Anyone got experience with http://3dxtech.com Carbon Fibre ABS compared to plain ABS or PLA? Looking for a nice rigid filament that can be used for motor mounts so some thermal resistance would be required. Hot-end is not all-metal at the moment so things like PolyCarb tend to be a no go for me.
I used it for a phone mount because PET was too wobbly and kept melting in the Arizona sun. It seems to print well with default settings for ABS. It is brittle compared to ABS or PET but is very stiff. My phone mount doesn’t wobble at all except over large bumps.
For mechanical strength, also try too use the largest nozzle you have and a large layer height. I was blown away by the change between my usual 0.4mm nozzle and the 1.0mm for otherwise identical parameters. I couldn’t believe printed parts could be THAT strong.
Thanks. I might give it is try. I was just unsure about it being rigid enough. +Marcus Wolschon, I will increase my layer height because it is a large part but to retain some detail the best I can do on my 0.4 nozzle is 0.3 height. Might be an excuse for getting more nozzles.
I did mine with a 0.3 mm nozzle at 0.2 mm layers and it turned out just fine.
I don’t believe in having a carbon fiber filament. The tubes are just so tiny I can’t see it helping. Like the others said your best bet is nice thick layers with solid infill and using a large nozzle. I wouldn’t spend the money on carbon fiber filament. Maybe something like polycarbonate if you can print it or even just a stronger composite.
Having compared the stiffness between CF-ABS and ABS from the same company, I can assure you there is a distinct and measurable stiffness increase by adding chopped fiber to the filament. I think you may be thinking of carbon nanotubes, which are not the same as chopped carbon fiber.
@Ben_Hudson you’re correct my bad!
I’d suggest their ABS/nylon blend but it needs temps close to PTFE & PEEK limits and large parts need an enclosure. CF is abrasive so you will want to use a hardened nozzle with any CF material. At any rate, I think it’s worth considering the hot end upgrade if you want to use something somewhat different and slightly exotic.
@Griffin_Paquette compare it with filler material in cold casting. It makes a ton of a difference.