PAHT-CF filament

PAHT-CF is a high-temperature nylon (PA High Temperature) reinforced with chopped carbon fiber (~20%). The base gives strength, impact toughness, and heat resistance well above PLA and PETG, while the carbon adds stiffness and dimensional stability and reduces warping. It is a top-tier engineering material: light, wear-resistant, and able to take under-the-hood heat. The trade-off is steep machine requirements and finicky printing.

What it is good for

• Automotive and industrial parts that run hot and under load
• Gears, brackets, holders, functional jigs and fixtures
• Drone frames and parts — high strength at low weight
• Parts that need wear resistance and stiffness without the brittleness of carbon-filled PLA

Where NOT to use it

• On open budget printers without an enclosure — nylon warps badly
• With a brass nozzle — carbon fiber is abrasive and wears it out fast
• As your first engineering filament — it is demanding, not a beginner material
• For decorative, fine-detail models — the surface is matte and small features smear

How to print

• Nozzle temperature: 280–310 °C
• Bed temperature: 90–110 °C
• Hotend: all-metal, nozzle: hardened steel (carbon fiber is abrasive)
• Enclosure required — a stable warm chamber fights warping
• Cooling: minimal or off — it weakens nylon layer adhesion
• Adhesion: glue stick or a dedicated surface; moderate speed, 30–60 mm/s

Drying and storage

PAHT-CF is critically hygroscopic — nylon soaks up moisture from the air. Wet filament crackles, bubbles, puffs steam, and loses strength while printing. Here drying is not a suggestion but a required step.

• Drying: 80 °C for 8–12 hours before printing
• Print straight from the dryer — nylon picks moisture back up within a couple of hours in open air
• Storage: airtight box with plenty of silica gel

Pros and cons

• High strength and impact toughness at low weight
• Heat resistance well above PLA and PETG — survives engine-bay temperatures
• Stiffness and dimensional stability from the carbon, low warp for a nylon
• Good chemical and wear resistance

• Very demanding on hardware: enclosure, all-metal hotend, hardened nozzle
• Critically hygroscopic — no drying means no successful print
• High print temperatures are out of reach for budget printers
• Not for beginners — many conditions must line up at once