5 isn’t as standard a carbon fiber 3D printer, but can be upgraded by buying Ultimaker’s CC Red 0.6 print core, which seamlessly slips into place to start printing abrasive and advanced filaments like carbon fiber. The CC Red works on both the S3 and S5, but not for the Ultimaker 3.

The upgraded print core transforms the Ultimaker S5, giving you all the S5’s precision and reliability in creating fantastic prototypes, as well as the ability to print carbon fiber composites. You can print with dual extruders without issue, and the S5 comes with a 7-inch full color touchscreen for easy operation and print monitoring, and a removable glass print bed for good carbon fiber part adhesion and easy part removal.

XYZprinting PartPro300 XT

• Price: $5,500 — Available on Dynamism here
• Build volume: 295 x 300 x 300 mm

XYZprinting have expanded far beyond their original horizons when they producing some of the best selling cheap 3D printers around — they now sell SLS 3D printers, a handheld 3D scanner, and full color 3D printers.

The PartPro300 XT is XYZprinting’s venture into making a commercial 3D printer capable of consistently printing advanced filaments like carbon fiber. Its dual extruders are fitted with hardened steel nozzles that can handle carbon fiber’s abrasiveness, and prints at a very fast 300mm/s for the rapid prototyping of large parts in record time.

Like most carbon fiber 3D printers the PartPro300 XT has a regulated heated chamber and enclosure for high quality part production, preventing temperature deviations that could cause imperfections in the prototype. The PartPro300’s filament humidity system prevents conditions from affecting filament quality, ensuring parts are as strong and offer the best surface area possible. Overall, it’s a powerful carbon fiber 3D printer that can print a range of other engineering-grade filaments too without issue.

Markforged Onyx One — for high quality carbon fiber 3D printing

• Price: $3,499
• Build volume: 320 x 132 x 154 mm

Markforged pioneered composite and high quality carbon fiber 3D printing with their professional FDM printer range, before expanding into metal 3D printers with their Metal X 3D printer.

For designers and engineers looking to print carbon fiber prototypes but without the $10,000+ for the Mark Two, the Onyx One is an ideal continuous carbon fiber 3D printer.

The Onyx One prints with Markforged’s specialized Onyx filament, offering great surface finishes and precision. 

Onyx Filament

Specially designed for Markforged’s carbon fiber printers, Onyx is carbon fiber filled Nylon offering high strength, chemical resistance and excellent overall toughness. It can also be reinforced with continuous fibers as a continuous carbon fiber 3D printer filament for even better aluminum-level strength.

Desktop Metal Fiber HT & LT — Professional Continuous Carbon Fiber 3D Printer

• Price: $3,495 per year — request a quote here
• Build volume: 310 x 240 x 270 mm

Combining the exceptional performance of continuous carbon fiber with FDM 3D printing, Desktop Metal say their Fiber 3D printers produce parts stronger than steel, lighter than aluminum, and capable of operating in up to 250°C temperatures.

Desktop Metal use a process called Micro Automated Fiber Placement to apply continuous carbon fiber (or fiberglass) tape along critical load paths using the second extruder, while printing carbon fiber nylon filaments on the first. This creates denser, reinforced parts with excellent strength and low weight.

The Fiber system uses two print heads: one for either continuous carbon fiber (or fiberglass) tape, and one to deposit the carbon-fiber reinforced filament to make up the “shell” or “matrix” of the part. However, if you’re looking for versatility you can switch the materials and instead print with PEEK, PEKK, or PA6 Nylon.

The Fiber carbon fiber additive manufacturing system comes in two options: the Fiber HT, and Fiber LT, a more basic version. The main difference is the Fiber HT can reach high enough temperatures to 3D print PEEK and PEKK, whereas the LT edition prints with either carbon fiber or Nylon PA6.

• We also have a buyer’s guide for PEEK 3D printers.

Desktop Metal’s innovative business model lets you rent their industrial carbon fiber 3D printers for a yearly fee, rather than shouldering the entire cost upfront. This brings professional 3D printing into range for many more smaller companies looking to prototype or produce parts on-demand, making high-quality continuous carbon fiber 3D printing more accessible than ever.

Large Format Raise3D RMF500 for 3D Printing with Carbon Fiber Reinforced Materials

Last autumn, the well-known Chinese manufacturer of 3D printers, Raise3D, announced the creation of a new 3D printer for small-scale production in the industrial sector - RMF500 . The unique feature of the novelty is the combination of the ability to print with carbon fiber reinforced material (colloquially carbon fiber), wide format and affordability .

We all know that high technology is becoming more accessible every day, and the RMF500 is a prime example of this. There have been systems on the 3D printing market for several years that print carbon fiber composites of similar quality, but, unfortunately, they are not available to all companies due to the very high cost and supply problems. For example, such professional 3D printers are produced by the American company Stratasys - Fortus 450mc, but they are equipped with less technological features and are much more expensive.

