Nylon 11 CF powder is a rigid and tough material for printing high-performance parts that maintain dimensional accuracy under strenuous conditions. Nylon 11 CF is a material created by adding carbon fibers to nylon, creating a stiff and strong material with an excellent strength-to-weight ratio. This makes it a material of choice for automotive and aerospace applications.

Formlabs recommends a 30% refresh rate when printing with Nylon 11 CF. For best results, Formlabs recommends using a nitrogen purge.

Recommended for:

• Strong prototypes
• Custom functional parts
• Tooling, jigs, fixtures
• Strong, lightweight structures

See the table below for a comparison of relevant material properties:

* Nylon 11 CF has different material properties in the X, Y, and Z axes due to the alignment of the carbon fibers.

To learn more about the properties of Formlabs materials, refer to the library of material properties data sheets.

For the best results, follow Formlabs design specifications for SLS printing. Refer to the support article Starting a print (SLS) to open the model in PreForm, orient it, and send it to the printer.

When printing with Nylon 11 CF:

• Formlabs recommends printing in an inert gas environment, which requires a nitrogen generator or bottled nitrogen.
• Formlabs recommends a 30% refresh rate when printing with Nylon 11 CF in an inert gas environment to achieve consistent results.
• Nylon 11 CF Powder may settle when sitting in the Fuse Sift hopper for an extended period of time and may require agitation to induce powder flow.

Fresh, unused powder is susceptible to clumping in the printer’s hopper, causing underdosing and potential print failures. When printing with 100% fresh powder:

• Follow the instructions for using a Fuse Sift to fill a powder cartridge, including the mixing step.
• Fill the printer hopper with the powder from a single powder cartridge. Powder from a single cartridge is sufficient to print approximately 1000–1400 layers (typically 6–8 hrs), depending on the packing density of the print. For longer prints, monitor the powder level during the print to ensure the printer does not run out of material.
• Add more powder when the agitator at the bottom of the hopper is visible. Allow the printer to use the material in the hopper before adding more material on top of it.
• If walls of compacted powder form along the sides of the hopper, carefully break them up using a clean rod or other similar tool.

Nylon 11 CF Powder can form clumps in its unsintered state, making it more difficult to dispense powder into powder cartridges.

Before recovering printed parts:

• Replace the Fuse Sift’s 150 micron sifter mesh with a 300 micron sifter mesh before recovering printed parts from the powder cake. Follow the steps in the support article Replacing the Fuse Sift's sifter mesh.

While recovering printed parts:

• For the best results, simultaneously fill a powder cartridge while sifting through the powder cake. This improves powder flow through the used powder hopper and helps prevent clumping.

Before filling a powder cartridge:

• When preparing to fill a powder cartridge, only pour the necessary amount of fresh powder into the fresh powder hopper, depending on your selected refresh rate. Large amounts of stagnant powder can settle, causing the powder to flow poorly. Repeat as needed for any additional powder cartridges.

While filling powder cartridges:

• In some instances, Nylon 11 CF Powder may not flow smoothly through the Fuse Sift hoppers, resulting in failed powder dosing attempts. If this happens, tap Manual Dosing. Follow the instructions on the touchscreen, tapping Dose Used and Dose Fresh while manually stirring the powder in the hoppers. Use the recommended stirring rod or other wooden rod to agitate the powder in the fresh and used powder hoppers. When mixing the fresh powder hopper, uninstall the entire rectangular cover and set it and its screws aside for better access.

While cleaning printed parts in a Fuse Blast:

• Use an automatic cleaning cycle for Nylon 11 CF parts. To avoid potentially-dangerous static buildup, do not manually clean parts printed in Nylon 11 CF Powder in a Fuse Blast.

Accumulated powder and condensed airborne particulates can cause print failures in future print jobs if not properly cleaned out after each print. Clean the following areas between prints:

• Inspect and clean the optical cassette
• Inspect and clean the IR sensor
• Clean the IR sensor housing
• Clean any powder that fell below or around the build chamber
• Clean both powder troughs and the area around the recoater’s path using a compliant vacuum with static dissipative components
• Inspect and clean the recoater if necessary

Cleaning the top of the print enclosure

Powder can accumulate at the top of the print enclosure, particularly on the runways, the areas between the powder troughs and the top of the build chamber. This excess powder may fuse and be dragged into the build chamber during subsequent prints. Vacuum this area thoroughly to help prevent print failures.

Vacuuming the troughs

Close the print enclosure door and move the flipper motors to dislodge powder for cleaning.

To move the flipper motors:

1. Close the print enclosure door.
2. On the touchscreen, tap the wrench icon. The Maintenance menu appears.
3. Tap Motor Moves. The Motor Moves screen appears, which allows you to manually activate various motors in the print enclosure.

Cleaning the recoater

The Fuse 1 generation printer, Fuse Sift, and related accessories are designed to be used with only one powder type at a time. Make sure to clean each device thoroughly, following Formlabs instructions, before switching powder types. Mixing powders can lead to print failures or permanent damage to the machine.

If you plan to regularly print in multiple different materials, Formlabs recommends dedicating a separate Fuse 1 generation printer and Fuse Sift for each material type.

Consult the following support articles for additional information:

• Switching SLS powder types (Fuse 1/Fuse Sift)
• Cleaning all powder out of a Fuse 1
• Cleaning all powder out of a Fuse Sift
• Cleaning all powder out of a build chamber