7 Best Carbon Fiber Filament for 3D Printing
There are a lot of filaments to choose from for 3D printing, but many people aren’t sure which to choose. In terms of carbon fiber filaments, I decided to put together a list of some of the best ones you can find online to 3D print with.
Here are the seven best carbon fiber filaments for 3D printing:
- OVERTURE Carbon Fiber PLA Filament
- PRILINE Superhard Carbon Fiber Polycarbonate
- IEMAI Carbon Fiber PLA 3D Printer Filament
- IEMAI Carbon Fiber PETG Filament
- SainSmart Carbon Fiber Nylon Filament
- 3DXTECH CarbonX Carbon Fiber PETG Filament
- Polymaker Carbon Fiber PLA Filament
Let’s go through these filaments in more detail below.
1. OVERTURE Carbon Fiber PLA Filament
One of the best carbon fiber filaments to choose for 3D printing is the OVERTURE Carbon Fiber PLA Filament from Amazon.
It is known for having a high strength and stiffness. This filament contains premium carbon fiber which is durable and holds more pressure as compared to standard PLA.
The manufacturers make sure to have full mechanical winding, along with manual examination for the best results. It means that the lines of filament are tidy and don’t tangle, which reduces the chance of the filament breaking.
It has a great dimensional accuracy measuring system and a self-adaptive control system to ensure the best results. This filament is also clog-free, bubble-free and easy to use.
One user who tried out this OVERTURE Carbon Fiber PLA Filament said it was fantastic and solved a big need that they had. They initially 3D printed with carbon filled nylon for 2 years for structural parts, but didn’t like using it for non-structural parts due to costs.
With this carbon fiber PLA, they have a great option for non-structural carbon fiber 3D prints.
Another user said the print quality is amazing while using a printing temperature of 200-205°C and a bed temperature of 55-60°C for great bed adhesion. They mentioned how you can see the carbon fibers as the layers go down, and that layer lines look like carbon fiber lamination.
A user who printed with this carbon fiber PLA said it prints perfectly and that you can’t see the layer lines afterwards.
You can get yourself some OVERTURE Carbon Fiber PLA from Amazon.
2. PRILINE Superhard Carbon Fiber Polycarbonate
This PRILINE Superhard Carbon Fiber Polycarbonate is another great carbon fiber filament that you can get for yourself. Polycarbonate is known to have some of the strongest properties for a filament.
When it’s mixed with carbon fiber, it makes the filament easier to print and gives excellent layer adhesion, as well as dimensional stability.
This filament has a tolerance level of ± 0.03mm and a recommended printing temperature of 240-260°C and bed temperature of 80-100°C. There is a high heat tolerance and a high strength to weight ratio with this filament. It’s also extremely rigid so it’s great for certain projects.
It’s recommended to store this 3D printer filament in a sealed plastic bag or box so it’s not negatively affected by moisture.
One user who has 3D printed more than three rolls of this polycarbonate carbon fiber filament said it’s easy to print with and the parts look amazing.
They made sure to change their nozzle to a hardened steel one so it can handle the abrasive carbon fiber filament, since a brass nozzle would get damaged. He also tried the PETG version and said the polycarbonate one has better looking surfaces.
He initially had an issue with the bottom layer of his prints having milky whitish streaks at the bottom, but this was solved by using a glue stick on the bed.
Another user said he switched from Nylon X filament to this one and was pleasantly surprised by its performance. On the Nylon X filament, he experienced quite a bit of warping, but with this filament, it printed nice and flat.
He mentioned that the parts from this filament are rock hard, even though it’s a lower temperature material compared to most durable filaments. It doesn’t have the same level of strength as standard polycarbonate since it requires much higher temperatures, but it does very well.
Check out the PRILINE Carbon Fiber Filament on Amazon today.
3. IEMAI Carbon Fiber PLA 3D Printer Filament
Another great carbon fiber filament you get is the IEMAI Carbon Fiber PLA from Amazon.
This filament has 20% carbon fiber and 80% PLA, made without cheap plastic fillers. They make sure to package this filament in a vacuumed sealed bag with desiccant to keep it nice and dry.
PLA is already pretty tough, but with the addition of carbon fiber, it increases the durability, along with creating a nice matte finish. It also leads to better dimensional stability and reduces warping/shrinkage.
They recommend to use stainless steel or hardened steel nozzles to 3D print this. Carbon fiber filament is prone to moisture, so make sure to store it in a dry environment for best performance.
One user who originally used OVERTURE Carbon Fiber PLA said that this carbon fiber was superb and almost flawless. They used a Creality CR-10-S5 with many modifications and an E3D V6 hotend, along with a PEI surface.
Another user said he has tried many brands of PLA + carbon fiber and said this one was proven to be the best so far. It has a smooth surface and is actually black, rather than the almost-black filaments in other brands. The bed adhesion was good and flowed nicely at a temperature of 200-215°C.
