Materials / Compare
SLS PA12 Nylon vs. Rubber
Compare SLS PA12 Nylon vs. Rubber 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 | 48MPasourcetypical2.09x stronger | 23MPasourcetypical |
| Elongation at break | 18%sourcetypical | 830%sourcetypical46.1x more ductile |
| Young's modulus (stiffness) | 1.65GPasourcetypical | not sourced |
| Density | 930kg/m³sourcetypical | 960kg/m³sourcetypical (specific gravity) |
| Strength to weight | 51.6kN·m/kg2.15x higher | 24kN·m/kg |
| Stiffness to weight | 1.77MN·m/kg | not sourced |
| Poisson's ratio | not sourced | 0.5sourcegovernment (NBS J. Res. 68A, 1964): computed by NBS for peroxide-cured gum NR vulcanizate, 25 °C, infinitesimal deformation0.49 in the solver: the linear element locks as the ratio nears 0.5 (nearly incompressible). |
| Shear modulus | not sourced | not sourced |
| Bulk modulus | not sourced | not sourced |
| Speed of sound | 1,332m/s | not sourced |
| Thermal | ||
| Thermal conductivity | not sourced | 0.151W/m·Ksourcegovernment selected value (US Army Natick Laboratories TR 66-49-PR, 1966), soft vulcanized natural rubber, 25 °C |
| Thermal expansion | not sourced | not sourced |
| 100 mm part over a 50 °C swing | not sourced | not sourced |
| Specific heat | not sourced | 1,881J/kg·Ksourcegovernment (NBS J. Res. 68A, Table 7; values observed for unvulcanized NR by Bekkedahl and Matheson), 25 °C |
| Heats up and cools (diffusivity) | not sourced | 0.0836mm²/s |
| Thermal shock resistance | not sourced | not sourced |
| Melting point | 176°Csourcetypical | not sourced |
| Max service temperature | 64°CsourceHDT 1.8 MPa, X orientation | 70°Csourcecontinuous use operating range |
| 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. | Weir Minerals Linatex Premium rubber (95 % natural rubber), typical physical properties, spec sheet WMD0118/202305 |
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 is 3D printed: its properties depend on build direction and print settings; these are typical values.
Questions
Is SLS PA12 Nylon stronger than Rubber?
SLS PA12 Nylon is stronger: its tensile strength is 48 MPa against 23 MPa for Rubber (2.09x).
Which is lighter, SLS PA12 Nylon or Rubber?
SLS PA12 Nylon is lighter: 930 kg/m³ against 960 kg/m³ for Rubber.
Which is lighter for the same job, SLS PA12 Nylon or Rubber?
For the same stiffness or strength: SLS PA12 Nylon is lighter for a strong rod or tie, strong beam, strong panel or plate.
| Part that must be | SLS PA12 Nylon | Rubber |
|---|---|---|
| Strong rod or tie | lighter | 2.15x heavier |
| Strong beam | lighter | 1.69x heavier |
| Strong panel or plate | lighter | 49% 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 is more ductile, SLS PA12 Nylon or Rubber?
Rubber stretches further before it breaks: 830% elongation at break against 18% for SLS PA12 Nylon.