Materials / Compare
SLS PA12 Nylon vs. Steel AISI 1045
Compare SLS PA12 Nylon vs. Steel AISI 1045 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) | 531MPasourceproducer-stated, cold drawn |
| Ultimate tensile strength | 48MPasourcetypical | 627MPasourceproducer-stated, cold drawn |
| Elongation at break | 18%sourcetypical | 12%sourcein 2 in (50.8 mm) |
| Young's modulus (stiffness) | 1.65GPasourcetypical | 210GPasourcetypical127x stiffer |
| Density | 930kg/m³sourcetypical8.39x lighter | 7,800kg/m³sourcetypical |
| Strength to weight | 51.6kN·m/kg | 68.1kN·m/kg32% higher |
| Stiffness to weight | 1.77MN·m/kg | 26.9MN·m/kg15.2x higher |
| Poisson's ratio | not sourced | 0.3sourcetypical |
| Shear modulus | not sourced | 80.8GPa |
| Bulk modulus | not sourced | 175GPa |
| Speed of sound | 1,332m/s | 5,189m/s |
| Thermal | ||
| Thermal conductivity | not sourced | 40–45W/m·Ksourcetypical range, ambient |
| Thermal expansion | not sourced | 12µm/m·Ksourcetypical, mean 20-300 °C |
| 100 mm part over a 50 °C swing | not sourced | 60µm growth |
| Specific heat | not sourced | 460–480J/kg·Ksourcetypical range, 50/100 °C |
| Heats up and cools (diffusivity) | not sourced | 11.6mm²/s |
| Thermal shock resistance | not sourced | 6,269W/m |
| Melting point | 176°Csourcetypical | not sourced |
| Max service temperature | 64°CsourceHDT 1.8 MPa, X orientation | not sourced |
| 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. | AISI 1045 cold drawn bar (Niagara LaSalle) for mechanical; Ovako C45 (lists 'SAE 1045' as a similar designation) for physical constants |
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 Steel AISI 1045?
Steel AISI 1045 is stronger: its yield strength is 531 MPa against tensile strength 48 MPa for SLS PA12 Nylon (11.1x).
Which is lighter, SLS PA12 Nylon or Steel AISI 1045?
SLS PA12 Nylon is lighter: 930 kg/m³ against 7,800 kg/m³ for Steel AISI 1045.
Which is stiffer, SLS PA12 Nylon or Steel AISI 1045?
Steel AISI 1045 is stiffer: Young's modulus 210 GPa against 1.65 GPa for SLS PA12 Nylon, so the same part in Steel AISI 1045 deflects less under the same load.
Which is lighter for the same job, SLS PA12 Nylon or Steel AISI 1045?
For the same stiffness or strength: SLS PA12 Nylon is lighter for a stiff panel or plate, strong beam, strong panel or plate; Steel AISI 1045 is lighter for a stiff rod or tie (tension), stiff beam (bending), strong rod or tie.
| Part that must be | SLS PA12 Nylon | Steel AISI 1045 |
|---|---|---|
| Stiff rod or tie (tension) | 15.2x heavier | lighter |
| Stiff beam (bending) | 35% heavier | lighter |
| Stiff panel or plate | lighter | 1.67x heavier |
| Strong rod or tie | 32% heavier | lighter |
| Strong beam | lighter | 1.69x heavier |
| Strong panel or plate | lighter | 2.52x 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).