4. IEMAI Carbon Fiber PETG Filament
Again, we have IEMAI, but the PETG version of this carbon fiber filament. The IEMAI Carbon Fiber PETG Filament is a great filament that you can get from Amazon for amazing results.
This also has 20% carbon fiber, along with 80% PETG and has great rigidity. It’s compatible with most FDM 3D printers and prints at temperatures around 220-240°C, with a bed of 60-90°C. They have a great tolerance of just +/- 0.02mm which leads to consistent flow and stable 3D prints.
They recommend for you to use a 0.6mm nozzle or bigger, along with stainless steel or hardened steel. This filament has full mechanical winding and strict manual examination to ensure it’s tangle-free.
I wouldn’t recommend using this filament if you are a beginner since it’s a higher level filament.
One user said this Carbon Fiber PETG Filament is a great overall material and is very strong. They use it for all their structural pieces for the new 3D printer he is building. He mentioned that it would clog a regular nozzle quickly, so use a hardened steel nozzle.
The printing temperature of this filament actually prints cooler than what the label says according to this user. He said you should turn the temperature down if you get a log of stringing and blobs on your models – 215°C worked for him.
Another user who had a project was originally going to use ABS, but didn’t like the hassle that comes with trying to print it. He decided to go with this filament and a 0.8mm hardened nozzle. He said the end result was better than he expected.
The people who he printed the objects for said they were thrilled with it, and mentioned that he thinks it turned out better and stronger than the original ABS print.
Check out the IEMAI Carbon Fiber PETG Filament from Amazon.
5. SainSmart Carbon Fiber Nylon Filament
SainSmart used a new formula to improve the rigidity and print performance using 75% nylon combined with 25% of carbon fiber. This filament is easy to print, leaving an excellent surface finish and strength.
It produces high-quality parts that are easy to process while having an excellent finish. It delivers functionality, stiffness, and even dimensional stability with heat resistance in an accessible print material, with two different colors.
This filament suits solid and flexible industrial parts, prosthetics, and complex costumes. Printing temperature ranges from 260-280°C, with a build surface temperature of 80-90°C for a high temperature 3D printer at home.
To use SainSmart, it is recommended to use stainless steel or a hardened nozzles since it would be too abrasive for a brass nozzle. You should also try to control the ambient temperature around your 3D printer by using an enclosure for better layer adhesion.
One user said that this might be his new favorite filament as it is his first time printing with Nylon mixed with carbon fiber. The parts that he printed are hard, rigid, and durable. He also added that he is happy with the results and that would be his go to for printing functional parts.
Another user said that the output he printed using this fiber filament looks and feels great. It was strong and easier to print that what he expects it to be.
Most buyers are happy with their experience with this item.
You can find this SainSmart Carbon Fiber Nylon Filament on Amazon.
6. 3DXTECH CarbonX Carbon Fiber PETG Filament
3DXTECH CarbonX Carbon Fiber PETG is made in the USA with superior chemical resistance. It’s made to have low shrinkage and high dimensional accuracy in your models.
They recommend using a bed adhesion product like painter’s tape, hairspray, or a good PEI bed surface. This filament combined the best parts of two high level filaments, having PETG reinforced with carbon fibers which is an ultra lightweight material.
It’s great for users who want a light structural component with high stiffness, high heat, and great chemical resistance. Carbon fiber is famous in aerospace, civil engineering, the military, and motorsports.
The carbon fiber is 5-10 micrometers wide and are aligned to follow the axis of the material.
One user who said PETG is normally difficult to print said this version prints really well.
Another user said it’s an excellent material that has great printability, minimal stringing, great layer adhesion and a nice surface finish. They noticed how much stiffer it is compared to normal PETG.
For the temperatures, they used 250°C for the printing temperature, and an 80°C bed temperature, along with a 35mm print speed and no fans. Make sure to use a hardened nozzle since this is very abrasive. They actually switched to tungsten carbide and a stainless steel extruder gear.
Check out this 3DXTECH CarbonX Carbon Fiber PETG from Amazon today.
If you are interested, visit 3DXTECH CarbonX at Amazon.
7. Polymaker Carbon Fiber PLA Filament
This Polymaker PolyLite PLA-CF displays good toughness with high strength. It also features a stunning satin and matte finish, making the print look very smooth.
This filament has excellent bed adhesion as it is consistent with its diameter and dimension accuracy – little to no warping, jamming, or layer delamination issues.
You should turn off the fan as you make the first layer for better bed adhesion. Install an abrasive-resistant nozzle to your printer before using PolyLite PLA-CF. This carbon fiber PLA filament is more sensitive to moisture so make sure to store it well and dry it when it’s been out for a while.
One user who purchased this filament said it was a really good PLA filament. He heard about how the carbon fiber additives help with reducing warping, and most of his print didn’t warp.
He’s previously had worries about warping, but this filament worked great, though with some light lifting at the corners in some cases.
Another user also stated that he would buy more rolls as it prints great and supports come off clean.
Most Polymaker Carbon Filament consumers are happy with the product.
You find the Polymaker PolyLite PLA-CF from Amazon.