Diy carbon fiber 3d printer

How to 3D Print Carbon Fiber Materials at Any Level

TriMech Blog, 3D Printing, FDM Technology, MakerBot, Rapid Prototyping, Stratasys

By TriMech on February 24, 2021

Carbon fiber materials and carbon-reinforced polymers can replace metal for lighter, more ergonomic tooling. Add to that the power of additive manufacturing to print the part, rather than machine it, and you can significantly reduce both your part weight and tooling lead time. In this article, we are going to review the differences in printable carbon fiber materials and the machines capable of printing them to understand how the 3D printing industry has created approachable solutions for just about every level of production.  

Benefits of Using Carbon Fiber

3D printable composite carbon fiber filaments contain carbon fibers suspended in a polymer matrix composed of plastics, such as nylon or ABS, to produce strong, light-weight, carbon fiber-like parts with superior three-dimensional strength and accuracy. Typical applications include manufacturing tools, jigs, fixtures and end effectors that benefit from the combination of increased stiffness and reduced weight.

• Stiffness – For applications that require parts hold their form with minimal flex, such as automotive brackets or inspection gauges.
• Strength-to-Weight – A formidable tensile strength makes carbon fiber ideal for lightweight alternatives to metal parts such as robotic end effectors.
• Heat Deflection – When exposed to heat other materials can deform under pressure. Nylon carbon fiber, like Nylon 12CF from Stratasys, offers high heat deflection making it great for higher temp under-hood and tooling applications.

>> Case Study: Carbon Fiber as a Game Changing Material

Practical Carbon Fiber 3D Printing

You have identified the need to 3D print carbon fiber materials, but why limit yourself to only printing in that one material? From a practical and financial standpoint, you should consider investing in a 3D printer that offers reliable and accurate printing in a variety of commonly sought-after materials (like ABS, ASA, PLA, and TPU) as well as carbon fiber options. 

The Stratasys F123 series is an ideal printer that is robust enough for shop work, but is self-contained and quiet enough that it can be used in an office setting as well. As well as being easy to use, it comes with the material catalog to meet the needs of a host of applications.

In 2021, Stratasys announced the new ABS-CF10 material which combines the increased mechanical benefits of a carbon fiber filament with the ease of use, soluble support, and surface quality of traditional ABS 3D printing material. The result is an engineering thermoplastic with superior strength and rigidity for factory floor tooling applications.  

>> Download the spec sheet for this carbon fiber material: ABS-CF10
>> Learn more about printing with the Stratasys F123 series

The F123 series consists of several 3D printers that have been designed with different build sizes, materials capacities and material options in order to offer several different price-points for the machine. Fortunately, the ability to print ABS-CF10 is available across the entire series no matter what platform model you select. 

Exploratory Carbon Fiber 3D Printing

Depending on your application, carbon fiber may be the ideal solution for end-use assemblies and manufacturing tools. Alternately, you may be experimenting with additive manufacturing for key components and exploring different 3D materials, including carbon fiber, for the design and manufacturing of production parts.

Unlike what you may think of when you hear the name “MakerBot,” the Method X series has been designed for professionals who need immediate access to a 3D printer in order to speed up their design cycles. This Stratasys patented technology offers production-level design features such as a circulating heated chamber, ultra-rigid metal frame and dry-sealed material bays for enhanced material performance. All of this comes at a very attractive price-point, allowing organizations to expand their 3D printing capabilities to a larger scale.

>> Download the spec sheet for this carbon fiber material: Nylon 12CF (Method)
>> Learn more about printing with the MakerBot Method: Carbon Fiber Edition

The Method series also has an option for open platform materials which means there are more material options that are not just made exclusively by MakerBot. With the experimental LABS extruder, engineers can access an extended library of polymer options while experimenting with materials options for their application.

Production-Level Carbon Fiber 3D Printing

At this level of 3D printing and design, carbon fiber is likely a key component of your production process and you would require either larger single parts or a larger quantity. In a production environment or factory floor, you would be looking to use carbon fiber’s exceptional stiffness and resilience for highly demanding parts that may have limited manufacturing feasibility, or are cost prohibitive to produce using traditional materials and processes.

The Fortus Series from Stratasys were some of the first 3D printers to offer composite carbon fiber options with a level of consistency and reliability that have made them production level tools across a wide range of industries. Depending on your needs for material and size they run the gamut of available engineering grade materials from carbon fiber to ULTEM and even carbon nano tube loaded Antero. 

