Carbon Fiber
The new aluminum but cheaper and more accessible
What is carbon fiber?
Carbon fiber is made of carbon molecules woven together in a variety of manners. The structure of these molecules depends on the use of carbon fiber. These structures can be as thin as regular fabric or as thick as brick walls.
In the 3D printing industry, the flexibility with which the carbon atoms can be arranged enables printers to create custom parts with great strength. There are two types of carbon fiber used in 3D printing: carbon fiber reinforced filaments and continuous carbon fiber reinforcement. Obviously, the continuous carbon fiber reinforcement is the more robust type because the connection between the carbon molecules is not broken or tampered with in any way.
What are the features of carbon fiber?
Weight to strength ratio
The reason carbon fiber has gained so much popularity over the last decade is its unique features. For instance, carbon fiber is 2.5 times stronger than aluminum with half the weight. This high weight to strength ratio makes it the perfect material for making things that need to be light yet extremely strong.
Non-poisonous
Carbon fiber is safe to be used in medical devices. Custom-made, 3D printed prostheses, implants, and surgical instruments can be made with continuous carbon fiber reinforcement to ensure its continued use and durability.
Thermal expansion
This refers to the changes that happen in the size of the material in exposure to extreme heat or cold. Material that expands or contracts a lot in hot or cold temperatures cannot be used in high sensitivity devices. These changes make it unreliable in high-sensitivity machines in extreme weather conditions.
Corrosion-resistant
Carbon fiber is highly resistant to sunshine unless mixed with epoxy, which can experience sun damage. In exposure to chemicals, carbon fiber has shown excellent resistance. Therefore, it can easily be used to manufacture containers for chemicals and dangerous materials.
Which companies use carbon fiber in 3D printing?
Roboze
Roboze is an Italian company specializing in creating 3D printed parts using high-strength composites. This company’s most popular materials used for 3D printing are Carbon PEEK and Carbon PA.
Carbon PEEK is composite material reinforced with carbon fiber. This kind of composite is highly mechanical, chemical, and heat resistant and can be used in various industries in extreme conditions. In Carbon PA, chopped carbon fiber is used to reinforce a polyamide matrix. The 20% carbon fiber used in this material makes the PA much stronger than regular plastic. This material has excellent corrosion resistance and is the perfect replacement for metals in some industries.
Roboze set up a second headquarters in Texas, US, in February 2021. This second headquarters is supposed to help the company enter the American market with more efficiency and ease. The 3D printed parts created by Roboze have applications in the aerospace, oil, and gas, and energy sectors of the industry.
3DXTech
3DXTech is based in Michigan, US, and was founded in 2014. This company has the most extensive carbon fiber reinforced material portfolio in the United States. Additionally, customers can contact this company for the custom-made formulation of 3D printer materials infused with carbon fiber.
The parts created by 3DXTech are used in many different industries, most important of which are nuclear, motorsports, healthcare, oil and gas, and medical industries.
Markforged (MKFG)
Markforged is one of the most innovative 3D printing companies in Europe. This company was founded in 2013 in Dublin, Irland. The reason Markforged is called the most innovative is its digital forge system. This is a cloud-based software system on which designers and engineers can design a fully functional part for their machines before having it manufactured.
Markforged has customers from 70 countries worldwide and has made over 10 million parts using its continuous carbon fiber reinforced material. This company’s printer, X7, can manufacture the customers’ designed parts in hours rather than days with their desired capabilities.
Markforged’s material is heat and chemical resistant, energy absorbent, and extremely strong. What’s more, this material can easily replace machined aluminum.
The stock for Markforged is currently traded for $10.62 per share. This stock had experienced a slight drop since February 2021, when it was $13.06.
Anisoprint
Anisoprint is another 3D printing company that uses continuous carbon fiber reinforcement filaments. This company’s prints are primarily used in the aerospace industry, but customers can order their customized parts in other sectors. This company is headquartered in Moscow, Russia, and Luxemburg.
Anisoprint has enjoyed partnerships with various companies, including Brightness Materials Center, BMW, Schunk, MPA, and Technische Universitat Munchen.
How large is the market for carbon fiber reinforced 3D printing?
In 2020, the market size for 3D printed composite material was estimated to be 91.3 million dollars. This market is expected to reach 628.5 million dollars by 2028. This growth is mainly due to the high demand for 3D printed composite in the defense, aerospace, healthcare, and automotive industries. Besides carbon fiber composites, glass fiber composites and graphene fiber composites also play an essential role in this market. The variety in make and models and the properties of carbon fiber composites make sure that all industries will need this material as parts, equipment, and implants.
