3D Printing Info

Filament comparison

PA aramid vs PLA-CF

Compare printing settings, strength, heat resistance, dated prices and sources.

Aramid-fibre nylon guideCarbon-fibre PLA (PLA-CF) guide

2 selected · all documented properties

Open these two in the interactive comparisonMore PA aramid comparisonsMore PLA-CF comparisons
PA aramid vs PLA-CF — documented properties and sources
PropertyAramid-fibre nylonPACarbon-fibre PLA (PLA-CF)PLA
Market snapshot
Listing priceUSD/kg; dated snapshotsNot documented$29.99/kg median; $19.00–$79.98/kg across 9 dated product listings
Identity & Market
Base polymer / chemistryAramid-fibre reinforced polyamide[1]PLA filled with chopped carbon fibre — 5–10 wt% (Bambu Lab SDS), 8 wt% (Polymaker)[2][3]
Densityg/cm³Not documented1.22 (Bambu Lab) to 1.29 (Polymaker, 3DXTech), ISO 1183[4][3][5]
Typical priceUSD/kgNot documented1 kg spools span 19–80; the middle of the market is about 31[6][7][5][8][9]
Price range across brandsUSD/kgNot documented19–80 across brands; IEMAI 19, LANDU 24, SUNLU 27, Polymaker 30, Bambu Lab 32, 3DXTech 47, Proto-pasta 80[7][6][5][10][8][11][9]
Market availability1–5Special order, 1–2 makers worldwide — no aramid-filled nylon filament was found in any catalogue searched; the aramid filaments that do exist in the retail market use an ASA matrix[12][13]Stocked by most mainstream brands[6][7][5][10]
Spool sizes & diametersNot documented1.75 and 2.85 mm; 0.5, 0.75, 1 and 3 kg spools[10][5][12]
Typical applicationsNot documentedStiff jigs, drone and RC frames, tool holders — matte black finish, no gain in tensile strength[4][3]
Diameter tolerance± mmNot documented±0.03 (Bambu Lab)[6]
Printing Parameters
Nozzle temperature°CNot documented210–240 (Bambu Lab); 190–230 (Polymaker)[4][3]
Bed temperature°CNot documented35–45 (Bambu Lab); 25–60 (Polymaker)[4][3]
Enclosure / chamber requirement1–5Enclosure required (passive) — as for every nylon[1]Open frame is fine[3]
Part cooling fanNot documentedFan on[4][3]
Maximum volumetric flow (mm³/s; see test conditions)mm³/sNot documented16 at Bambu Lab's 200 mm/s cap and 24 at Polymaker's 300 mm/s, on a 0.4 mm nozzle at 0.2 mm layer; Bambu Lab's own filament guide says 250 mm/s where its TDS says 200[4][14][3][15]
Warping tendency1–5Not documentedNone[4]
Stringing / oozing tendency1–5Not documentedSlight[3]
Overall printing difficulty1–5Not documentedEasy — minor profile tuning; needs a hardened nozzle and 0.4 mm or larger[14][3]
Extruder requirementNot documentedNozzles below 0.4 mm are not compatible (Bambu Lab)[14]
Hardware Wear & Reliability
Nozzle hardness required1–4Hardened steel required — no aramid-filled nylon datasheet was obtainable; Polymaker measures about 9 h of brass nozzle life on its fibre-filled nylons[16]Hardened steel required[14][3]
Abrasiveness1–5Highly abrasive — fibre-reinforced nylon composite[16]Highly abrasive — standard CF composite[14][17]
Nozzle clog risk1–5High — jams from moisture, heat creep or particles; nylon already needs a drybox and Prusa names kevlar among the fibres that raise nozzle-clogging risk[18]Moderate — needs dry filament and a clean nozzle[14]
Hotend requirementNot documentedHardened steel nozzle; Bambu Lab lists PLA-CF among the filaments its hardened-steel nozzle exists for[17][14]
Other hardware wearNot documentedBambu Lab reports AMS wear; Polymaker advises against running PLA-CF through an AMS at all[14][3]
Moisture Behaviour
Moisture absorption (hygroscopicity)1–5Very high (>2 %) — the polyamide matrix governs uptake[19]Moderate — 0.42 % saturated at 25 °C / 55 % RH (Bambu Lab); 0.38 % equilibrium (Polymaker)[4][3]
Equilibrium moisture content at ~50 % RH%Not documented0.42 saturated at 25 °C / 55 % RH (Bambu Lab); 0.38 equilibrium (Polymaker)[4][3]
Drying temperature & timeNot documented55 °C for 6–8 h[4][3]
Effect of moisture on strengthPolymaker's printed dry-versus-wet blocks for its CoPA nylon show what conditioning does to the family: tensile 78.0 → 34.3 MPa and modulus 2703 → 724 MPa, with notched Charpy rising 6.9 → 27.7 kJ/m². Fibre reinforcement reduces but does not remove the effect[20][21]Polymaker rates PLA low-sensitivity and publishes no dry-versus-conditioned figures for this grade; absorbed water flashes to steam and shows as bubbling and poor layer adhesion[19]
Mechanical Properties