Let's take a closer look at what the RMF500 is and how it differs from other 3D printers.

The RMF500 is specifically designed for printing complex parts with high durability. It will enable 3D printing companies to expand their product portfolio with carbon fiber and fiberglass end parts. Both materials specially developed by Raise3D, such as PA12 CF, and materials from other manufacturers approved by Raise3D under the Open Filament Program (OFP) will work. Parts made of carbon and fiberglass are more rigid, durable, resistant to heat and shock than parts made of other plastics. For carbon and fiberglass printing, the RMF500 uses silicon carbide nozzles with a hardness of more than 60 HRC.

PA12 CF filament is the result of long-term development by Raise3D engineers. This is a carbon fiber reinforced filament with increased stiffness and reduced shrinkage and does not require a thermostatic print chamber. The parts obtained from it are light and extremely durable, sometimes they can even be used instead of metal. In addition, the company has developed the PPA GF glass-filled filament specifically for the RMF500 and plans to release PET-CF, ASA-GF, PPSU-GF and PP plastics for medical use. Raise3D promises that all fiber reinforced plastics will be competitively priced.

The RMF500 has a huge building area 500x500x500 mm. The size of the build area matters in the production of large parts and small-scale production. For comparison, the print area of ​​the Fortus 450mc is 406x355x406mm.

In the photo: printing a large model with carbon fiber in the RMF500 3D printer from Raise3D.

Repeatability and print speed are very important for low volume production. The maximum print speed of the RMF500, according to the manufacturer, can reach 300 mm/s. Positioning accuracy along the XY axis - 1 micron, along the Z axis - 0.09765 microns.

Synchronous feedback control with 1 µm accuracy reduces speed fluctuations as motor load changes, further improving accuracy. Stability and repeatability of printing has long been a hallmark of Raise3D printers. The FFF technology on which this 3D printer is based allows the production of parts with a high degree of repeatability, high positioning accuracy and uniform extrusion. The RMF500 can quickly print large batches of identical parts.

Pictured: production of lots from a large number of parts on the RMF500.

The printer has a printing system with two independent IDEX extruders. It allows you to print with one or two extruders at once. The RMF500 can run two jobs at the same time, further increasing productivity and task speed. The extruders are manufactured using high temperature alloys and industrial ceramic composite materials. These characteristics provide stable and high extrusion speed up to 500 g/h.

The RMF500 has a strong design . The one-piece frame is made of hardened steel. Stainless steel linear guides have a design load of approx. 100 kg. The bearing of the linear guides has minimal backlash and does not require frequent maintenance.

An important detail - Raise3D has developed special support material for printing with reinforced plastic PA12 CF, which can be easily detached.

Pictured: Parts printed on the RMF500 with PA12 CF filament with special proprietary support.

The RMF500 is equipped with four large compartments for plastic spools. Switching between the main and auxiliary compartments occurs automatically. This feature reduces the amount of time spent threading the filament. The humidity control system keeps the relative humidity in the chamber below 5%, preventing humid air from entering from outside.

What else is there in the RMF500 from nice additional options. The front of the printer has a large 13.3-inch touch screen. Supports connection, management and printing via Wi-Fi and LAN. There is a reliable auto-calibration system from Raise3D.

Carbon fiber printed parts are strong enough to be used in the automotive and aerospace industries. Of course, they will not replace functional parts that have a special load, but their scope can be very wide. Raise3D has already presented the results of the first RMF500 printing and its application.

Pictured: Functional parts, accessory tools and fixtures, car décor printed on the RMF500.

Pictured: Functional parts, accessories and aerospace prototype printed on the RMF500.

In the photo: on the left is a prototype of the hinged window mechanism (details are printed with metal filament and carbon), on the right is a carbon fixture. Carbon parts printed on RMF500, metal parts printed on Metalfuse. Printing with fiber-filled plastics does not require a heated chamber, peak power consumption is less than 3 kW. The average power consumption per unit of print area of ​​the RMF500 is 60% lower than the competition. 500 × 500 × 500 mm (when printing and 1 mi and 2 extruders) The number of extruders (printing heads) 2 Positioning on the XY 1 micron Positioning accuracy on the Z 0.09765 Micron The heating temperature of the site to 110 ℃ layer thickness 0. 0.0088 nozzle diameter (mm) 0.6 mm and 0.8 mm

Everything you need to know about 3D printing carbon fiber

First produced by Joseph Swan in 1860, carbon fiber is made up of a long chain of carbon atoms linked together. The chain is typically 5 to 10 micrometers in diameter and varies in length depending on the application. Over the years, carbon fiber has become popular in many sectors because it offers interesting properties, including high stiffness, high tensile strength, light weight, high chemical resistance, high temperature resistance, and low thermal expansion. Pure carbon fiber is actually five times stronger than steel and twice as stiff but lighter. As you can imagine, these characteristics make carbon fibers suitable for applications in sectors such as aerospace, automotive, military or civil engineering.

