eSUN PA-CF Black Carbon Fiber Nylon Filament 1 kg
eSUN PA-CF Black is a black engineering nylon filament reinforced with carbon fiber for FDM/FFF 3D printing of strong, rigid, wear-resistant and functional parts. The material is also known as ePA-CF and belongs to eSUN’s professional composite filament range for mechanical parts, automotive components, industrial applications, gears, fixtures and working prototypes.
PA-CF combines the strength of polyamide with the rigidity of carbon fiber. Printed parts have a matte carbon-fiber surface, high dimensional stability, good impact resistance and improved wear resistance. The black color makes the material universal for technical housings, brackets, holders, mechanical assemblies, equipment parts and functional products where reliability, service life and engineering performance matter more than glossy appearance.
✅ Key advantages
- Nylon with carbon fiber: high strength, rigidity and shape stability.
- Black engineering color: universal shade for technical and industrial parts.
- High strength: suitable for functional parts working under load.
- High rigidity: carbon fiber reduces flexibility and improves geometry stability.
- Wear resistance: useful for gears, guides, mounts, fixtures and working elements.
- Impact resistance: suitable for parts that must withstand mechanical impact.
- Heat resistance: heat deflection temperature reaches 155 ℃ at 0.45 MPa.
- Matte carbon-fiber surface: parts look clean, technical and professional.
- Dimensional stability: carbon fiber helps reduce shrinkage and warping.
- 1.75 mm diameter: compatible with FDM/FFF 3D printers that support high-temperature printing.
📐 Technical specifications
| Property | Value |
|---|---|
| Brand | eSUN |
| Material | PA-CF / ePA-CF |
| Base material | Nylon / polyamide |
| Reinforcement | Carbon fiber |
| Carbon fiber content | According to MSDS: 15–20% |
| Color | Black |
| Diameter | 1.75 mm |
| Net weight | 1 kg |
| Surface | Matte, carbon-fiber, technical |
| Print technology | FDM / FFF |
| Recommended nozzle | Hardened steel, ruby, tungsten carbide or another wear-resistant nozzle |
| Recommended hotend | High-temperature hotend, preferably all-metal |
| Main applications | Gears, housings, brackets, mounts, jigs, fixtures, automotive parts, industrial components, mechanical assemblies |
📊 Physical and mechanical properties
| Property | Value |
|---|---|
| Density | 1.24 g/cm³ |
| Melt Flow Index | 11.46 at 275 ℃ / 5 kg |
| Heat deflection temperature | 155 ℃ at 0.45 MPa |
| Tensile strength XY | 84.05 MPa |
| Tensile strength Z | 50.34 MPa |
| Elongation at break XY | 7.42% |
| Elongation at break Z | 11.5% |
| Flexural strength XY | 127.5 MPa |
| Flexural strength Z | 54.9 MPa |
| Flexural modulus XY | 6455.44 MPa |
| Flexural modulus Z | 1657.25 MPa |
| IZOD impact strength XY | 9.85 kJ/m² |
| IZOD impact strength Z | 2.15 kJ/m² |
⚙️ Recommended Printing Parameters
| Parameter | Recommended value |
|---|---|
| Drying before printing | 70 ℃ for more than 12 hours |
| Nozzle temperature | 260–300 ℃ |
| Bed temperature | 60–90 ℃ |
| Fan speed | 0% |
| Print speed | 40–100 mm/s |
| Maximum speed after tuning | Up to 150 mm/s |
| Nozzle | 0.4–0.6 mm, wear-resistant |
| Recommended nozzle for long printing | 0.6 mm hardened steel or ruby nozzle |
| Dry box printing | Strongly recommended |
| Heated bed | Required |
| Enclosure | Not required, but stable temperature is useful for large parts |
🔧 Printing recommendations
- Dry the spool at 70 ℃ for more than 12 hours before printing.
- During printing, use an eBOX, dry box or sealed filament container.
- Do not leave PA-CF open in a humid room: nylon absorbs moisture quickly.
- Use a hardened steel, ruby, tungsten carbide or another wear-resistant nozzle.
- For long print jobs, a 0.6 mm or larger nozzle is preferable to reduce clogging risk.
- Do not use a standard brass nozzle for regular printing: carbon fiber quickly wears brass.
- If possible, use hardened steel extruder gears.
- Avoid sharp bends in the filament path: PA-CF is rigid and does not tolerate tight bending well.
- For functional parts, start at 40–60 mm/s and increase speed after profile tuning.
- Cooling is usually disabled to improve layer adhesion.
- For better bed adhesion, use a brim or skirt, especially on large parts.
- After printing, let the part cool gradually to reduce internal stress.
🧩 Best applications
- ⚙️ Functional engineering parts.
- ⚙️ Gears, toothed wheels and mechanical elements.
- 🔩 Brackets, mounts, fixtures, holders and installation components.
- 🏭 Industrial jigs, fixtures and tool fixtures.
- 🚗 Automotive parts, technical inserts and functional prototypes.
- ✈️ Aerospace prototypes and lightweight rigid components.
- 🔌 Electrical and electronic components, housings, panels and protective elements.
- 🧩 Parts for 3D printers, machines, equipment and working mechanisms.