Tensile strength (XY)MPaNot documented31.2 (Polymaker) to 38 (Bambu Lab) printed XY, ISO 527; 48 at break for 3DXTech[4][3][5]
Young's modulusMPaNot documented2790 (Bambu Lab) to 3281 (Polymaker) printed XY, ISO 527; 4950 for 3DXTech[4][3][5]
Elongation at break%Not documented8.4 (Bambu Lab) and 13.2 (Polymaker) printed XY, ISO 527; 2 for 3DXTech[4][3][5]
Flexural strengthMPaNot documented51.7 (Polymaker) to 89 (Bambu Lab) printed XY, ISO 178[4][3]
Flexural modulusMPaNot documented3381 (Polymaker) to 3950 (Bambu Lab) printed XY, ISO 178; 6320 for 3DXTech[4][3][5]
Charpy impact, notchedkJ/m²Not documented5.5 (Polymaker) and 7.6 (Bambu Lab) printed XY, ISO 179, notched[4][3]
Other impact dataNot documentedCharpy unnotched 23.2 printed XY (Bambu Lab, ISO 179)[4]
Layer adhesion / Z tensileMPaNot documented15.1 (Polymaker) to 26 (Bambu Lab) printed Z, ISO 527[4][3]
Brittleness1–5Not documentedBrittle — snaps with little warning; elongation in Z falls to 0.9 % (Polymaker)[3][4]
Hardness (scale-specific)Shore A / Shore D / RockwellNot documented71.5 Shore D measured on printed bars for Sunlu CF PLA (My Tech Fun), against 75.3 for the same maker's unfilled PLA[22]
Creep resistance / sustained load1–5Not documentedPoor — 12 mm bars sagged to 15.1, 19.8 and 21.3 mm over 5 days at 1.25 kg across three brands, against 16.2–21.8 mm for their unfilled PLA[23][24][22]
Fatigue / repeated-flex resistance1–5Not documentedPoor — no CF-grade S-N curve; plain printed PLA ran 38 000–49 000 cycles at 30 % of tensile strength and elongation in Z falls to 0.9 %[25][3]
Elasticity / flexibility1–5Not documentedRigid[3]
Z strength as % of XY%Not documented48 (Polymaker) to 68 (Bambu Lab), printed[4][3]
Thermal Properties
HDT at 0.45 MPa°CNot documented54 (Polymaker) to 55 (Bambu Lab), ISO 75 at 0.45 MPa[4][3]
HDT at 1.8 MPa°CNot documented50 (Polymaker) to 54 (Bambu Lab), ISO 75 at 1.8 MPa[4][3]
Glass transition (Tg)°CNot documented62–63 (DSC)[4][3]
Melting point / Vicat°CNot documented162–165 peak melt (DSC); Vicat 64 °C (Polymaker)[4][3]
Continuous service temperature°CNot documented50–61 — loaded bars begin to move at this temperature across three brands (Sunlu 50, Bambu Lab and Polymaker 61)[23][24][22]
Environment & Chemical
UV resistance1–5Not documentedDegrades within weeks outdoors[26]
Chemical resistanceNot documentedGood against weak acids, oils and grease; poor against strong acids and alkalis[3]
Health & Safety
Fume toxicity1–5Moderate — measurable VOCs and UFPs, ventilation advised[27]Low hazard — minimal VOC and particle emission[27]
VOC emission rateµg/minUp to 180 caprolactam, the dominant VOC from nylon and the largest single-VOC rate in the study[27]Not documented
Ultrafine-particle emission rateparticles/min≈2 × 10⁸ median for nylon — low for particles despite the highest VOC mass measured[27]Not documented
Hazardous species emittedCaprolactam, at up to 180 µg/min from nylon filament[27]Not documented
Ventilation / filtration requirement1–5Ventilated room or enclosure recommended[27]None needed in a normal room[27]
Dust & fibre handling hazardNot documentedCarbon fibre is bound in the matrix; sanding dust should not be inhaled[2]
Post-Processing
Support material pairingNot documentedSupport for PLA (Bambu Lab); PolySupport and PolyDissolve S1 (Polymaker)[4][3]
Dimensional accuracy & detailNot documentedMatte finish hides layer lines; stiffness is the gain — tensile strength stays at or below Bambu Lab PLA Basic's 35 MPa and Polymaker PolyLite PLA's 52.3 MPa[4][3][28][29]
Solvents & Solubility
Soluble inFormic acid, phenol, m-cresol and hexafluoroisopropanol dissolve the matrix at 23 °C, leaving the fibre; laboratory reagents.[30]Chloroform dissolves the PLA matrix (10 % w/v, 2–4 h at 23 °C) and leaves the filler as loose sludge; laboratory reagent.[31]
Softened or crazed byZinc chloride solutions stress-crack the nylon matrix, alcoholic calcium chloride dissolves it, mineral acids attack it.[30]Acetone, ethyl acetate and toluene plasticise the matrix but dissolve <1 % even at 65 °C; acetone submersion crazes parts.[31][32]
Solvent welding & smoothing agentNone — nylon's only solvents (formic acid, phenol, HFIP) degrade the part, and the fibre blocks surface flow anyway.[30]Chloroform vapour attacks only the resin fraction, so the filler is left standing proud; no workshop-safe agent exists.[33][32]

