PPS-CF 3D PRINTING
PPS (polyphenylene sulfide) reinforced with carbon fibre is a genuine high-performance engineering plastic, not just a stiffened commodity one. It holds shape and strength at continuous service temperatures approaching 200°C, resists fuels, oils and most solvents, and is inherently flame-retardant. It needs a printer capable of much higher nozzle and chamber temperatures than the rest of our range, so lead times and cost are higher than standard materials — we reach for it when the job is genuinely under-bonnet or chemical-exposure territory. Carbon-fibre materials carry a £25 minimum order — upload an STL or STEP for an instant quote.
WHEN PPS-CF IS THE RIGHT MATERIAL
- Under-bonnet automotive brackets and housings near real heat sources.
- Parts exposed to fuel, hydraulic fluid or aggressive solvents that would degrade PETG, ASA or even polycarbonate.
- Applications that require inherent flame retardancy without additives.
WHEN PPS-CF IS THE WRONG MATERIAL
- Cost-sensitive brackets where ASA-CF or polycarbonate already meets the spec — PPS-CF is a premium material, not a default upgrade.
- Parts needing high impact toughness or flex.
- Small, low-budget one-offs where the lead time and cost premium don't fit the job.
TECHNICAL DATA
| Property | Value | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Continuous service temp | >200°C | Sustained operating temperature — far beyond any other material we stock |
| Heat deflection temp | Up to 264°C | At 0.45 MPa load — the highest of anything we print |
| Chemical resistance | Excellent | Resists fuels, oils, hydraulic fluid, most solvents |
| Flame retardancy | Inherent | Typically meets UL94 V-0 without additives |
| Nozzle wear | Highly abrasive | Hardened/wear-resistant nozzle mandatory |
| Print requirements | All-metal high-temp hotend, 60–90°C heated chamber | Not every printer can run this material |
PRICING
Carbon-fibre composites carry a £25 minimum order. PPS-CF is our most premium filament and runs on dedicated high-temperature hardware, so expect a higher per-part price and slightly longer lead time than standard materials. Quotes valid for 30 days.
GET YOUR PPS-CF QUOTE
Upload your STL, STEP, or mesh file to the quote tool. Price returns in seconds. Card, invoice (trade accounts) and bank-transfer payment accepted. Most PPS-CF orders are dispatched within 2 working days.
PPS-CF FAQ
When the environment would destroy anything else we print: sustained temperatures approaching 200°C, immersion in or splash contact with fuels, oils, hydraulic fluid or aggressive solvents, or a requirement for inherent flame retardancy (typically UL94 V-0 without additives). If the part just needs to be stiff and strong, PPA-CF does that for less; if it just needs heat plus UV, ASA-CF may already cover it. PPS-CF earns its cost specifically on chemistry and continuous heat.
Work up the ladder and stop at the first material that meets the spec. PETG-CF: stiff jigs, fixtures and brackets indoors — the cost-effective default. ASA-CF: the same stiffness but UV-stable, for parts that live outdoors. PPA-CF: near-metal stiffness and strength with heat tolerance well beyond either — load-bearing parts that run hot. PPS-CF: the top rung — continuous service near 200°C plus chemical, fuel and flame resistance. Each step up adds cost and lead time, so don't specify PPS-CF where PETG-CF already does the job. If in doubt, tell us what the part does and we'll recommend the cheapest material that meets it.
Chopped carbon fibre raises stiffness and dimensional stability — parts stay flatter under load and warp less during printing. It does not make the base polymer dramatically stronger in tension, and it always reduces elongation, so CF parts are stiffer but more brittle than their unfilled equivalent. The surface comes out matte and slightly fibrous rather than glossy. Specify CF when rigidity, flatness or stiffness-to-weight is the requirement, not as a blanket upgrade.
CF-filled filaments are abrasive, so they run on hardened nozzles, and the materials themselves cost several times more per kilogram than commodity filaments. Several also need drying and higher-temperature hardware before a job can start. That setup overhead is real even on a small part, so composite materials carry a £25 minimum order. Above that, pricing scales with size and quantity exactly like our standard materials.