Formlabs Nylon 11 CF Powder

Carbon-Fiber Reinforced SLS for Strong, Lightweight Parts

Formlabs Nylon 11 CF Powder is a carbon-fiber-reinforced nylon material designed for high-performance SLS applications. By combining the toughness and ductility of Nylon 11 with the rigidity and strength of carbon fiber, it produces parts that are exceptionally strong, stiff, lightweight, and thermally stable.

Designed specifically for the Fuse 1+ 30W, Nylon 11 CF is Formlabs' highest-performance material for applications that demand structural performance under strenuous conditions. Its excellent strength-to-weight ratio makes it a compelling alternative to traditionally manufactured metal components where weight reduction, complex geometry, or rapid production are important.

With a 69 MPa ultimate tensile strength, 5.3 GPa tensile modulus in the X direction, and 178°C heat deflection temperature at 1.8 MPa, Nylon 11 CF is designed for demanding functional applications where standard nylon materials may not provide sufficient stiffness or thermal stability.

Key Benefits

• Carbon-fiber reinforced: Provides significantly increased stiffness and strength compared with unfilled nylon.

• High strength-to-weight ratio: Create lightweight components without sacrificing structural performance.

• High stiffness: 5.3 GPa tensile modulus in the X direction.

• Strong and impact resistant: 69 MPa ultimate tensile strength and 74 J/m notched Izod impact strength.

• High thermal stability: Heat deflection temperature up to 178°C at 1.8 MPa.

• Lightweight alternative to metal: Ideal for replacing heavier machined or fabricated components.

• Excellent dimensional stability: Maintains performance under demanding thermal and mechanical conditions.

• Production-ready: Designed for functional prototypes, tooling, fixtures, and end-use parts.

• 30% refresh rate: Supports efficient powder reuse between builds.

Recommended Applications

Metal Replacement Parts
Replace selected machined or fabricated metal components with lightweight carbon-fiber-reinforced nylon parts while maintaining high stiffness and strength.

High-Impact Equipment
Produce components that need to withstand repeated impacts and demanding operating conditions.

Tooling, Jigs & Fixtures
Create rigid, lightweight manufacturing aids that can withstand repeated use on the production floor.

Functional Composite Prototypes
Test advanced composite designs using a production-grade material before committing to more expensive manufacturing processes.

Automotive Components
Develop lightweight structural components, brackets, housings, mounts, and other parts where high stiffness and low weight are important.

Aerospace Applications
Produce lightweight, complex components where strength-to-weight ratio and thermal stability are critical.

End-Use Parts
Manufacture low-volume production components that require a combination of stiffness, strength, impact resistance, and thermal stability.

Material Specifications

Material properties vary by print orientation because carbon fibers produce different mechanical properties along the X, Y, and Z axes.

Carbon Fiber Reinforcement

Nylon 11 CF Powder combines a nylon matrix with carbon fiber reinforcement to create a composite material with substantially greater stiffness than conventional unfilled nylon.

The carbon fibers provide rigidity while the Nylon 11 matrix contributes toughness and impact resistance. This combination allows designers to produce strong, lightweight components that can withstand repeated mechanical loading without the weight associated with many metal alternatives.

The material is particularly effective when the design requires a high strength-to-weight ratio rather than simply maximum tensile strength.

High Thermal Stability

Nylon 11 CF is engineered for applications where parts may experience elevated temperatures.

With a heat deflection temperature of 178°C at 1.8 MPa and 188°C at 0.45 MPa, the material maintains dimensional stability under substantially higher temperatures than many standard SLS nylons.

This makes it well suited for components used around:

• Automotive systems

• Industrial equipment

• Production tooling

• Heat-generating machinery

• High-temperature fixtures

• Demanding end-use environments

Actual service temperature should always be validated for the specific part geometry, loading conditions, and application.

Strength-to-Weight Performance

One of the primary advantages of Nylon 11 CF is its ability to provide high mechanical performance without the mass of metal.

The combination of carbon fiber reinforcement and nylon allows designers to use advanced geometries to remove unnecessary material while retaining the stiffness required for structural applications.

This makes Nylon 11 CF particularly valuable for:

• Lightweight brackets

• Structural housings

• Robotic components

• Automotive components

• Aerospace components

• Tooling

• Fixtures

• Replacement mechanical parts

Printer Compatibility

Nylon 11 CF Powder is compatible only with the Formlabs Fuse 1+ 30W. It is not compatible with the original Fuse 1.

Formlabs specifically warns that attempting to use Nylon 11 CF Powder with a Fuse 1 can permanently damage the printer because the material requires the Fuse 1+ 30W's active powder-handling system.

Compatible Printer

• Formlabs Fuse 1+ 30W

Nitrogen Printing Requirement

Nylon 11 CF Powder requires an inert atmosphere for printing.

Formlabs recommends using nitrogen during the printing process to maintain consistent material performance. A nitrogen generator or bottled nitrogen supply is therefore required for the recommended workflow.

Recommended Refresh Rate

Formlabs recommends a 30% refresh rate when printing Nylon 11 CF in an inert atmosphere.

This means a portion of fresh powder is combined with recycled powder between builds, helping maintain consistent material properties while reducing waste.

Post-Processing

After printing, Nylon 11 CF parts require post-processing using the Fuse Sift powder recovery system and media blasting.

Formlabs recommends a 300 µm sieve for Nylon 11 CF Powder. The post-processing workflow removes residual powder from the printed parts while allowing usable powder to be recovered for future builds.

Nylon 11 CF vs. Standard Nylon 11

Nylon 11 CF is designed for applications where stiffness and thermal stability are more important than maximum flexibility.

The key tradeoff is straightforward: Nylon 11 provides substantially more ductility, while Nylon 11 CF provides dramatically greater stiffness and thermal resistance.

Why Choose Nylon 11 CF Powder?

Choose Formlabs Nylon 11 CF Powder when your application demands high stiffness, strength, low weight, impact resistance, and thermal stability.

It is Formlabs' highest-performance material for the Fuse 1+ 30W and is specifically intended for demanding applications where standard nylon powders may not provide sufficient structural performance.

From metal replacement components and high-impact equipment to production tooling, fixtures, automotive components, and functional composite prototypes, Nylon 11 CF provides the performance needed to take SLS beyond basic prototyping and into demanding end-use applications.

For customers who need the highest level of mechanical and thermal performance available on the Fuse 1+ 30W, Nylon 11 CF is the premium choice.