>> Download the spec sheet for this carbon fiber material: Nylon 12CF (Fortus)
>> Learn more about all the Stratasys Fortus machines that can print carbon fiber

In conclusion, if your project requires the need for stiff, durable, light-weight, complex, or cost-effective tooling or parts – you owe it to yourself to learn more about Stratasys FDM filament printers and their line of carbon fiber reinforced materials.  

Need help determining which material and process is best for your specific application? Connect with one of our application experts to understand all the carbon fiber options available for your specific need.

Carbon Fiber 3D Printing Guide: Printers and Materials Comparison

Bikes, racecars, drones, and tennis rackets—products with varied uses that all require high strength and durability without added weight. This combination of properties is found in carbon fiber composite materials that are used everywhere from the chassis of Formula 1 racecars to the frame of lightweight road bicycles. 

As many 3D printers also commonly use polymer-based materials, including various composites, many people ask the question, “can you 3D print carbon fiber?”

Indeed, there are two methods through which 3D printing can be used to create carbon fiber parts: by supporting traditional methods of fabrication with 3D printed molds, or through the direct 3D printing of carbon fiber composites. In this article, we’ll walk through traditional means of fabrication as well as new workflows for 3D printed carbon fiber molds and direct 3D printing of carbon fiber composite parts.

Carbon fiber is a composite material traditionally manufactured by weaving long strands of carbon fibers together, then binding them further with a polymer. The strands can be woven strategically so that strength is aligned along one certain vector, or so that the end product has multilateral strength in every direction. The resulting material is then formed into the desired end product through typically one of three processes: wet lay-up, prepreg lamination, or resin transfer molding (RTM).

In wet lay-up manufacturing, sheets of carbon fiber are cut and pressed into a mold, then painted with a liquid resin, which, as it cures and solidifies, binds the sheets into the desired final shape. This method requires the least equipment and is also the easiest to master as a beginner. Because most of it can be done by hand, it is one of the least expensive methods, but the tradeoff is that the resulting parts have less fidelity to the mold master than parts produced through other methods.

In this method, the carbon fiber is already infused with resin, then inserted into a mold that uses pressure and heat to form the final shape. This method is the most expensive due to the necessity of specialized equipment to store and handle the pre-infused sheets, as well as the heated and pressurized molding machine. These factors are also what make it the most repeatable and consistent, and thus most appropriate for batch production of carbon fiber parts.

With RTM molding, the dry fiber is inserted into a two-part mold. The mold is clamped shut before forcing the resin into the cavity at high pressure. It is usually automated and used for larger volume manufacturing.

For each of the previous three methods, 3D printing can be used to bring down costs and improve lead times. All three traditional manufacturing methods require the use of a mold or multiple molds, which traditionally have been created through time-consuming subtractive processes like wood, foam, metal, plastic, or wax machining. 3D printing offers an alternative means of mold fabrication. 3D printed molds are customizable as well as more efficient and cost-effective for small batch production or customization.

For applications that require functioning prototypes like the automotive and aerospace industries, the iterative process might require hundreds of different molds. To make these iterations using traditional manufacturing methods can be expensive and time-consuming, so 3D printing provides an efficient means of low-volume production. Though 3D printed molds aren’t as suitable as metal molds for large-volume production, they can be created inexpensively in-house, speeding up product development and validation, as well as short-run production. 

Molds for carbon fiber part production can be made with a variety of techniques, but the smooth surface finish and extensive materials library of stereolithography (SLA) 3D printers make them a common choice for in-house mold production. SLA parts have virtually no layer lines or porosity, so the carbon fiber sheets can be pressed firmly into the mold without fear of creating a textured surface.  

Panoz, a racing and sports car manufacturer, needed a custom air exit duct for the cockpit of a racing car in order to vent air out of the cabin and cool down the temperature inside. In collaboration with DeltaWing Manufacturing, they used a Formlabs SLA 3D printer to print the pattern in High Temp Resin, then cast a mold on that printed pattern by hand, using a high-temperature tooling epoxy. In using 3D printing, DeltaWing avoided outsourcing an expensive metal mold for this custom carbon fiber part, reducing both their overall cost and delivery time.

A carbon fiber fender air duct next to the two-parts mold printed with High Temp Resin, produced by DeltaWing Manufacturing.

White Paper

Download this white paper for composite mold design guidelines and step-by-step guides to the prepreg and hand laminating methods to create carbon fiber parts.

Download the White Paper

Looking for the best carbon fiber 3D printer? There is strong demand for workflows that combine the strength, durability, and ruggedness of traditional carbon fiber parts with the agility, geometric possibilities, and repeatability of 3D printing. It’s therefore not surprising that there are many 3D printing companies that offer carbon fiber 3D printing, with the two currently available processes being printing with chopped fibers or continuous fibers.

