ABSCF (Carbon-Fiber Reinforced ABS) for FDM

Material Profile: ABSCF (Carbon-Fiber Reinforced ABS, ABS-CF10) for FDM

FDM Engineering Material Technical Report Series

Compiled from manufacturer technical datasheets and peer-reviewed literature

Abstract—ABSCF combines standard ABS with chopped carbon fiber (typically 10–20 wt%) to deliver substantially higher stiffness while retaining ABS's ease of printing and post-processability. Stratasys ABS-CF10 — the canonical example with 10 wt% chopped CF — is reported to be 50% stiffer and 15% stronger than standard ABS while maintaining low moisture sensitivity.

Index Terms—additive manufacturing, FDM, ABS, carbon fiber, composite, tooling.

I.  MATERIAL IDENTIFICATION

This section establishes the canonical names and commercial designations under which the material is supplied.

A.  Designation

Trade name: ABS-CF10™ (Stratasys); equivalents include Bambu ABS-CF, Siraya Tech ABS-CF, 3DXTech CarbonX™ ABS+CF.

B.  Full Chemical Name

ABS terpolymer matrix with chopped carbon fiber reinforcement (PAN-derived, length 100–300 µm, diameter ~7 µm).

C.  Aliases and Alternative Designations

II.  COMPOSITION AND MOLECULAR STRUCTURE

A.  Empirical Chemical Formula

Matrix: ABS terpolymer (see ABS Enhanced for matrix formula). Reinforcement: ≥ 92% elemental carbon (PAN-derived chopped fiber).

Fig. 1.  Repeating unit / structural schematic of the polymer matrix.

Fig. 2.  Schematic of dispersed reinforcement / filler in the polymer matrix (not to scale).

B.  Composition Breakdown

TABLE I
 COMPOSITIONAL BREAKDOWN OF ABSCF (ABS-CF10) (TYPICAL / PER SUPPLIER DATASHEET)

III.  MECHANICAL PROPERTIES — XZ PRINT DIRECTION

In the XZ orientation the tensile load is applied parallel to the deposited rasters; for fiber-reinforced grades this is the strongest orientation because the fibers align preferentially along the extrusion direction.

TABLE II
 MECHANICAL PROPERTIES — XZ ORIENTATION (ABSCF (ABS-CF10))

IV.  MECHANICAL PROPERTIES — ZX PRINT DIRECTION

In the ZX orientation the tensile load is applied perpendicular to the print layers, so failure occurs through inter-layer (Z) bonds. Properties are markedly lower than in XZ — this anisotropy is intrinsic to FDM.

TABLE III
 MECHANICAL PROPERTIES — ZX ORIENTATION (ABSCF (ABS-CF10))

Anisotropy ratio (XZ:ZX UTS ≈ 1.6:1) is moderate, intermediate between unfilled ABS (~1.3:1) and CF-nylon (~2.2:1). Carbon-fiber orientation along the extrusion direction produces a pronounced strengthening effect in XZ, but inter-layer bonding in Z is reduced compared to ABS-M30 due to fiber interference at layer interfaces.

V.  RECOMMENDED PRINT PARAMETERS

Values summarised below give consensus operating windows from public datasheets. Specific suppliers may differ within ±10 °C; the supplier datasheet always supersedes this table.

TABLE IV
 RECOMMENDED PRINT TEMPERATURE RANGES FOR ABSCF (ABS-CF10)

VI.  GLASS TRANSITION TEMPERATURE (TG)

Reported / typical Tg: ≈ 105 – 110 °C (ABS matrix; CF does not shift Tg).

Continuous service typically limited to ~85 °C. Carbon fiber adds slight thermal conductivity improvement, allowing parts to dissipate heat marginally better than unfilled ABS.

VII.  HEAT DEFLECTION TEMPERATURE (HDT)

Heat deflection temperature is the temperature at which a standard bar deflects 0.25 mm under a specified flexural load (ASTM D648 / ISO 75).

TABLE V
 HEAT DEFLECTION TEMPERATURE OF ABSCF (ABS-CF10) UNDER STANDARD TEST LOADS

VIII.  DISTINGUISHING CHARACTERISTICS AND STANDARDS

A.  Stiffness without sacrificing printability

ABS-CF10 offers 50% higher modulus than standard ABS (3.6 vs 2.4 GPa) while retaining ABS-like print parameters and chamber requirements. This makes it the go-to grade for users who want CF stiffness on standard ABS-capable printers.

B.  Soluble support compatibility

Stratasys ABS-CF10 is compatible with SR-30 soluble support, enabling complex internal geometries — a clear advantage over CF-nylon grades, which typically require break-away supports.

C.  Low moisture sensitivity

Unlike CF-nylon composites, ABS does not absorb significant moisture. ABS-CF10 parts retain mechanical properties without strict drying / sealed-storage protocols, simplifying production workflows.

D.  Limitations

Mechanical properties are well below CF-nylon grades; not flame-retardant; UV-sensitive; HDT limited to ~90 °C.

IX.  REPRESENTATIVE APPLICATIONS

ABSCF (ABS-CF10) is typically deployed in the following applications:

1)  Factory-floor tooling and fixtures: Workholding, soft-jaw machining fixtures, alignment jigs.

2)  Robotic end-of-arm tooling (EOAT): Pick-and-place grippers, vacuum manifolds where stiffness reduces deflection.

3)  Functional prototypes requiring stiffness: Pre-production parts that closely simulate metal stiffness.

4)  Drone components and UAV airframes: Consumer / hobby grade where CF-nylon is over-specification.

5)  Replacement industrial parts: Brackets and mounts in production environments.

Photographs of representative parts in these applications are not reproduced here for copyright reasons; the table below provides direct manufacturer / case-study URLs where original imagery and project descriptions can be viewed.

TABLE VI
 SUGGESTED IMAGE / CASE-STUDY SOURCES

X.  REFERENCES

[1]  Stratasys, “ABS-CF10 Material Data Sheet,” 2023. https://www.stratasys.com/en/materials/materials-catalog/fdm-materials/abs-cf10/

[2]  Siraya Tech, “Fiberheart ABS-CF Datasheet,” 2024. https://siraya.tech/pages/siraya-tech-fiberheart-abs-cf-tds

[3]  3DXTech, “CarbonX™ ABS+CF Datasheet,” 2024.

[4]  S. Han et al., “Effects of Annealing for Strength Enhancement of FDM 3D-Printed ABS Reinforced with Recycled Carbon Fiber,” Polymers, 2023. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC10384234/

[5]  Q. Ning et al., “Additive Manufactured Sandwich Composite/ABS Parts for UAV Applications,” Aerospace, 2019.

[6]  ASTM D638-14; ASTM D256-10; ASTM D648-18.