Materials / Compare
Plastic Nylon PA66 vs. Plastic PLA
Compare Plastic Nylon PA66 vs. Plastic PLA 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 | 85MPasourcetypical, dry | 52.5MPasourcetypical |
| Ultimate tensile strength | not sourced | 52.5MPasourcetypical, peak stress (= stress at yield) |
| Flexural strength | not sourced | 96.8MPasourcetypical |
| Elongation at break | 30%sourcenominal strain at break, dry | 7.8%sourcetypical |
| Young's modulus (stiffness) | 3GPasourcetypical, dry | 3.25GPasourcetypical |
| Density | 1,130kg/m³sourcetypical | 1,240kg/m³sourcetypical |
| Strength to weight | 75.2kN·m/kg1.78x higher | 42.3kN·m/kg |
| Stiffness to weight | 2.65MN·m/kg1% higher | 2.62MN·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 | 1.07GPa | not sourced |
| Bulk modulus | 5GPa | not sourced |
| Speed of sound | 1,629m/s | 1,619m/s |
| Thermal | ||
| Thermal conductivity | 0.33W/m·Ksourcetypical | 0.13W/m·Ksourcebase material: NatureWorks Ingeo biopolymer, amorphous sheet, 25 °C |
| Thermal expansion | 98µm/m·Ksourcelongitudinal, 23-55 °C | not sourced |
| 100 mm part over a 50 °C swing | 490µm growth | not sourced |
| Specific heat | 1,700J/kg·Ksourcetypical | 1,200J/kg·Ksourcebase material: NatureWorks Ingeo biopolymer, amorphous sheet, 25 °C |
| Heats up and cools (diffusivity) | 0.172mm²/s1.97x faster | 0.0874mm²/s |
| Thermal shock resistance | 57.2W/m | not sourced |
| Melting point | 260°CsourceDSC | 152°Csourcetypical |
| Glass transition | not sourced | 59.1°Csourcetypical |
| Max service temperature | 101°CsourceIEC 60216 temperature index, 20000 h | 58.8°CsourceHDT 0.455 MPa (printed specimens) |
| Values for | BASF Ultramid A3K (PA66, unreinforced injection-moulding grade), Product Information 02/2026, dry values (ISO methods) | Ultimaker PLA, 3D-printed specimens, XY (flat) orientation; 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 dated April 20, 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 PLA is 3D printed: its properties depend on build direction and print settings; these are typical values.
Questions
Is Plastic Nylon PA66 stronger than Plastic PLA?
Plastic Nylon PA66 is stronger: its yield strength is 85 MPa against 52.5 MPa for Plastic PLA (1.62x).
Which is lighter, Plastic Nylon PA66 or Plastic PLA?
Plastic Nylon PA66 is lighter: 1,130 kg/m³ against 1,240 kg/m³ for Plastic PLA.
Which is stiffer, Plastic Nylon PA66 or Plastic PLA?
Plastic PLA is stiffer: Young's modulus 3.25 GPa against 3 GPa for Plastic Nylon PA66, so the same part in Plastic PLA deflects less under the same load.
Which is lighter for the same job, Plastic Nylon PA66 or Plastic PLA?
For the same stiffness or strength: Plastic Nylon PA66 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 PA66 | Plastic PLA |
|---|---|---|
| Stiff rod or tie (tension) | lighter | 1% heavier |
| Stiff beam (bending) | lighter | 5% heavier |
| Stiff panel or plate | lighter | 7% heavier |
| Strong rod or tie | lighter | 1.78x heavier |
| Strong beam | lighter | 1.51x heavier |
| Strong panel or plate | lighter | 40% 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).
Which conducts heat better, Plastic Nylon PA66 or Plastic PLA?
Plastic Nylon PA66 conducts heat better: 0.33 W/m·K against 0.13 W/m·K for Plastic PLA.