MakerBot PA 12 Carbon Fiber Filament

MakerBot expands its material offering for the METHOD™ series with Nylon 12 carbon fiber filament, adding another composite material to the material portfolio.

MakerBot Nylon 12 Carbon Fiber Filament

The MakerBot Nylon 12 Carbon Fiber material can be processed on the MakerBot METHOD™ and the MakerBot METHOD X™ 3D printers with the MakerBot Composite Extruder as well as on the METHOD Carbon Fiber Edition 3D printers.

The composite extruder features hardened metal drive gears and a replaceable hardened steel nozzle that allows METHOD printers to print abrasive materials. The materials for the METHOD series are designed to allow engineers to print for a wide range of applications from prototypes to production-ready parts. The MakerBot Nylon 12 Carbon Fiber filament has very good physical and thermal properties and can be used as a replacement for metal parts in some applications.

The MakerBot Nylon 12 Carbon Fiber 3D printing material is an elastic, carbon fiber-reinforced nylon (PA 12) that has been optimized for high strength and stiffness. The MakerBot Nylon 12 Carbon Fiber filament uses a PA 12 base polymer. This absorbs less moisture than Nylon 6/66, which is used for the MakerBot Nylon Carbon Fiber Filament. As a result, it retains its performance even with increased humidity. 3D printing with carbon on the MakerBot METHOD not only results in high-performance parts, but also in beautiful surfaces. Nylon 12 Carbon Fiber is suitable for applications where parts need to hold their shape with minimal bending, such as automotive brackets or test gauges. This material has a tensile modulus of 6000 MPa, which underlines its high stiffness. The material is ideal for functional prototypes and lightweight tooling applications in the aerospace and automotive industries.

“Composite materials are ideal for a range of engineering applications. In particular, MakerBot® Nylon 12 Carbon Fiber offers manufacturers a cost-effective and lightweight alternative to metal 3D printing due to its high dimensional stability and excellent resistance to stress cracking,” said Nadav Goshen, CEO of MakerBot. “By expanding the material options available for use with the METHOD Series 3D printers, we are providing users with more opportunities to explore new applications.”

The heated chamber in the METHOD range of 3D printers produces stable, production-quality polyamide parts with carbon fibers. The dry-sealed filament shafts help to keep the materials dry, resulting in better print quality and reliability. For a high surface finish, users can print complex geometries with soluble PVA or Stratasys® SR-30™ support material. Breakaway support can also be used for faster printing results. The MakerBot METHOD 3D printers offer a professional material portfolio for a variety of applications. These include Nylon 12 CF, PC-ABS, ABS, Nylon CF, PETG, ASA, etc. Users can also print with the MakerBot LABS™ Experimental Extruder with even more technically advanced materials from leading third-party suppliers.

The MakerBot® Nylon 12 carbon fiber material is expected to start shipping in November 2020.