Materials / Compare
SLS PA12 Nylon vs. Stainless 303
Compare SLS PA12 Nylon vs. Stainless 303 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) | 275MPasourceOutokumpu typical (product P = hot rolled plate, transverse) |
| Ultimate tensile strength | 48MPasourcetypical | 585MPasourceOutokumpu typical |
| Elongation at break | 18%sourcetypical | 35%sourceOutokumpu typical, A5 |
| Young's modulus (stiffness) | 1.65GPasourcetypical | 200GPasourceat RT (Table 12) |
| Density | 930kg/m³sourcetypical | 7,900kg/m³sourceat RT |
| Strength to weight | 51.6kN·m/kg48% higher | 34.8kN·m/kg |
| Stiffness to weight | 1.77MN·m/kg | 25.3MN·m/kg14.3x higher |
| Poisson's ratio | not sourced | 0.3sourcedesign value (structural stainless steels) |
| Shear modulus | not sourced | 76.9GPa |
| Bulk modulus | not sourced | 167GPa |
| Speed of sound | 1,332m/s | 5,032m/s |
| Thermal | ||
| Thermal conductivity | not sourced | 15W/m·Ksourceat RT |
| Thermal expansion | not sourced | 16µm/m·Ksourcemean, 20–100 °C |
| 100 mm part over a 50 °C swing | not sourced | 80µm growth |
| Specific heat | not sourced | 500J/kg·Ksourceat RT |
| Heats up and cools (diffusivity) | not sourced | 3.8mm²/s |
| Thermal shock resistance | not sourced | 902W/m |
| Melting point | 176°Csourcetypical | not sourced |
| Max service temperature | 64°CsourceHDT 1.8 MPa, X orientation | 871°Csourcecontinuous, scaling limit |
| 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. | 1.4305 / UNS S30300, Outokumpu typical values (hot rolled, solution annealed) from 'Steel Grades, Properties and Global Standards'; max service from Carpenter CarTech 303 datasheet |
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 Stainless 303?
Stainless 303 is stronger: its yield strength is 275 MPa against tensile strength 48 MPa for SLS PA12 Nylon (5.73x).
Which is lighter, SLS PA12 Nylon or Stainless 303?
SLS PA12 Nylon is lighter: 930 kg/m³ against 7,900 kg/m³ for Stainless 303.
Which is stiffer, SLS PA12 Nylon or Stainless 303?
Stainless 303 is stiffer: Young's modulus 200 GPa against 1.65 GPa for SLS PA12 Nylon, so the same part in Stainless 303 deflects less under the same load.
Which is lighter for the same job, SLS PA12 Nylon or Stainless 303?
For the same stiffness or strength: SLS PA12 Nylon is lighter for a stiff panel or plate, strong rod or tie, strong beam, strong panel or plate; Stainless 303 is lighter for a stiff rod or tie (tension), stiff beam (bending).
| Part that must be | SLS PA12 Nylon | Stainless 303 |
|---|---|---|
| Stiff rod or tie (tension) | 14.3x heavier | lighter |
| Stiff beam (bending) | 30% heavier | lighter |
| Stiff panel or plate | lighter | 1.72x heavier |
| Strong rod or tie | lighter | 48% heavier |
| Strong beam | lighter | 2.65x heavier |
| Strong panel or plate | lighter | 3.55x 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).