Carbon fiber filament uses short carbon fibers, consisting of segments of less than one millimeter in length, which are mixed with a thermoplastic known as the base material. These fibers being extremely strong, they cause the filament to increase in strength and stiffness, and also reduce its overall weight. This also means that the 3D printed parts will be much lighter and more dimensionally stable, as the fibers will help prevent shrinking of the part as it cools.