Carbon fiber Nylon 11 (PA11 CF) 3D printing
Nylon 11 CF is Formlabs' carbon fiber–filled SLS nylon: stiffer and stronger than Nylon 12, black throughout, and stable at high temperatures. Use it where you'd otherwise machine aluminum or reach for glass-filled plastic. Parts start at $7.00 and ship in 4 business days.
- From
- $7.00 per part
- Ships
- 4 business days
- Heat deflection
- 178 °C at 1.8 MPa
- Tensile modulus
- 5.3 GPa (X)
Orders before 2 PM Eastern start production the same day · Standard orders placed now ship in 4 business days.
Properties
| Property | Value | Note |
|---|---|---|
| Ultimate tensile strength | 69 MPa (X) · 52 MPa (Y) · 38 MPa (Z) | Formlabs data sheet |
| Tensile modulus | 5.3 GPa (X) · 2.8 GPa (Y) · 1.6 GPa (Z) | Strength depends on direction |
| Elongation at break | 9% (X) · 15% (Y) · 5% (Z) | |
| Flexural strength | 110 MPa | |
| Heat deflection | 178 °C at 1.8 MPa · 188 °C at 0.45 MPa | |
| Atmosphere | Printed in nitrogen | Required by Formlabs |
Typical values from the manufacturer or its resellers. Real parts vary with geometry, orientation and finish.
Prices for example parts
Real outputs of our quote engine at standard lead time. Upload your own file for an exact price.
| Part | Part volume | 1 part | 10 parts, each |
|---|---|---|---|
| Mounting bracket 60 × 20 × 40 mm | 18 cm³ | $12.98 | $10.64 |
| Electronics tray 100 × 70 × 40 mm | 45 cm³ | $30.65 | $25.10 |
| 20 mm test cube 20 × 20 × 20 mm | 8 cm³ | $7.00 | $5.74 |
Best for
- Drone arms, frames and motor mounts
- Robot brackets and gearbox housings
- Under-hood clips and brackets that see heat
- Stiff jigs and fixtures
- Metal-replacement spare parts
- Lightweight structural prototypes
Design rules
- Walls 1.0 mm or thicker
- Orient long, loaded features along X or Y; we do this by default and flag conflicts
- 0.5 mm gap between mating parts
- Two powder escape holes of 3.5 mm or more for hollow parts
Finishes
| Finish | What you get | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Standard | Media blasted, matte black | Included |
| Vapor smoothed (pilot) | We confirm the result on your part before production | +$4.00 per part + $0.02/cm² |
How vapor smoothing works and what it costs
Lead times
Business days until your order ships, counted from the next production day. Orders before 2 PM Eastern start the same day.
| Lead time | Ships in | Price | Bracket example |
|---|---|---|---|
| Economy | 7 business days | 10% off | $11.68 |
| Standard | 4 business days | Base price | $12.98 |
| Rush | 3 business days | +35% | $17.52 |
Questions
Is Nylon 11 CF stronger than Nylon 12?
Yes in the print plane. Formlabs lists 69 MPa tensile strength for Nylon 11 CF in X against 50 MPa for Nylon 12, and much higher stiffness. Strength in the build direction (Z) is lower, so orientation matters.
Why does it ship a day later than Nylon 12?
It prints in a nitrogen atmosphere and needs its own build, so we run carbon fiber builds on set days. Economy orders fill those builds and save 10%.
Can carbon fiber nylon be vapor smoothed?
We're piloting it. Smoothing equipment lists PA11 as compatible but not carbon-filled grades, so we confirm the finish on your part before running the order.