Description

Carbon Fiber Core PLA — Continuous CF Reinforcement Inside a PLA Shell

This is not standard carbon fibre filament. Carbon Fiber Core PLA uses a coaxial design — a continuous 20% carbon fibre strand running through the centre of the filament, encased in a PLA outer shell. This gives the printed part true structural reinforcement from an unbroken carbon fibre core, delivering significantly higher tensile strength and rigidity than chopped carbon fibre PLA where short fibre fragments are scattered randomly through the material.

The result is a filament that prints as easily as standard PLA — same temperatures, same bed, no enclosure — but produces parts with mechanical properties far closer to engineering-grade composites.

Core vs Chopped — What’s the Difference?

Carbon Fiber Core PLA (This Product)

A continuous carbon fibre strand runs through the centre of every metre of filament. The fibre is unbroken, providing tensile reinforcement along the print direction — similar in principle to rebar in concrete. The PLA shell protects the fibre from contact with the nozzle bore, meaning no hardened steel nozzle is required.

Chopped Carbon Fibre PLA (e.g. PLA-CF)

Short carbon fibre fragments are mixed into the PLA base material. The fibres add stiffness and reduce warping but don’t provide continuous structural reinforcement. The exposed fibre ends are abrasive and require a hardened steel nozzle.

For maximum rigidity and tensile strength along the print direction, Carbon Fiber Core PLA is the stronger option. For general stiffness improvement in all directions, chopped PLA-CF is more versatile.

No Hardened Steel Nozzle Required

Because the carbon fibre core is fully encased within the PLA shell, it never contacts the nozzle bore. You can print with a standard brass nozzle without any wear concerns. This is a major advantage over chopped CF filaments that require hardened steel nozzles.

Available in Colours

Unlike most carbon fibre filaments that only come in black, Carbon Fiber Core PLA is available in multiple colours — including Pink. The PLA outer shell carries the colour while the carbon fibre core provides the structural reinforcement inside, so you get both strength and visual variety.

Print Settings

Nozzle temperature: 190–220°C
Bed temperature: 0–60°C
Print speed: 50–200 mm/s
Diameter: 1.75 mm ±0.05 mm
Nozzle: standard brass — no hardened steel needed
Enclosure: not required
Drying: 50°C for 6+ hours if moisture issues appear

Prints with identical settings to standard PLA — no workflow changes needed.

Ideal Applications

Load-bearing brackets, mounts, and structural parts where tensile strength matters
Lightweight rigid frames — drone arms, camera mounts, jigs
Parts that need to resist bending and pulling forces along the print direction
Prototypes that need to simulate composite part performance
Any application where chopped CF isn’t strong enough but you want to stay on PLA print settings

Filament Specifications

Print Recommendations

Drying Recommendation

Manufacturer Data Sheet