Obsidian FR-Nylon: A Flame-Retardant Nylon Filament Built for Demanding Applications

Nylon is one of the most widely used engineering materials in additive manufacturing thanks to its strength, durability, and versatility. However, when exposed to fire, standard nylon presents a significant safety concern. During combustion, it produces dense smoke, ash, and harmful fumes, making it unsuitable for many safety-critical applications. In fact, its combustion characteristics can rival materials known for their flammability, such as PETG.

That's why we're excited to introduce Obsidian FR-Nylon, the newest addition to the Obsidian family of filaments. Built on the proven performance of our original carbon fiber reinforced Obsidian nylon, Obsidian FR-Nylon adds a critical capability for demanding environments: flame retardancy.

Engineered for Safety-Critical Applications

As additive manufacturing continues to expand into aerospace, automotive, electronics, and industrial manufacturing, more applications require materials that not only deliver strength and reliability but also meet stringent fire safety standards.

Obsidian FR-Nylon is a flame-retardant nylon filament engineered specifically for these applications. It achieves a UL94 V-0 rating at 3.0 mm, providing excellent resistance to ignition and limiting flame propagation when exposed to an ignition source.

Flame retardancy is only part of the story. Obsidian FR-Nylon retains the mechanical performance that users expect from the Obsidian platform, delivering strong, durable parts with excellent dimensional stability, chemical resistance, and a consistent surface finish.

Designed as an Alternative to Markforged Onyx FR

From the beginning, our goal was to develop a true alternative to Markforged's Onyx FR—not just in performance, but in usability.

Obsidian FR-Nylon has been validated on both Markforged printers and open-source 3D printers, giving engineers the flexibility to choose the hardware that best fits their workflow rather than being locked into a single ecosystem.

Mechanical Performance

On open-source printers such as the Bambu Lab H2D, Obsidian FR-Nylon delivers reliable mechanical performance with a tensile strength of 30.4 MPa, a Young's modulus of 1,480 MPa, and a flexural strength of 48.4 MPa. It also offers excellent thermal performance with a heat deflection temperature (HDT) of 165°C, making it well suited for functional parts exposed to elevated temperatures.

In side-by-side testing on a Markforged printer, Obsidian FR-Nylon outperformed Onyx FR in several key mechanical properties. During edge orientation tensile testing, Obsidian FR-Nylon achieved a tensile strength of 36.7 MPa compared to 30.1 MPa for Onyx FR. It also demonstrated a higher Young's modulus, resulting in increased stiffness and rigidity for structural and end-use components.

Reduce Material Costs Without Sacrificing Performance

Performance isn't the only advantage.

For organizations that rely on flame-retardant nylon, material costs can add up quickly. A facility using approximately 22 reels per year could spend roughly $5,000 annually on Onyx FR. By switching to Obsidian FR-Nylon, that same annual usage drops to approximately $3,300, providing substantial cost savings while maintaining the flame-retardant performance and mechanical properties engineers depend on.

Ideal Applications

The combination of flame resistance, mechanical strength, and print reliability makes Obsidian FR-Nylon an excellent choice for applications where safety and performance are equally important.

Common applications include:

• Electrical enclosures and housings

• Protective covers

• Brackets and mounting hardware

• Manufacturing fixtures

• Tooling

• Functional prototypes

• End-use production parts

Whether you're working in aerospace, automotive, electronics, industrial manufacturing, or any industry requiring flame-retardant materials, Obsidian FR-Nylon helps engineers confidently expand the range of parts that can be produced with additive manufacturing.

Conclusion

Obsidian FR-Nylon brings flame-retardant performance to the trusted Obsidian family of filaments. With UL94 V-0 certification, strong mechanical properties, excellent print quality, broad printer compatibility, and significant cost savings compared to Markforged Onyx FR, it provides engineers with a high-performance, cost-effective solution for safety-critical applications.

If you're looking for a flame-retardant carbon fiber nylon filament that delivers both performance and value, Obsidian FR-Nylon is built to meet the challenge.