Materials / Compare
Plastic Nylon PA6 vs. Plastic TPU
Compare Plastic Nylon PA6 vs. Plastic TPU strength, stiffness, weight and thermal properties.
| Try it on a partA bracket to run stress or thermal on, free in your browser | Open in LessCAD | Open in LessCAD |
|---|---|---|
| Mechanical | ||
| Yield strength | 90MPasourcetypical, dry | not given (tensile used) |
| Ultimate tensile strength | not sourced | 23.7MPasourcetypical, stress at break |
| Flexural strength | not sourced | 4.1MPasourcetypical |
| Elongation at break | 10%sourcenominal strain at break, dry | not sourced |
| Young's modulus (stiffness) | 3.5GPasourcetypical, dry | 0.067GPasourcetypical |
| Density | 1,130kg/m³sourcetypical | 1,220kg/m³sourcetypical |
| Strength to weight | 79.6kN·m/kg4.1x higher | 19.4kN·m/kg |
| Stiffness to weight | 3.1MN·m/kg56.4x higher | 0.0549MN·m/kg |
| Poisson's ratio | 0.4sourcebase material: unfilled polyamide (PA), conditioned, maker design-guide family value (Covestro Table 3-1) | not sourced |
| Shear modulus | 1.25GPa | not sourced |
| Bulk modulus | 5.83GPa | not sourced |
| Speed of sound | 1,760m/s | 234m/s |
| Thermal | ||
| Thermal conductivity | 0.33W/m·Ksourcetypical | not sourced |
| Thermal expansion | 102µm/m·Ksourcelongitudinal, 23-55 °C | not sourced |
| 100 mm part over a 50 °C swing | 510µm growth | not sourced |
| Specific heat | 1,700J/kg·Ksourcetypical | not sourced |
| Heats up and cools (diffusivity) | 0.172mm²/s | not sourced |
| Thermal shock resistance | 49.9W/m | not sourced |
| Melting point | 220°CsourceDSC | 217°Csourcetypical |
| Max service temperature | 87°CsourceIEC 60216 temperature index, 20000 h | 50.3°CsourceHDT 0.455 MPa (printed specimens) |
| Values for | BASF Ultramid B3S (PA6, unreinforced injection-moulding grade), Product Information 02/2026, dry values (ISO methods) | Ultimaker TPU 95A, 3D-printed specimens, XY (flat); Ultimaker S5 Pro, engineering intent profile, 0.15 mm layer height, AA 0.4 print core, 100% infill, Cura 4.9, printed one-at-a-time, conditioned >=24 h at room temperature. TDS (file v5.00), April 29, 2022. |
Every value links to the document that states it. "Not sourced" means no citable source states it (or only a specification minimum); figures computed from it are left out too.
Plastic TPU is 3D printed: its properties depend on build direction and print settings; these are typical values.
Questions
Is Plastic Nylon PA6 stronger than Plastic TPU?
Plastic Nylon PA6 is stronger: its yield strength is 90 MPa against tensile strength 23.7 MPa for Plastic TPU (3.8x).
Which is lighter, Plastic Nylon PA6 or Plastic TPU?
Plastic Nylon PA6 is lighter: 1,130 kg/m³ against 1,220 kg/m³ for Plastic TPU.
Which is stiffer, Plastic Nylon PA6 or Plastic TPU?
Plastic Nylon PA6 is stiffer: Young's modulus 3.5 GPa against 0.067 GPa for Plastic TPU, so the same part in Plastic Nylon PA6 deflects less under the same load.
Which is lighter for the same job, Plastic Nylon PA6 or Plastic TPU?
For the same stiffness or strength: Plastic Nylon PA6 is lighter for a stiff rod or tie (tension), stiff beam (bending), stiff panel or plate, strong rod or tie, strong beam, strong panel or plate.
| Part that must be | Plastic Nylon PA6 | Plastic TPU |
|---|---|---|
| Stiff rod or tie (tension) | lighter | 56.4x heavier |
| Stiff beam (bending) | lighter | 7.8x heavier |
| Stiff panel or plate | lighter | 4.04x heavier |
| Strong rod or tie | lighter | 4.1x heavier |
| Strong beam | lighter | 2.63x heavier |
| Strong panel or plate | lighter | 2.1x heavier |
For the same stiffness or strength, mass scales with density over stiffness (or strength) raised to a power set by how the part is loaded: 1 for a rod in tension, 1/2 for a beam in bending, 1/3 for a panel (the standard material-selection indices).