Materials / Compare
Plastic Nylon vs. Plastic TPU
Compare Plastic Nylon 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 | 63.1MPasourcetypical | not given (tensile used) |
| Ultimate tensile strength | 63.1MPasourcetypical, peak stress (= stress at yield) | 23.7MPasourcetypical, stress at break |
| Flexural strength | 82.9MPasourcetypical20.2x stronger in bending | 4.1MPasourcetypical |
| Elongation at break | not sourced | not sourced |
| Young's modulus (stiffness) | 2.33GPasourcetypical34.8x stiffer | 0.067GPasourcetypical |
| Density | 1,140kg/m³sourcetypical | 1,220kg/m³sourcetypical |
| Strength to weight | 55.4kN·m/kg2.85x higher | 19.4kN·m/kg |
| Stiffness to weight | 2.04MN·m/kg37.2x 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 | 0.833GPa | not sourced |
| Bulk modulus | 3.89GPa | not sourced |
| Speed of sound | 1,430m/s | 234m/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 | 217°Csourcetypical |
| Glass transition | 55.1°Csourcetypical | not sourced |
| Max service temperature | 89.2°CsourceHDT 0.455 MPa (printed specimens)1.77x hotter | 50.3°CsourceHDT 0.455 MPa (printed specimens) |
| 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. | 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 Nylon and Plastic TPU are 3D printed: their properties depend on build direction and print settings; these are typical values.
Questions
Is Plastic Nylon stronger than Plastic TPU?
Plastic Nylon is stronger: its yield strength is 63.1 MPa against tensile strength 23.7 MPa for Plastic TPU (2.66x).
Which is lighter, Plastic Nylon or Plastic TPU?
Plastic Nylon is lighter: 1,140 kg/m³ against 1,220 kg/m³ for Plastic TPU.
Which is stiffer, Plastic Nylon or Plastic TPU?
Plastic Nylon is stiffer: Young's modulus 2.33 GPa against 0.067 GPa for Plastic TPU, so the same part in Plastic Nylon deflects less under the same load.
Which is lighter for the same job, Plastic Nylon or Plastic TPU?
For the same stiffness or strength: Plastic Nylon 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 | Plastic TPU |
|---|---|---|
| Stiff rod or tie (tension) | lighter | 37.2x heavier |
| Stiff beam (bending) | lighter | 6.31x heavier |
| Stiff panel or plate | lighter | 3.49x heavier |
| Strong rod or tie | lighter | 2.85x heavier |
| Strong beam | lighter | 2.06x heavier |
| Strong panel or plate | lighter | 1.75x 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 handles higher temperatures, Plastic Nylon or Plastic TPU?
Plastic Nylon does: 89.2 °C against 50.3 °C for Plastic TPU, both HDT 0.455 MPa (printed specimens).