Nylon composites

Nylon composites

Composite nylons are filaments made from a polyamide matrix and filled with fibres, powders or spheres. Variations such as PA6 GF or PA 6-66 CF are available for 3D printing. These technical composite filaments offer excellent performance for mechanical use, making them an ideal material for replacing metal parts in the automotive industry: parts under the bonnet, transmission components or the cooling circuit, but also, in 3D printing, for all industries requiring tooling with high strength and toughness. The fact that they are reinforced with carbon fibre means that they can be used more widely in the automotive industry, taking into account recent requirements in terms of re-cyclability.

The incorporation of sphere (PA6GF Polymaker) or glass fibre allows for the most highly filled manufacture, with the filament incorporating up to 30%. The carbon version is generally limited to 15-20%, but already offers impressive rigidity.

Depending on these different compositions, these filled filaments can be particularly abrasive for your 3D printers, so it's essential to use a suitable nozzle that is more resistant than the brass generally used. As a minimum, we recommend using a Steel nozzle, and ideally the Ruby nozzle

Composite nylon spools are just as sensitive to humidity as traditional nylons, so remember to keep them away from moisture.

How do I choose my nylon composite filament?

When choosing a nylon composite filament spool, you should generally take into account the limitations of your 3D printer in terms of heating power: extrusion and platen.

In more general terms, fibreglass is preferred for its high mechanical performance and overall strength. Rigid but resistant to bending and impact, glass fibre nylon also excels for its thermal resistance to deformation under load. Carbon nylon filaments are used in demanding applications to achieve extreme rigidity while remaining lightweight.

Polymaker 's PA6 GF and PA6 CF filaments are available in 3kg packs only, and at BASFthe PAHT CF15 version will be available in 750g. In all cases, the quality of these technical materials is beyond doubt.

Why choose a composite filament?

In 3D printing, nylons are known to be sensitive to warping due to their high shrinkage rate. This characteristic is eliminated when the filled version of these polyamides is processed. The incorporation of fibres has the effect of limiting the possibility of deformation of the material, which is extremely positive for its flat adhesion. In addition, the fibres enable better heat retention / diffusion, which further improves the inter-layer bonding of your 3D prints