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Polymaker PolyMide PA12-CF
PA12, carbon-fibre filledFilamentFDMPolymaker
Quick answer
Polymaker PolyMide PA12-CF is a carbon-fibre-filled PA12 filament built around moisture stability: 77.4 MPa tensile strength and 3311 MPa Young's modulus in XY (dry), an HDT of 105 °C at 1.8 MPa and only ~1.5% equilibrium water absorption, per Polymaker's TDS (v5.4). Where PA6-CF grades are stiffer but thirstier, PA12-CF keeps its properties in humid service — note that the datasheet's dry figures are measured on annealed specimens.
PA12-CF is Polymaker's answer to the PA6 problem: PA6-based carbon-fibre filaments post higher dry stiffness, but PA6 absorbs so much moisture that properties fall away in service. The long-chain PA12 base absorbs far less (Polymaker estimates ~1.5% equilibrium water absorption), and the TDS wet column shows the result — tensile strength only drops from 77.4 MPa dry to 71.7 MPa wet. Polymaker adds its Warp-Free technology, so the filament prints on a cool 25–50 °C bed.
Read the datasheet's fine print before using its headline numbers: the dry mechanical values come from specimens annealed at 80 °C for 6 h and dried for 48 h before testing. Polymaker recommends annealing printed parts the same way, so the published figures describe the annealed part, not the as-printed one. Its Z tensile strength of 52.2 MPa is also unusually high for an FDM filament, which matters for parts loaded across layers.
Properties (manufacturer datasheet)
| Property | Value | Test method / note |
|---|---|---|
| Tensile strength (X-Y) | 77.4 MPa | ISO 527, ±1.1, dry; Z: 52.2 MPa; wet: 71.7 MPa |
| Young's modulus (X-Y) | 3311 MPa | ISO 527, ±135, dry; Z: 1807 MPa |
| Elongation at break (X-Y) | 4.2% | ISO 527, ±0.4, dry; Z: 5.0% |
| HDT @ 1.8 MPa | 105 °C | ISO 75; @ 0.45 MPa: 131 °C |
| Density | 1.06 g/cm³ | ISO 1183 at 23 °C |
| Melting temperature | 171 °C | DSC, 10 °C/min |
| Nozzle temperature | 260–300 °C | Manufacturer recommendation |
| Drying | 100 °C for 8 h | TDS drying setting |
Values are reproduced from the manufacturer source(s) listed below, exactly as published. Properties the manufacturer does not publish are omitted rather than estimated — see the sourcing policy.
Processing notes
- Contains 10% chopped carbon fibre by weight (per Polymaker's SDS) — abrasive; Polymaker states a brass nozzle lasts roughly 9 hours and recommends hardened steel or ruby.
- Nozzle temperature 260–300 °C; build plate only 25–50 °C per the TDS (do not exceed 50 °C); an enclosure held at ambient temperature is specified.
- Drying setting: 100 °C for 8 h. Annealing setting: 80 °C for 6 h, recommended after printing.
Typical applications
- Manufacturing tools — Polymaker's stated design use for this grade
- Jigs and fixtures that work in humid environments
- End-use parts where PA6-CF's moisture-driven property loss is unacceptable
- Dimensionally stable functional parts printed on low-temperature beds
Frequently asked questions
PA12-CF or PA6-CF?
PA6-CF grades are stiffer and stronger when bone dry (Polymaker's own PA6-CF: 8636 MPa modulus, 109.3 MPa strength). PA12-CF wins on stability: ~1.5% equilibrium water absorption, and wet tensile strength of 71.7 MPa against 77.4 MPa dry — a small drop where PA6 grades fall much further. Choose by the environment the part will live in, not the dry datasheet alone.
Why do the datasheet values say "annealed"?
Polymaker tested specimens that were annealed at 80 °C for 6 h and dried for 48 h, and it recommends annealing printed parts at 80 °C for 6 h. Annealing raises crystallinity and with it strength and stiffness, so as-printed, unannealed parts will test below the table values.
Does PA12-CF need a hot build plate?
No — the opposite. The TDS specifies a 25–50 °C build plate and warns implicitly through its Warp-Free design: the material is formulated to release from the bed cleanly at low temperatures. It still needs a 260–300 °C all-metal hotend and a hardened nozzle.
Last updated: November 2026