Chopped fibers refer to a 3D printing composite plastic material that is imbued with small pieces of carbon fibers. These chopped fibers lend extra strength to the composite, which can be a carbon fiber filament for fused deposition modeling (FDM) or a nylon powder for selective laser sintering (SLS) 3D printing. 

The main advantages of chopped carbon fiber-reinforced 3D printed materials compared to other types of polymer-based 3D printed materials are that they are strong, lightweight, heat-resistant, and less likely to creep. When compared to traditionally molded carbon fiber parts, 3D printed chopped fiber offers improved geometrical flexibility in the design of the part, especially with SLS 3D printing, potentially eliminating extensive labor associated with traditional molding, or opening up new innovative possibilities for users to incorporate this material into their workflow.

The Formlabs Fuse 1+ 30W SLS 3D printer enables this type of carbon fiber 3D printing with Nylon 11 CF Powder—the strongest material in the Formlabs SLS materials library. The Fuse 1+ 30W presents the most affordable high-performance option for SLS printing with chopped carbon fibers. While traditional industrial SLS machines also offer some carbon fiber materials, the start-up cost for adoption negates much of the added benefit for 3D printing of carbon fiber parts when compared to RTM or prepreg lamination methods.

Formlabs Nylon 11 CF Powder is strong, lightweight, and heat resistant, making it ideal for automotive, aerospace, and manufacturing applications.

Sample part

See and feel Formlabs quality firsthand. We’ll ship a free sample part to your office.

Request a Free Sample Part

Many FDM 3D printers can operate with carbon fiber filaments, but printing with these materials is more complicated than with standard ABS or PLA filaments, leading to frequent clogging and more maintenance as the abrasive filament wears down brass nozzles. FDM 3D printers specially designed for chopped carbon fiber filaments are also available, but at a premium.

The main limitation of both SLS and FDM chopped fiber 3D printed parts is that they should be considered more like strong 3D printed parts and not genuine alternatives to traditional carbon fiber parts with woven and continuous fibers. They also offer the biggest increase in strength in the direction they were laid down during 3D printing—X direction for SLS parts and XY plane for FDM parts. Traditional methods of carbon fiber part creation enable multidirectional strength by the careful planning and placement of different sheets of carbon fiber in the pre-mold set-up.

Continuous carbon fiber 3D printing is available on some specialized FDM 3D printers and the parts it produces can approach traditional carbon fiber parts in terms of strength, but similar to chopped fiber FDM printers, only on the XY plane. With these printers, continuous strands of carbon fiber are mixed with the thermoplastic, and the strands can be applied strategically, to selectively enforce certain planes or axes of pressure. This method can utilize either a dual extruder nozzle to lay down a combination of carbon fiber threads and polymer, or a two-in-one, in which one nozzle deposits the carbon fiber thread while the other heats and extrudes the filament. 

Continuous carbon fiber 3D printing offers an alternative comparable to traditional molded carbon fiber parts, albeit with limited design freedom. Though these parts are incredibly strong, that strength is only in the XY plane, and prints need to be oriented to match that strength with the direction of force applied. For designs where this is possible, this method can be used to replace aluminum parts and to create sturdy manufacturing aids or end-use parts.

The mechanical properties of 3D printed carbon fiber composites surpass almost every other 3D printed plastic in terms of strength and temperature resistance. Let’s look at how chopped fibers compare to continuous fiber 3D printing and common materials for reference.

Manufacturing Process	SLS - Chopped Fibers	FDM - Chopped Fibers	FDM - Continuous Fibers	FDM - Continuous Fibers	Injection Molding	Casting or Machining
Material	Formlabs Nylon 11 CF Powder	Carbon Fiber-Filled Nylon Filament	Nylon 6 Filament + Carbon Fiber	PEEK Filament + Carbon Fiber	ABS	Aluminum
Tensile Modulus (GPa)	1.6 - 5.3	2.4	60 - 100	145	2.3	70
Ultimate Tensile Strength (MPa)	38 - 69	40	800 - 1000	2400	39	310
Flexural Modulus (GPa)	4.2	3.0	51 - 71	124	2.4	70
Flexural Strength (MPa)	110	71	540 - 800	1300	74	310
Elongation at Break	5 - 15%	25%	1. 5%	N/A	6 - 15%	N/A
Notched Izod (J/m)	74	330	960	N/A	200	N/A
Heat Deflection Temp. @ 0.45 MPa (°C)	188	145	105	N/A	70 - 107	N/A

The high strength, light weight, as well as impact, heat, and chemical resistance of carbon fiber 3D printed parts make them ideal for a variety of applications where 3D printing wasn’t even considered before. Plastic and carbon fiber composite 3D printed parts can now stand up to the heat generated by automotive or aerospace engine components, be used as replacements for machined aluminum parts and manufacturing aids, and enable the production of long-lasting, high-impact equipment.

