PA-CF (carbon fibre nylon) settings for the Qidi X-Plus 3
A starting profile for printing PA-CF (carbon fibre nylon) on the Qidi X-Plus 3 (280 × 280 × 270 mm, enclosed, direct drive). Tune from here with a temperature tower and a flow test.
| Setting | Starting value |
|---|---|
| Nozzle temperature | 260–300 °C (start 280) |
| Bed temperature | 80–100 °C (start 90) |
| Print speed | 40 mm/s |
| First layer speed | 20 mm/s |
| Layer height | 0.2 mm (0.2–0.28) |
| Retraction distance | 0.6 mm |
| Retraction speed | 30 mm/s |
| Part cooling fan | 20% |
| Enclosure | Close the door |
| Drying before use | 80 °C for 10 h |
High-shrinkage material: keep the chamber warm and steady, and never open the door mid-print. PA-CF (carbon fibre nylon) absorbs moisture. Dry it at 80 °C for 10 h before a long print.
Why these values
The Qidi X-Plus 3 is a direct-drive machine, so retraction can stay short (around 0.6 mm). Its usable speed is around 300 mm/s, so the 40 mm/s above is within the comfortable range for this material.
Cooling is set to 20%: this material bonds poorly when cooled too fast, so the fan stays low.
Next steps
- Print a temperature tower across 260–300 °C and pick the cleanest band.
- Calibrate flow, then check the volumetric flow against your hotend.
- If something goes wrong, see the troubleshooting guide.
- Price the part with the cost calculator.