3D Printing

What are the best filaments for 3D printing strong objects?

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Proto-pasta Original Carbon Fiber Filament vs Taulman3D Bridge Nylon Filament

Specs

Additional features

6560 MPa stiffness (1.5 times higher than regular PLA and 3 times higher than regular ABS)

Resistance to sunlight

No

Additional printed bed adhesion

Not required

Heated bed required

No

Density

1.30 g / cm^3

Tensile/compressive strengths

NA

Diameters available

1.75 mm

Resistance to water and humidity

No

Colors available

1 color available (black)

Resistance to high temperatures

Up to 54ºC (4030D PLA standard)

Resistance to oils and chemicals

No

Additional features

Low surface friction, toughness and flexibility

Resistance to sunlight

Yes

Additional printed bed adhesion

Kapton tape / Garolite

Heated bed required

Yes

Density

NA

Tensile/compressive strengths

33.09 MPa / NA

Diameters available

1.75 mm / 3.0 mm

Resistance to water and humidity

Yes

Colors available

1 color available (natural)

Resistance to high temperatures

Up to 52ºC

Resistance to oils and chemicals

Partial

Pros + Cons

Pro
 Printed objects are very stiff and strong

This filament's resulting prints are very stiff and can withstand great stresses, perfect for when you need extra strength in your projects. This is due to the carbon fibers used in this filament, which are small enough to make it through the printing nozzle, but long enough to add rigidity.
Comment

Pro
 Allows to 3D print objects that can't usually be 3D printed

The extreme rigidity and stiffness of this material enables the user to print things that normally can't be properly 3D printed. It’s great for printing frames, supports, shells, propellers and even tools. All these applications are interesting for users that are drone builders, RC hobbyists, or similar.
Comment

Con
 No available datasheet with mechanical data

The lack of technical documentation makes this product almost unusable for academics and professional engineers, due to the need of having the exact mechanical values in order to justify design decisions.
Comment

Con
 Requires some skill to use

Since this filament contains tiny carbon fibers, it’s difficult to print with standard extruders. Adjusting the correct feed rate and printing temperature specifically for your extruder will be necessary. Note that it is also recommended to use stainless steel nozzles while printing this material, since it has been reported that regular brass nozzles may deform while printing this material.
Comment

Con
 Can only be used with 1.75 mm nozzles

The filament is only available in 1.75 mm diameter, meaning it can't be used with printers that have nozzles with different diameters.
Comment

Con
 Only available in black

Because it contains carbon fibers, the filament is only available in black.
Comment

Pro
 Has nylon-like properties

Based off Taulman’s popular and very strong Nylon 645, this filament is strong, very flexible and has low surface friction.
Comment

Pro
 Several uncommon applications for 3D printed parts

Due to its strength and grippy surface, this filament can be used to produce weight-bearing surfaces, parts subject to friction and tapped/threaded parts. Its flexibility also makes it useful for fabricating plugs and gaskets.
Comment

Pro
 Great technical documentation

The full technical documentation is available at Taulman’s website. This is especially useful for professional engineers and those in the academic field. Furthermore, the filament was reviewed, tested and certified by St. Louis Testing Laboratories, ensuring the published technical data is correct.
Comment

Pro
 Affordable

A decent Nylon 645 filament can cost between $30 and $50. However, this filament is priced at around $20/$25, which puts its price on par with how much most PLA/ABS filaments cost.
Comment

Con
 Difficult to use

Nylon and nylon-like materials are hard to work with and the setup process is quite cumbersome. A heated bed plate is absolutely necessary or the material won't even stick to the plate. You’ll also need to coat the heated base plate with Kapton tape or Garolite. As the material is quite flexible, non-direct-drive extruders won't work and a very short direct-drive extruder is needed. Getting everything just right takes some time, and it will be a while before you can start making decent quality prints.
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