KARAKSA™ F DX101

Polyamide is one of the most widely used materials in industrial 3D printing due to its excellent mechanical, thermal, and chemical properties, making it a very balanced option for multiple applications. However, both unreinforced polyamide and polyamide reinforced with conventional fibers have limitations that affect their use in demanding environments.

In unreinforced polyamide, the main drawbacks appear during the printing process: high warping that compromises dimensional stability, high likelihood of failure in large or flat parts, a strong tendency for stringing, and poor performance in bridges and overhangs, limiting design freedom and geometric accuracy.

Polyamides reinforced with carbon fiber or glass fiber reduce some of these deformations and increase stiffness but introduce new compromises: rough surface finish, limitations in using small-diameter nozzles (usually ≥0.4 mm for CF and ≥0.6 mm for GF), and significant wear on the extruder and hotend due to fiber abrasiveness.

KARAKSA™ F DX101 emerges to solve these limitations, offering a real alternative to traditional reinforced nylons. Thanks to the use of 7% high-thermal-resistance cellulose nanofibers (CNF) developed by Asahi Kasei, this material provides highly effective reinforcement without the drawbacks associated with conventional fibers.

CNF Technology and Internal Structure

The key to KARAKSA™ F DX101’s performance is the extremely uniform dispersion of cellulose nanofibers within the polymer matrix. These CNFs form a continuous three-dimensional network via hydrogen bonds, distributing homogeneously at the nanometric scale. This structure reinforces the material and acts as a dynamic internal support, improving interlayer load transfer and reducing internal stresses during cooling.

Image 1: Structure of Asahi Kasei cellulose nanofibers. Source: Asahi Kasei

Thixotropic Behavior Optimized for FFF

Under high shear conditions in the nozzle, the material flows easily, allowing stable and continuous extrusion. Once deposited, the viscosity rises rapidly, preventing sagging and maintaining defined geometry. This results in more stable bridges, better-controlled overhangs, and excellent geometric fidelity, even for large or complex parts.

Image 2: Part with complex overhangs and bridges printed with Karaksa F. Source: Asahi Kasei

Dimensional Stability and Industrial Precision

With 7% CNF, DX101 provides very effective reduction of nylon thermal shrinkage, achieving superior dimensional stability even for long prints or large-volume parts. For industrial applications, this means higher repeatability, better tolerance control, and a significant reduction of rejects or post-processing adjustments.

Image 3: Large parts printed with Karaksa without visible warping. Source: Asahi Kasei

Surface Finish and Equipment Durability

Despite being a filled filament, KARAKSA™ F DX101 provides a smooth and uniform surface finish, far superior to CF or GF filaments. Cellulose nanofibers, softer and more flexible than conventional fibers, reduce nozzle wear and minimize clogging risk. Hardened nozzles are not required, and printing with diameters as small as 0.2 mm is possible while maintaining high detail.

Image 4: Detail resolution comparison obtained with different nozzle diameters in Karaksa F prints. Source: Asahi Kasei

Mechanical Strength and Reliability

Excellent interlayer adhesion gives DX101 high interlaminar strength, allowing parts to withstand repeated stresses without delamination. Its high thermal and mechanical resistance makes it especially suitable for structural parts, industrial tooling, and mechanical components where dimensional reliability is critical.

Image 5: Tight tolerance assembly printed with Karaksa F. Source: Asahi Kasei

Within the KARAKSA™ F range, DX101 represents the highest technical performance option, while the BX102 (5% CNF) version is aimed at applications where flexibility and surface quality are prioritized, while maintaining very good mechanical properties.

Important Note: The following activities are strictly prohibited:

• Using this material for illegal activities or purposes.
• Using this material for the production of medical devices.
• Using this material to produce any device intended to come into contact with mucous membranes, bodily fluids, blood, or drugs.
• Using this material for military purposes, including but not limited to the development, manufacture, use, or storage of weapons or any other military device or product.
• Using this material for producing devices or products intended to come into contact with food or beverages.