Carbon Fibre PLA prints at about 225 °C with a 60 °C bed and 100% part cooling. Usable range 210–240 °C nozzle, 55–65 °C bed. Abrasive — needs a hardened nozzle.
PLA-CFCF PLA
Starting settings
Nozzle
210–240 °C (start 225)
Bed
55–65 °C (start 60)
Part fan
80–100% (start 100%)
Wall speed
25–50 mm/s
Max volumetric flow
9 mm³/s
Shrinkage
0.25%
Softens at
60 °C
Enclosure
Not needed
Nozzle size
0.4 mm or larger — 0.6 mm recommended
Nozzle material
Hardened steel required — this is abrasive
Drying
50 °C for 5 h
Speed
SLOWER than plain PLA, 25–50 mm/s. Chopped fibre needs steady flow; pushing speed causes intermittent under-extrusion that looks exactly like a partial clog and gets misdiagnosed as one.
Bed surface
Textured PEI. The matte carbon finish pairs well with it.
Nozzle
HARDENED STEEL, and 0.6 mm rather than 0.4 mm. Chopped fibres bridge across a small orifice and block it — most CF clogs are a nozzle that was never big enough.
What bites people
HARDENED STEEL NOZZLE REQUIRED. Carbon fibre eats a brass nozzle in well under a kilogram — often within one spool.
A 0.6 mm nozzle clogs far less than a 0.4 mm. The fibres bridge across small openings.
Stiffer and more dimensionally stable than plain PLA, but noticeably MORE brittle and weaker between layers. Stiff is not the same as strong.
The matte black finish hides surface defects, so do not use it to judge print quality.
Safety
Nozzle runs above 210 °C.
Carbon fibre dust is an irritant. Do not sand it without a mask and extraction.