High Performance, Easy Printing...It's World's Best CF!

Proto-pasta's High Performance Carbon Fibre HTPLA-CF combines engineering-grade performance with the ease and environmental-friendliness of PLA printing.  Since kickstarting the World's First 3D Printable Carbon Fibre PLA and our original HTPLA, we've wanted to combine the two for a "super-material".  Why is this material "the best"?
Compared to ABS, PET, and similar Polyester materials, HTPLA-CF has:

• Easier and more reliable printing
  • No heated bed required
  • Lower processing temperatures, like standard PLA
  • Less warping and distortion when processing
• More temperature resistance* for maintaining properties to higher temperatures
  • Most ABS, PET, and Polyesters get soft at 80C +/- 10C
  • HTPLA-CF maintains properties up to 120C or more (*when heat treated)
• Higher strength and better strength-to-weight ratio for stronger parts with less material 
• Improved surface hardness for less wear in abrasive environments
• Less shrinkage and distortion for more accurate parts
• Higher stiffness so parts hold their shape
• Renewable biopolymer with low odor
  • Highly desirable black finish 

Compared to the Original Carbon Fibre PLA, HTPLA-CF has:

• Improved toughness for less breaking when handling and easier processing
• Higher HDT when heat treated for maintaining properties to higher temperatures.

Compared to HTPLA, HTPLA-CF has:

• Improved surface hardness for less wear in abrasive environments
• Less shrinkage and distortion for more accurate parts

HTPLA-CF prints easily and can be heat treated for higher temperature performance with a potential Heat Deflection Temperature (HDT) in excess of 140C (285F) depending on processing. We had good results when heat treating in an oven at 110C (225F) for an hour. We recommend leaving the supports on your parts, placing them on a non-radiating surface (like glass, ceramic, or composite), and letting them cool in the oven to minimize distortion. Parts must be baked above 60C for any crystallization to occur.

• Available in 1.75 & 2.85 (3) mm diameter
• 500g 8" diameter spool only

Carbon Fibre is somewhat abrasive, so consider upgrading to a wear resistant nozzle for less regular maintenance.

In our experience, good results were achieved using standard PLA parameters and standard build surface preparation (blue tape or glue stick). No heated bed required.
Also tested on our amaxing new surface material PrintBite.