SLS PA12 Nylon vs. Titanium Ti-6Al-4V

Compare SLS PA12 Nylon vs. Titanium Ti-6Al-4V strength, stiffness, weight and thermal properties.

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Mechanical
Try it on a partA bracket to run stress or thermal on, free in your browser	Open in LessCAD	Open in LessCAD
Yield strength	not given (tensile used)	885MPasourcetypical, plate (>0.187 in), annealed, 0.2% offset
Ultimate tensile strength	48MPasourcetypical	940MPasourcetypical, plate, annealed
Elongation at break	18%sourcetypical	16%sourcetypical, in 2 in., plate annealed
Young's modulus (stiffness)	1.65GPasourcetypical	107–122GPasourcetypical range, 20 °C
Density	930kg/m³sourcetypical	4,430kg/m³sourcenominal
Strength to weight	51.6kN·m/kg	200kN·m/kg3.87x higher
Stiffness to weight	1.77MN·m/kg	25.8MN·m/kg14.6x higher
Poisson's ratio	not sourced	0.342sourcemean of TIMET measurements
Shear modulus	not sourced	42.7GPa
Bulk modulus	not sourced	121GPa
Speed of sound	1,332m/s	5,084m/s
Thermal
Thermal conductivity	not sourced	6.6W/m·Ksourcetypical, 20 °C, mill annealed
Thermal expansion	not sourced	9µm/m·Ksourcetypical, mean 0-100 °C
100 mm part over a 50 °C swing	not sourced	45µm growth
Specific heat	not sourced	580J/kg·Ksourcetypical, 20 °C
Heats up and cools (diffusivity)	not sourced	2.57mm²/s
Thermal shock resistance	not sourced	3,730W/m
Melting point	176°Csourcetypical	1,630–1,650°Csourcemelting range
Max service temperature	64°CsourceHDT 1.8 MPa, X orientation	400°Csourceupper recommended use temperature
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.	TIMETAL 6-4 (Ti-6Al-4V Grade 5) annealed plate typical (TIMET properties manual) + TIMET datasheet TMC-0150 physical properties

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 Titanium Ti-6Al-4V?

Titanium Ti-6Al-4V is stronger: its yield strength is 885 MPa against tensile strength 48 MPa for SLS PA12 Nylon (18.4x).

Which is lighter, SLS PA12 Nylon or Titanium Ti-6Al-4V?

SLS PA12 Nylon is lighter: 930 kg/m³ against 4,430 kg/m³ for Titanium Ti-6Al-4V.

Which is stiffer, SLS PA12 Nylon or Titanium Ti-6Al-4V?

Titanium Ti-6Al-4V is stiffer: Young's modulus 115 GPa against 1.65 GPa for SLS PA12 Nylon, so the same part in Titanium Ti-6Al-4V deflects less under the same load.

Which is lighter for the same job, SLS PA12 Nylon or Titanium Ti-6Al-4V?

For the same stiffness or strength: SLS PA12 Nylon is lighter for a stiff panel or plate, strong panel or plate; Titanium Ti-6Al-4V is lighter for a stiff rod or tie (tension), stiff beam (bending), strong rod or tie, strong beam.

Part that must be	SLS PA12 Nylon	Titanium Ti-6Al-4V
Stiff rod or tie (tension)	14.6x heavier	lighter
Stiff beam (bending)	1.75x heavier	lighter
Stiff panel or plate	lighter	16% heavier
Strong rod or tie	3.87x heavier	lighter
Strong beam	47% heavier	lighter
Strong panel or plate	lighter	11% 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).

Among 59 materials

Stiffness against density

Strength against density