Material entries describe families or representative grades, not an interchangeable specification for every spool. Test methods, orientations and conditions may differ. Unknown values are marked “Not documented”. Prices and source dates remain historical snapshots; check the linked guide for product details. Differences highlight text, not a universal winner.

Sources for this comparison

  1. PA (Nylon) — material basics Polymaker Wiki · 2026-08 · doc
  2. Safety Data Sheet SDS20251127A50 — Bambu PLA-CF Bambu Lab · 2025-11 · msds
  3. PolyLite PLA-CF Technical Data Sheet V5.4 Polymaker · 2024-11 · tds
  4. Bambu Filament Technical Data Sheet V4.0 — PLA-CF Bambu Lab · 2026-08 · tds
  5. CarbonX PLA+CF Technical Data Sheet v3 3DXTech · 2026-08 · tds
  6. PLA-CF — product page Bambu Lab US Store · 2026-08 · vendor
  7. PolyLite PLA-CF — product page Polymaker Shop · 2026-08 · vendor
  8. IEMAI CF-PLA 3D Printing Filament product page IEMAI 3D · 2026-08 · vendor
  9. SUNLU PLA-CF Carbon Fiber 3D Printer Filament 1 kg SUNLU · 2026-08 · vendor
  10. Proto-pasta product catalogue Proto-pasta · 2026-08 · vendor
  11. LANDU Carbon Fiber PLA Filament 1.75 mm Black 1 kg LANDU (Amazon US) · 2026-08 · vendor
  12. Polymaker product catalogue Polymaker · 2026-08 · vendor
  13. 3DXTech product catalogue 3DXTech · 2026-08 · vendor
  14. PLA Usage Guide Bambu Lab Wiki · 2026-08 · doc
  15. Max volumetric speed Prusa Knowledge Base · 2026-08 · doc
  16. Fiberon PA6-CF20 Technical Data Sheet V1.1 Polymaker · 2024-12 · tds
  17. Nozzles — material and compatibility Bambu Lab Wiki · 2026-08 · doc
  18. Composite materials filled with carbon, kevlar or glass Prusa Knowledge Base · 2026-08 · doc
  19. Wet Filament — signs, causes and drying Polymaker Wiki · 2026-08 · doc
  20. PolyMide CoPA Technical Data Sheet V5.4 (dry and wet status blocks) Polymaker · 2024-11 · tds
  21. Moisture Conditioning — effect on printed nylon properties Polymaker Wiki · 2026-08 · doc
  22. Carbon Fiber PLA vs META-PLA vs PLA+ vs PLA by Sunlu — results spreadsheet My Tech Fun (Igor Gaspar) · 2026-08 · test
  23. BambuLab PLA Basic vs PLA Tough vs PLA-CF — results spreadsheet My Tech Fun (Igor Gaspar) · 2026-08 · test
  24. Polymaker PLA Pro vs PLA-CF — results spreadsheet My Tech Fun (Igor Gaspar) · 2026-08 · test
  25. Mechanical Properties of Additively Manufactured Polymeric Materials — PLA and PETG — For Biomechanical Applications Polymers 16(13):1868 · 2024-06 · paper
  26. PLA — material guide Prusa Knowledge Base · 2026-08 · doc
  27. Emissions of Ultrafine Particles and Volatile Organic Compounds from Commercially Available Desktop Three-Dimensional Printers with Multiple Filaments (Azimi et al.) Environmental Science & Technology 50(3) 1260-1268 · 2016-01 · paper
  28. PolyLite PLA Technical Data Sheet V5.4 Polymaker · 2024-11 · tds
  29. Bambu Filament Technical Data Sheet V3.0 — PLA Basic Bambu Lab · 2026-08 · tds
  30. Ultramid Nylon Chemical Resistance guide (unmodified PA6 B27E and PA66 A27E) BASF · 2026-08 · tds
  31. Solubility Study of Ingeo Biopolymer Grades in Common Organic Solvents (NWPD003) NatureWorks · 2019-10 · tds
  32. Improve your 3D prints with chemical smoothing Prusa Research · 2026-08 · doc
  33. Effect of vapour smoothing in trichloromethane on 3D printed PLA — surface, mechanical and chemical structure Pitale, Keche & Chopra, Engineering Research Express 6(4) 045579 · 2024-12 · paper