Carbon fiber 3D printed parts are ideal for rapid prototyping, producing wear-resistant and durable manufacturing aids such as jigs and fixtures, and the small batch production of strong end-use parts with complex geometries.

3D printing technology has opened up new possibilities in design and manufacturing, and 3D printed carbon fiber composites take that even further, allowing users in the automotive, aerospace, defense, and manufacturing industries to quickly and efficiently produce high-strength, temperature-resistant parts with geometric flexibility. By bypassing traditional machining or molding processes, these users can more easily create custom parts, replacement parts, and functional prototypes. Though not a total replacement for traditional techniques due to the singular plane of added strength, 3D printed carbon fiber parts are still stronger than almost most other plastics, making them singularly useful in many applications. 

The right process to produce carbon fiber parts by molding or directly by 3D printing is highly dependent on the specific application, and factors like part design, production volume, and more. SLS 3D printing with chopped fibers offers a sweet spot for those looking to manufacture strong parts, but not necessarily to the degree of traditional molded carbon fiber parts.

The Formlabs Fuse 1+ 30W with Nylon 11 CF Powder enables businesses without extensive funding and on tight time schedules to iterate rapidly and produce end-use parts with strength and advanced mechanical properties, unlike traditional plastics. They can also functionally test their parts and then change the design with only a slight CAD modification, improving their product’s performance, and getting to market sooner. 

Request a free sample part now to see the quality and strength of an SLS 3D printed chopped fiber part firsthand or speak to one of our specialists to find the right solution for your application.

Request a Free Nylon 11 CF Powder Sample Part

Carbon fiber 3D printing

Researchers at the National Laboratory. Lawrence Livermore claim they are the world's first 3D printed carbon fiber aerospace composites and may be paving the way for sophisticated new printouts.

Carbon fiber is a material that is stronger than steel and at the same time very light. Because of this, it is ideal for the manufacture of parts for the aerospace and automotive industries. However, when creating complex shapes from the material using traditional methods, it is extremely difficult to control. nine0003

Researchers at Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory (LLNL) may have found a way to change that. The Explorers are the world's first 3D printed carbon fiber aerospace composites. And they believe that because of this work, they will be able to control and optimize the use of high specification material.

This is not the first time carbon fiber has been 3D printed. There are many PLA derivatives that can do the same on a regular home printer. However, it is important to note that the difference is that LLNLs have printed aerospace composites. nine0003

Previous problems with carbon fiber composites have included the complex techniques required to create parts and overcompensate material due to "performance issues". However, the researchers at LLNL were able to achieve the same material properties as two-thirds through a new 3D printing method.

To achieve this goal, LLNL created its own Direct Ink Printer (DIW) using its own carbon fiber composite "ink". The researchers also patented a method to cure extruded material in seconds, not hours. nine0003

They used the computational model shown in the video above to develop models for the flow of carbon fiber filaments in their inks. Julia Kanarska, Analyst, explains:

“We have developed a numerical code to simulate a non-Newtonian liquid polymer resin with a dispersion of carbon fibers. With this code, we can simulate the evolution of fiber orientation in 3D under different printing conditions. We've managed to find the optimal fiber length and optimal performance, but it's still a work in progress. Current efforts are to achieve even better fiber alignment by applying magnetic forces to stabilize them.” nine0003

Since the material is conductive, it allows the control of thermal channeling. The use could be in the manufacture of satellite components that - printed in their design - are insulated on one side. That is, they do not require rotation in space.

The next challenge for the research team is to optimize the process. They demonstrated the benefits achieved with this method. But to understand this further, it will mean determining the best way to stack carbon fiber. nine0003

Source: Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory

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 bonded 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. nine0003

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. nine0003

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? nine0003

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. nine0003

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. nine0003

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. nine0003

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. nine0003

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. Impossible Objects and EnvisionTEC have also added carbon fiber 3D printing systems to their machines, but the technology is slightly different. They weave sheets of carbon fiber using a lamination process. Last but not least, Continuous Composites uses a hybrid technology where a strand of fiber is impregnated with resin and then cured with UV light, similar to SLA 3D printing.

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