Materials / Compare
SLS PA12 Nylon vs. FDM PAHT-CF
Compare SLS PA12 Nylon vs. FDM PAHT-CF 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 | not given (tensile used) | not given (tensile used) |
| Ultimate tensile strength | 48MPasourcetypical | 92MPasourcetypical1.92x stronger |
| Flexural strength | not sourced | 125MPasourcetypical |
| Elongation at break | 18%sourcetypical2.14x more ductile | 8.4%sourcetypical |
| Young's modulus (stiffness) | 1.65GPasourcetypical | 3.86GPasourcetypical2.34x stiffer |
| Density | 930kg/m³sourcetypical14% lighter | 1,060kg/m³sourcetypical |
| Strength to weight | 51.6kN·m/kg | 86.8kN·m/kg1.68x higher |
| Stiffness to weight | 1.77MN·m/kg | 3.64MN·m/kg2.05x higher |
| Poisson's ratio | not sourced | not sourced |
| Shear modulus | not sourced | not sourced |
| Bulk modulus | not sourced | not sourced |
| Speed of sound | 1,332m/s | 1,908m/s |
| Thermal | ||
| Thermal conductivity | not sourced | not sourced |
| Thermal expansion | not sourced | not sourced |
| 100 mm part over a 50 °C swing | not sourced | not sourced |
| Specific heat | not sourced | not sourced |
| Heats up and cools (diffusivity) | not sourced | not sourced |
| Thermal shock resistance | not sourced | not sourced |
| Melting point | 176°Csourcetypical | 225°Csourcetypical |
| Glass transition | not sourced | 70°Csourcetypical |
| Max service temperature | 64°CsourceHDT 1.8 MPa, X orientation | 170°CsourceHDT 1.8 MPa |
| Values for | 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. | Bambu Lab PAHT-CF, TDS V3.0, printed specimens X-Y, dry state; nozzle 290 °C, bed 100 °C, 100 mm/s, 100% infill; annealed and dried 80 °C for 12 h before testing. |
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.
SLS PA12 Nylon and FDM PAHT-CF are 3D printed: their properties depend on build direction and print settings; these are typical values.
Questions
Is SLS PA12 Nylon stronger than FDM PAHT-CF?
FDM PAHT-CF is stronger: its tensile strength is 92 MPa against 48 MPa for SLS PA12 Nylon (1.92x).
Which is lighter, SLS PA12 Nylon or FDM PAHT-CF?
SLS PA12 Nylon is lighter: 930 kg/m³ against 1,060 kg/m³ for FDM PAHT-CF.
Which is stiffer, SLS PA12 Nylon or FDM PAHT-CF?
FDM PAHT-CF is stiffer: Young's modulus 3.86 GPa against 1.65 GPa for SLS PA12 Nylon, so the same part in FDM PAHT-CF deflects less under the same load.
Which is lighter for the same job, SLS PA12 Nylon or FDM PAHT-CF?
For the same stiffness or strength: FDM PAHT-CF 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 | SLS PA12 Nylon | FDM PAHT-CF |
|---|---|---|
| Stiff rod or tie (tension) | 2.05x heavier | lighter |
| Stiff beam (bending) | 34% heavier | lighter |
| Stiff panel or plate | 16% heavier | lighter |
| Strong rod or tie | 1.68x heavier | lighter |
| Strong beam | 35% heavier | lighter |
| Strong panel or plate | 21% 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).
Which is more ductile, SLS PA12 Nylon or FDM PAHT-CF?
SLS PA12 Nylon stretches further before it breaks: 18% elongation at break against 8.4% for FDM PAHT-CF.