Since January 2018, Omni3D includes in its offering a filament with added carbon fiber (CF-PA-12) – a high-strength material recommended due to low shrinkage and stiffness.
Speaking about the material Krzysztof Kardach, Principal 3D Printing Technologist, responsible in OMNI3D for testing and introducing filaments, said: “CF-PA-12 is a polyamide 12 (PA 12) based composite, reinforced with carbon fibers. It has exceptional durability as well as high stiffness and tensile strength. The last feature is especially worth noting, because carbon fiber has over 2.5 times more strength than the popular ABS-42.”
Carbon fiber’s properties
It should be noticed that carbon fiber can be associated to other materials to 3D print sacrificial tooling for composite components and parts.
The low material shrinkage and high thermal resistance imply that tools made using carbon fiber can work up to 160°C. Furthermore, according to Krzysztof Kardach, ABS resistance can be rated as two times lower because prints from this material can be used up to about 87°C.
Carbon fiber also integrates high chemical resistance. “CF-PA-12 retains the structural stiffness of the carbon fiber regardless of the ambient humidity. It is lightweight, with an elegant, semi-matte finish.”
The material can be used to produce parts for cars and drones, as well as components that require high durability and low weight. Moreover, it could function in a demanding environment, and in some cases, it can replace elements previously made from metal.
“It is excellent in component engineering, for producing final components and functional prototypes and testing structural elements or devices and instrumentation,” adds Krzysztof Kardach.
The company will release more materials for specific applications in the coming months. The manufacturer’s flagship 3D printer, Factory 2.0, has automatic print settings that specify parameters for all compatible filaments.
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