CarbonX™ ASA CF15

3DXtech is an American manufacturer of technical filament, in the market since 2014. 3DXtech’s specialty are innovative polymer filaments and custom blends that meet highly advanced functional needs in the additive manufacturing market. 3DXtech’s portfolio includes a wide range of high-end technical materials and support filaments. As 3DXtech put it, their products are meant for “difficult end-use applications where functionality is king.” Their specialty are carbon enriched fibers, such as the CarbonX ASA CF15.

The CarbonX ASA CF 15 filament is made of ASA and 15 % high modulus carbon fiber. It has excellent mechanical as well as aesthetic properties, and it is UV stable, easy to print and lightweight. The CarbonX ASA CF15 can be used to print structural industrial grade parts or even outdoor furniture.

Image 1: Part 3D printed with the CarbonX ASA CF 15 filament. Source: 3DXtech.

ASA (acrylonitrile styrene acrylate) was developed by BASF in the 1970s under the commercial name Luran S®. ASA is an amorphous thermoplastic copolymer that was developed as an alternative to ABS by changing the type of rubber in the chemical composition of the plastic.The aim was to make ASA have superior weather resistance, which is why it is widely used in the automotive industry. ASA resembles ABS structurally, with the difference that:

• Weather and UV resistance: ASA has ten times the weathering and UV radiation resistance. It does not fade or lose its mechanical properties when outdoors.

• Long-term heat resistance: ASA has better long-term heat resistance and superior resistance to chemicals such as alcohols and cleaning agents.

• Glass transition temperature: ASA’s glass transition temperature (105 ºC) is slightly higher than that of ABS (100 ºC).

• Ease of printing: ASA is slightly easier to print than ABS and has a lower tendency to warp, especially with big pieces.

• Less stress cracking: ASA is also way less prone to environmental stress cracking (ESC). ESC is an unexpected failure of thermoplastic, especially amorphous, due to brittleness mostly caused by prolonged stress and exposure to corrosive agents.

• Versatile plastic: ASA can be glued and welded to other plastics (traditional or solvent welding), as well as coextruded with other polymers or used as an additive to lower heat distortion or weathering of other plastics.

Due to these advanced properties, ASA is often referred to as an engineering plastic. It is used in environments with high exposure to open air, rain, cold and sea water, such as in roof coverings, junction boxes, front grilles of cars, toys, pipes, construction profiles and more.

Image 2: Part 3D printed with the CarbonX ASA CF 15 filament. Source: 3DXtech.

In 3D printing, ASA is used to make parts that have to tolerate impacts and impact energy, as well as prolonged exposure to adverse weather conditions without breaking or degrading.

The addition of carbon fibers

Filaments with technical applications are often compounded with carbon fibers or glass fibers to prepare the filament for the task it is designed to perform. Carbon fiber (CF) makes the filament more stiff and more dimensionally stable, which significantly reduces the risk of warping. Moreover, pieces 3D printed with CF-enriched filaments are a great alternative for metal parts due to reduced weight. All these features make filaments reinforced with carbon fiber suitable for the automotive industry (high tensile strength and modulus, high temperature tolerance and low thermal expansion) and the aerospace industry (weight reduced up to 50 % with preserved functionality).

Image 3: Size comparison of a carbon fiber and a human hair. Source: 3DXtech.

The CarbonX ASA CF 15 filament combines the excellent thermomechanical properties of ASA with the reduced weight, increased strength and a matte surface finish of carbon-enriched filaments. This is what makes the CarbonX ASA CF 15 perfect for 3D printing parts that have to be light but sturdy, and pieces that are going to suffer harsh weather conditions or constant mechanical stress. These properties are highly desired in aerospace, civil engineering, the military, and motorsports. The CarbonX ASA CF 15 can be printed on any desktop 3D printer. Despite being an industrial-grade plastic, it is much easier to print, with a reduced risk of warping and better adhesion thanks to the addition of carbon fibers.