Nylon 12CF is Stratasys’ first carbon fiber-filled FDM material.
With a very high tensile strength and an unprecedented stiffness-to-weight ratio, it allows for new applications requiring repetitive snap fits, high fatigue resistance, strong chemical resistance and press (friction) fit inserts.
FDM Nylon 12CF is ideal for advanced rapid prototyping functional performance testing. Getting great results with this material is simply a matter of paying attention to a few requirements before, during and after printing.
Pre-processing Software Considerations
Part orientation — Because the FDM process results in anisotropic surface finish and mechanical properties, proper orientation is dependent on the part’s function. For functional or production parts, build orientation should be selected based on the forces acting upon the printed part. By selectively orienting the part to avoid excessive stresses on thin geometries or in the z-direction, the mechanical properties of critical features can be optimized. For conceptual models or parts where aesthetics are most important, orientation should be selected to reduce the appearance of layer lines on critical surfaces.
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Build mode selection — The default build mode is Normal, which is recommended for most geometries. For thin walled parts (sections thinner than 0.508 mm [0.2 inches=””][/0.2]), or with small individual parts that show signs of the part melting when printed using the default build mode, utilize the Thin wall mode. The thin wall mode reduces the oven temperature and the likelihood of melting on thin walls and small
individual parts.
Build style selection — The default build style for FDM Nylon 12CF is Solid. The Sparse fill style is also available and will reduce material consumption.
Toolpath parameters — It is recommended to use the default raster and contour widths of 0.508 mm (0.020 in.).
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Support parameters — Due to the mismatch in the coefficient of thermal expansion between the model and support material, the support parameters must be set to prevent build issues or support-removal issues.
There are also several nuances within each of these categories you should follow get the best results from your print.
Stratasys offers a free FDM Nylon 12CF Material Guide that provides detailed instructions and diagrams with specific steps on:
- Pre-processing software considerations
- Machine preparation
- Material loading
- Printing
To learn more, download the FDM Nylon 12CF Material Guide here.
