Materials / Compare
Plastic Nylon vs. SLS PA12 Nylon
Compare Plastic Nylon vs. SLS PA12 Nylon 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 | 63.1MPasourcetypical | not given (tensile used) |
| Ultimate tensile strength | 63.1MPasourcetypical, peak stress (= stress at yield) | 48MPasourcetypical |
| Flexural strength | 82.9MPasourcetypical | not sourced |
| Elongation at break | not sourced | 18%sourcetypical |
| Young's modulus (stiffness) | 2.33GPasourcetypical41% stiffer | 1.65GPasourcetypical |
| Density | 1,140kg/m³sourcetypical | 930kg/m³sourcetypical23% lighter |
| Strength to weight | 55.4kN·m/kg7% higher | 51.6kN·m/kg |
| Stiffness to weight | 2.04MN·m/kg15% higher | 1.77MN·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 | 0.833GPa | not sourced |
| Bulk modulus | 3.89GPa | not sourced |
| Speed of sound | 1,430m/s | 1,332m/s |
| Thermal | ||
| Thermal conductivity | 0.33W/m·Ksourcebase material: unreinforced BASF Ultramid PA66 (A3K) and PA6 (B3S), 23 C (same value for both) | not sourced |
| Thermal expansion | 98–102µm/m·Ksourcebase material: unreinforced BASF Ultramid PA66 (A3K, 98) and PA6 (B3S, 102), 23-55 C | not sourced |
| 100 mm part over a 50 °C swing | 500µm growth | not sourced |
| Specific heat | 1,700J/kg·Ksourcebase material: unreinforced BASF Ultramid PA66 (A3K) and PA6 (B3S), 23 C (same value for both) | not sourced |
| Heats up and cools (diffusivity) | 0.17mm²/s | not sourced |
| Thermal shock resistance | 53.6W/m | not sourced |
| Melting point | 188°Csourcetypical | 176°Csourcetypical |
| Glass transition | 55.1°Csourcetypical | not sourced |
| Max service temperature | 89.2°CsourceHDT 0.455 MPa (printed specimens) | 64°CsourceHDT 1.8 MPa, X orientation |
| Values for | Ultimaker Nylon, 3D-printed specimens, XY (flat), conditioned >=24 h at room temperature; 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 v2.00, April 20, 2022. | EOS PA 2200 (PA12) Material Data Sheet, process parameter 'Balance' at 120 µm layer thickness, X orientation, dry (conditioned values not given). Live MDS status 04.10.2026, last changed 10.09.2026; PDF via ?topdf=... link on the same page. |
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 Nylon and SLS PA12 Nylon are 3D printed: their properties depend on build direction and print settings; these are typical values.
Questions
Is Plastic Nylon stronger than SLS PA12 Nylon?
Plastic Nylon is stronger: its yield strength is 63.1 MPa against tensile strength 48 MPa for SLS PA12 Nylon (31%).
Which is lighter, Plastic Nylon or SLS PA12 Nylon?
SLS PA12 Nylon is lighter: 930 kg/m³ against 1,140 kg/m³ for Plastic Nylon.
Which is stiffer, Plastic Nylon or SLS PA12 Nylon?
Plastic Nylon is stiffer: Young's modulus 2.33 GPa against 1.65 GPa for SLS PA12 Nylon, so the same part in Plastic Nylon deflects less under the same load.
Which is lighter for the same job, Plastic Nylon or SLS PA12 Nylon?
For the same stiffness or strength: Plastic Nylon is lighter for a stiff rod or tie (tension), strong rod or tie; SLS PA12 Nylon is lighter for a stiff beam (bending), stiff panel or plate, strong beam, strong panel or plate.
| Part that must be | Plastic Nylon | SLS PA12 Nylon |
|---|---|---|
| Stiff rod or tie (tension) | lighter | 15% heavier |
| Stiff beam (bending) | 3% heavier | lighter |
| Stiff panel or plate | 9% heavier | lighter |
| Strong rod or tie | lighter | 7% heavier |
| Strong beam | 2% heavier | lighter |
| Strong panel or plate | 7% heavier | lighter |
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).