Filament
PLA-CF
PLA loaded with chopped carbon fibre: far stiffer than plain PLA and with a matte finish where layer lines almost disappear, at the cost of being abrasive and a bit more brittle. Bambu Lab publishes 210–240 °C nozzle, 45–65 °C bed, drying at 55 °C for 8 hours, and a mandatory hardened steel nozzle.
Safety and handling
Ventilate as with any filament. The specific risk here is mechanical rather than respiratory: the fibres make the filament highly abrasive, so fit a hardened steel nozzle from the first gram. When sanding a carbon-filled part wear a mask and, if you can, sand wet: fibre dust irritates airways and eyes. If you dry the filament, use a filament dryer or a temperature-controlled convection oven, never a microwave.
Technical profile
- Nozzle temperature
- 210–240 °C
- Bed temperature
- 45–65 °C
- Heated bed
- Yes
- Enclosure
- Not needed
- Density
- —
- Absorbs moisture
- Yes
- Drying
- 55 °C · 8 h
- Difficulty
- Advanced
Typical price per kilo in Mexico
Price not verified
Strengths
- Far stiffer than PLA: Bambu reports a 3950 MPa bending modulus versus 2750 MPa for PLA
- Premium matte finish with almost invisible layer lines
- Better dimensional stability than unfilled PLA
- Prints at PLA temperatures, with no enclosure
- Less stringing and less deformation on flat parts
Weaknesses
- Abrasive: it destroys brass nozzles and demands hardened steel
- More brittle than PLA: Bambu reports 23.2 kJ/m² impact versus 26.6 kJ/m² for PLA
- Low heat resistance (55 °C deflection), same as PLA
- Higher risk of nozzle clogs
- More expensive and less available in Mexican shops
Common uses
- Rigid indoor parts where deflection matters
- Housings and panels with a visible matte finish
- Light structural prototypes
- Drone and RC components with no heat exposure
Related problems
Documented printing defects that show up with this material.
Work out your cost
How much material a part uses and what it costs to print, with the formula in plain sight.
- Quiz: which 3D printer suits me?
- Filament calculator: grams, metres and pesos
- Resin calculator: millilitres, grams and cost
- 3D print cost calculator in Mexican pesos
- 3D printer power consumption calculator
- 3D printing material comparator
- Nozzle and layer height reference
- Diagnostic tree: find your failure by symptom
- STL vs 3MF: which to use and how to convert
- 3D printer comparator
- 3D printing glossary search
Sources
- [1]Bambu Filament Guide (PLA-CF)Bambu Lab · Manufacturer · accessed July 27, 2026
- [2]Composite materials (filled with carbon, kevlar or glass) | Prusa Knowledge BasePrusa Research · Manufacturer · accessed July 27, 2026