- 🛠️ Parts exposed to friction, load, vibration and increased wear.
- ⚫ Black matte technical parts with carbon-fiber texture.
✅ 3D printer compatibility
eSUN PA-CF Black is compatible with FDM/FFF 3D printers using 1.75 mm filament, supporting a 260–300 ℃ nozzle temperature range and a heated bed. Stable printing requires a high-temperature hotend, a wear-resistant nozzle, dry filament and stable feeding.
The material can be printed on Bambu Lab, Creality, Prusa, Anycubic, QIDI, Flashforge, Raise3D, Voron and other FDM/FFF printers if the printer supports the required temperature, stable feeding of rigid composite filament and work with abrasive materials.
For hotends with PTFE tubing, check the maximum allowed temperature. For long PA-CF printing, an all-metal hotend is recommended. It is also important to avoid sharp bends in the feeding path because PA-CF is rigid and not as flexible as standard nylon or TPU.
PA-CF vs PET-CF vs PETG-CF
| Material | Base | Feature | When to choose |
|---|---|---|---|
| PA-CF | Nylon / PA | Strength, toughness, wear resistance, mechanical reliability | For gears, mechanical assemblies, loaded mounts, automotive and industrial parts |
| PET-CF | PET | Rigidity, stability, heat resistance, low moisture absorption | For rigid heat-resistant housings, tool fixtures and industrial fixtures |
| PETG-CF | PETG | Easier printing, lower temperature profile, matte carbon-fiber surface | For technical housings, brackets and functional prototypes without extreme loads |
Why a wear-resistant nozzle is needed
PA-CF contains carbon fiber, so the material is abrasive. A standard brass nozzle wears quickly during regular printing: the nozzle opening becomes larger, extrusion becomes less accurate, line width changes and part surface quality becomes worse.
For PA-CF, hardened steel, ruby, tungsten carbide or another wear-resistant nozzle is recommended. A 0.4 mm nozzle can be used for small parts, but for long print jobs, stable feeding and reduced clogging risk, a 0.6 mm or larger nozzle is often better.
📦 Storage and drying
- Dry PA-CF at 70 ℃ for more than 12 hours before printing.
- Use a dry box or eBOX during printing.
- After printing, return the spool to a sealed bag or container immediately.
- Store the material with silica gel or another desiccant.
- Do not leave the spool open on the table, especially in a humid room.
- If bubbles, popping, smoky extrusion, roughness or weak strength appear, dry the material again.
🛡️ Safety during printing and post-processing
eSUN PA-CF Black is a technical composite material. During printing and post-processing, standard safety measures should be followed: print in a ventilated area and avoid overheating, open flames, sparks and contact with strong oxidizing agents.
When sanding, drilling, cutting or mechanically processing PA-CF parts, safety glasses, a mask or a respirator are recommended. Dust from carbon-fiber-filled materials should not be inhaled, so post-processing should be performed carefully, with ventilation and proper cleaning of the work area.
📄 File Download: technical files and certificates
- PA-CF Parameters for Bambu Lab & Creality — starting profiles and printing parameters.
- TDS — technical data sheet.
- MSDS/SDS — material safety data sheet.
- REACH — SVHC report.
- RoHS — restricted substances report.
❓ FAQ
Yes. eSUN materials use both names. PA-CF is the main commercial name of the line, while ePA-CF appears in technical documents and descriptions. PA-CF Black contains carbon fiber, so it is more rigid, stable and wear-resistant than standard nylon. It also has a matte carbon-fiber surface and is better suited for technical parts. Yes. PA-CF must be dried at 70 ℃ for more than 12 hours. During printing, a dry box or eBOX is recommended because nylon absorbs moisture from air quickly. It is not recommended for regular printing. Carbon fiber quickly wears brass, so hardened steel, ruby, tungsten carbide or another wear-resistant nozzle should be used. Yes. PA-CF is suitable for gears and mechanical parts because it combines nylon, carbon fiber, wear resistance and self-lubricating polyamide behavior. For accurate operation, clearances should be tested on the actual printer and profile. An enclosure is not always required, but stable temperature helps with large parts and reduces deformation risk. The most important factors are dry material, dry box printing, correct nozzle temperature and good bed adhesion. PA-CF is more demanding than PLA, PETG and PETG-CF. Successful printing requires experience with printer tuning, a high-temperature hotend, a dry box, a wear-resistant nozzle and proper material preparation. Nylon absorbs moisture quickly. If the material becomes wet, bubbles, hissing, rough surface, weak strength and feeding issues may appear. In this case, the spool should be dried again.Are PA-CF and ePA-CF the same material?
How is PA-CF Black different from standard nylon?
Does PA-CF need drying before printing?
Can PA-CF be printed with a brass nozzle?
Is PA-CF suitable for gears?
Does PA-CF require an enclosure?
Is PA-CF beginner-friendly?
Why can PA-CF print poorly after opening the spool?
🚀 Why buy
eSUN PA-CF Black is a strong choice for users who need a strong, rigid, wear-resistant and impact-resistant engineering material. It is suitable for mechanical parts, gears, housings, brackets, automotive components, industrial fixtures, aerospace prototypes and functional products where standard materials do not provide enough strength and service life.