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PA6-CF · FDM · SAN DIEGO

PA6-CF 3D Printing — Carbon-Fiber Nylon, Our Strongest Material

PA6-CF is 30% carbon-fiber-reinforced nylon 6 — TAKT 3D's strongest production FDM material at 130 MPa tensile and 180°C HDT. $0.123/cm³ at 3.5× PLA. Requires a hardened nozzle and dried spool.

Ref. part
$10.27
7.8 cm³ bracket / ea
HDT
180°C
heat deflect
Tensile
130 MPa
strength
Colors
1
in stock

Reference: 7.8 cm³ bracket (50×30×40 mm) at standard quality & infill, priced by the same engine as the quote tool. Material rate $0.122/cm³; quotes include machine time. $20 order minimum.

Quote PA6-CF →See properties table

When to choose PA6-CF

PA6-CF is the right pick when the part needs to replace metal. Aerospace fixtures, load-bearing brackets, gearbox internals, drone motor mounts that see motor heat, robotic arm links, production-grade tooling jigs, under-hood automotive parts, and end-use production parts that need to survive thousands of cycles.

When to pick something else

Skip PA6-CF if PET-CF will suffice — it's almost 2× the price. Skip for cosmetic surfaces — fibers show through. Skip for transparent needs. Skip for impact-heavy applications — CF nylon is stiff, but not hugely ductile; PC is often the better impact pick. If the part runs hotter than 180°C or sees solvents, step up to PAHT-CF or PPS-CF.

PA6-CF Properties & Datasheet

Verified against manufacturer datasheets and our own print testing at the San Diego shop.

Tensile strength130 MPaHighest in our catalog; rivals aluminum on stiffness/weight
Heat deflection180 °CSurvives engine bays, powder-coat ovens
Young's modulus~10 GPaVery stiff — deflects less than aluminum sheet at the same thickness
Chemical resistanceExcellentOils, fuels, most industrial chemicals
Moisture sensitivityVery highRequires dry spool + conditioned chamber; we always dry
Wear resistanceGoodGears, bushings, sliding parts
Nozzle wearExtremeRequires hardened steel / tungsten nozzle
Surface finishMatte, texturedCF fibers are visible; machining smooths it

DESIGN TIPS

Designing for PA6-CF

  • 01Design for anisotropy: PA6-CF is much stronger in the print plane (XY) than in Z. Orient load path accordingly.
  • 02Walls: 2mm+ for structural; CF reinforces but still needs cross-section.
  • 03Threaded inserts: heat-set inserts grip PA6-CF superbly — ideal for M3/M4 fasteners.
  • 04For tight tolerances: machine post-print. PA6-CF machines cleanly and holds ±0.05mm.
  • 05Keep the part orientation notes we ship with every PA6-CF job — critical if you swap orientation in your own assembly.

CUSTOMER WORK

Real parts we've printed in PA6-CF

Carbon fiber bike seat

One-off ergonomic bike seat in PA6-CF — replaced a machined aluminum prototype at 1/5 the cost.

Aerospace fixture

Sub-scale flight hardware fixture for a San Diego aerospace startup; survived vibration testing that cracked the PETG predecessor.

Drone motor mount

180°C HDT handles motor heatsoak that melted a PET-CF version.

Considering alternatives?

PET-CFSee specs →

Cheaper starter pick; step up to PA6-CF when you need the heat rating or tensile headroom.

PAHT-CFSee specs →

Same carbon-fiber nylon family, rated ~10°C hotter and noticeably tougher on impact.

PCSee specs →

Better pick if impact absorption matters more than stiffness.

Macro close-up of FDM layer lines on a carbon-fiber printed bracket — the surface finish typical of PA6-CF parts from TAKT 3D

PA6-CF FAQ

How much does PA6-CF 3D printing cost?+
As a concrete example, our reference 7.8 cm³ bracket (50×30×40 mm) prints in PA6-CF at $10.27 per part at standard quality and infill — that's the exact number our instant quote engine produces for that geometry. The material rate is $0.122/cm³ (3.5× PLA); quotes also include machine time, and orders have a $20 minimum. Upload your file for an exact price in seconds.
What is PA6-CF best for?+
PA6-CF is the right pick when the part needs to replace metal. Aerospace fixtures, load-bearing brackets, gearbox internals, drone motor mounts that see motor heat, robotic arm links, production-grade tooling jigs, under-hood automotive parts, and end-use production parts that need to survive thousands of cycles.
When should I NOT use PA6-CF?+
Skip PA6-CF if PET-CF will suffice — it's almost 2× the price. Skip for cosmetic surfaces — fibers show through. Skip for transparent needs. Skip for impact-heavy applications — CF nylon is stiff, but not hugely ductile; PC is often the better impact pick. If the part runs hotter than 180°C or sees solvents, step up to PAHT-CF or PPS-CF.
What does TAKT 3D's PA6-CF print setup require?+
Hardened steel (or tungsten) nozzle, high-temp hotend, and dried spool required. The most demanding setup in our catalog — CF is abrasive and nylon absorbs moisture aggressively. All of our PA6-CF jobs use filament dried the same day to avoid moisture-induced defects, and every spool is logged against the part batch for traceability.
How long is PA6-CF 3D printing turnaround?+
Standard turnaround for PA6-CF is 5–7 business days. Expedited (3 days) adds 30%; rush (1–2 days) adds 60%. On rush, small PA6-CF orders can ship inside 48 hours from our San Diego shop.

See how we print PA6-CF — hardened nozzles, dry-boxed spools, and real strength data — on our carbon fiber 3D printing service page.

Ready when you are

Ready to print in PA6-CF?

Upload your STL, STEP, OBJ, or 3MF and get an instant price in PA6-CF — no form, no sales call.

Quote PA6-CFSee all materials