Materials / Compare
SLS PA12 Nylon vs. Steel A992
Compare SLS PA12 Nylon vs. Steel A992 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) | 385MPasourcetypical: mean of 20,295 A992 flange mill-test coupons (1998 SSPC survey), as reported by AISC |
| Ultimate tensile strength | 48MPasourcetypical | 505MPasourcetypical: mean of 20,295 A992 flange mill-test coupons (1998 SSPC survey) |
| Elongation at break | 18%sourcetypical | not sourced |
| Young's modulus (stiffness) | 1.65GPasourcetypical | 200GPasourcedesign value (AISC 360-16) |
| Density | 930kg/m³sourcetypical | 7,850kg/m³sourcenominal (constructional data) |
| Strength to weight | 51.6kN·m/kg5% higher | 49kN·m/kg |
| Stiffness to weight | 1.77MN·m/kg | 25.5MN·m/kg14.4x higher |
| Poisson's ratio | not sourced | 0.3sourcedesign value (AISC 360-16 Commentary) |
| Shear modulus | not sourced | 76.9GPa |
| Bulk modulus | not sourced | 167GPa |
| Speed of sound | 1,332m/s | 5,048m/s |
| Thermal | ||
| Thermal conductivity | not sourced | 48W/m·Ksourcenominal at 20 °C |
| Thermal expansion | not sourced | 12µm/m·Ksourcenominal (constructional data, no temperature range stated) |
| 100 mm part over a 50 °C swing | not sourced | 60µm growth |
| Specific heat | not sourced | 460–480J/kg·Ksourcebase material: EN S275JR unalloyed structural steel (the EN counterpart of A36), typical, 50/100 °C |
| Heats up and cools (diffusivity) | not sourced | 13mm²/s |
| Thermal shock resistance | not sourced | 5,390W/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. | ASTM A992 W-shapes; Fy/Fu specified minimums from AISC publications (AISC 360-16 Commentary; Modern Steel Construction); elastic constants AISC 360; physical constants from the bauforumstahl structural-steel EPD, which names A992 among covered product standards. |
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 A992?
Steel A992 is stronger: its yield strength is 385 MPa against tensile strength 48 MPa for SLS PA12 Nylon (8.02x).
Which is lighter, SLS PA12 Nylon or Steel A992?
SLS PA12 Nylon is lighter: 930 kg/m³ against 7,850 kg/m³ for Steel A992.
Which is stiffer, SLS PA12 Nylon or Steel A992?
Steel A992 is stiffer: Young's modulus 200 GPa against 1.65 GPa for SLS PA12 Nylon, so the same part in Steel A992 deflects less under the same load.
Which is lighter for the same job, SLS PA12 Nylon or Steel A992?
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; Steel A992 is lighter for a stiff rod or tie (tension), stiff beam (bending).
| Part that must be | SLS PA12 Nylon | Steel A992 |
|---|---|---|
| Stiff rod or tie (tension) | 14.4x heavier | lighter |
| Stiff beam (bending) | 30% heavier | lighter |
| Stiff panel or plate | lighter | 1.71x heavier |
| Strong rod or tie | lighter | 5% heavier |
| Strong beam | lighter | 2.11x heavier |
| Strong panel or plate | lighter | 2.98x 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).