As some of you may already know, carbon fibers are rarely used on their own. They are usually combined with other materials to form what we call a composite material - in this particular case, these are materials reinforced with carbon fiber. These composites are made from a matrix material, usually a polymer, although it is possible to use non-polymer materials such as ceramics to which carbon fibers are added. The main advantage is that you end up with a stronger but lighter plastic with a higher level of stiffness.

The body of this bike frame is made of carbon fiber | Source: Arevo

Traditionally, carbon fiber composites have been used for structural design, where added weight results in increased life cycle costs or unsatisfactory performance. Carbon fiber composites can be used to create many products such as bicycle frames, aircraft fenders, propeller blades, automotive components, etc. As you can imagine, given the many benefits of carbon fiber, it is already being used by more than just traditional manufacturing systems. In recent years, more and more 3D printing companies are offering carbon fiber reinforced materials or technologies. They are designed to work with this composite to provide better performance. So how is carbon fiber being used in additive manufacturing?

3D Printing Applications

In its 3D Printing Composites 2020 - 2030 report, IDTechEx reports that the global market for 3D printing composites will reach $1.7 billion by 2030. This figure also includes other composite materials, such as materials reinforced with fiberglass or plastic. However, this trend clearly demonstrates that the 3D printing industry is increasingly using all composites, including carbon, in their manufacturing activities. There are essentially two ways to use carbon fiber in 3D printing, the first is carbon fiber reinforced filaments and the second is continuous carbon fiber reinforcement.

Carbon fiber filament

Carbon fiber filament uses short carbon fibers composed of segments less than one millimeter long, which are mixed with a thermoplastic known as a base material. There are a number of popular filaments available with carbon fiber fill, including PLA, PETG, nylon, ABS, and polycarbonate. These fibers, being extremely strong, cause an increase in the strength and stiffness of the thread, and also reduce its overall weight. The requirements for 3D printing carbon fiber filaments should be the same as for the base material they were added to. The main difference is that fibers can clog 3D printer nozzles, so experts recommend using a hardened steel nozzle. In addition, when a certain threshold of fibers is exceeded, the part printed on a 3D printer loses its surface quality.

Carbon fiber segments embedded in thread for reinforcement | Source: Markforged

Some companies have developed carbon fiber fibers for more technical applications. These yarns use high performance polymers (HPPs) such as PEEK or PEKK as the base material. Consequently, they not only offer the benefits of HPPs such as durability and high mechanical and chemical performance, but also an improved strength to weight ratio. Print settings need to be adjusted as HPPs require extruders that can heat up to 400°C and systems that have heated chambers and build plates. Some of the carbon fiber filament manufacturers are: Roboze, 3DXTech, ColorFabb, Markforged, Kimya, Intamsys, Zortrax, etc.

Continuous carbon fiber reinforcement

Carbon fiber thread is definitely stronger than thread that has not been reinforced. However, to get an even stronger part, another method called continuous carbon fiber reinforcement can be used. Since carbon fiber is not cut into smaller pieces, it retains much more strength. In fact, continuous printing on carbon fiber is strong enough to be half the weight of aluminium. 3D printer manufacturers claim that they can replace metal 3D printing for some applications. And the main advantage is that it is cheaper than metal. Finally, by placing carbon fiber according to DfAM techniques, it is possible to increase the strength of the part while reducing material consumption.

Using DfAM methods, it is possible to strengthen a part using carbon fiber | Source: Anisoprint

There are several players on the market that offer technologies that can continuously print carbon fibers. They can be divided into two main types, depending on when the carbon fiber is added (it can be added before the 3D printing process or during). When added earlier, continuous fiber 3D printing is known as backing prepreg, while when added during extrusion, it is called co-extrusion. In the prepeg technique, you also get a composite thread (or tape), but the carbon fibers have not been cut, instead they have been impregnated with a polymer through a pultrusion process.

Members offering continuous fiber 3D printing include Markforged, Anisoprint, CEAD, etc. More recently, Desktop Metal has also joined the race with a new system called Fiber. Fiber uses Micro Automated Fiber Placement (µAFP). In addition, 9T Labs has developed additive synthesis technology (AFT) to mass-produce carbon composites at a lower cost.

Carbon 3D printing: other technologies

A departure from the better known extrusion process, an interesting technology is the patented AREVO process, based on directed energy deposition technology, in which a laser is used to heat filament and carbon fiber simultaneously as a roller presses them together.

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