Materials / Compare
SLS PA12 Nylon vs. Zinc Zamak 3
Compare SLS PA12 Nylon vs. Zinc Zamak 3 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) | 221MPasourcetypical |
| Ultimate tensile strength | 48MPasourcetypical | 283MPasourcetypical5.9x stronger |
| Elongation at break | 18%sourcetypical | 10%sourcetypical, in 2 in. |
| Young's modulus (stiffness) | 1.65GPasourcetypical | 85.5GPasourcetypical51.8x stiffer |
| Density | 930kg/m³sourcetypical7.1x lighter | 6,600kg/m³sourcetypical |
| Strength to weight | 51.6kN·m/kg1.54x higher | 33.5kN·m/kg |
| Stiffness to weight | 1.77MN·m/kg | 13MN·m/kg7.3x higher |
| Poisson's ratio | not sourced | 0.27sourcetypical, Zamak 3 hot-chamber die cast |
| Shear modulus | not sourced | 33.7GPa |
| Bulk modulus | not sourced | 62GPa |
| Speed of sound | 1,332m/s | 3,599m/s |
| Thermal | ||
| Thermal conductivity | not sourced | 113W/m·Ksourcetypical |
| Thermal expansion | not sourced | 27.4µm/m·Ksourcetypical |
| 100 mm part over a 50 °C swing | not sourced | 137µm growth |
| Specific heat | not sourced | 419J/kg·Ksourcetypical |
| Heats up and cools (diffusivity) | not sourced | 40.9mm²/s |
| Thermal shock resistance | not sourced | 7,782W/m |
| Melting point | 176°Csourcetypical | 381–387°Csourcemelting range |
| 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. | Zamak 3 (ASTM B86 die cast), Nathan Trotter (zinc alloy producer) technical data sheet, typical values |
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 Zinc Zamak 3?
Zinc Zamak 3 is stronger: its yield strength is 221 MPa against tensile strength 48 MPa for SLS PA12 Nylon (4.6x).
Which is lighter, SLS PA12 Nylon or Zinc Zamak 3?
SLS PA12 Nylon is lighter: 930 kg/m³ against 6,600 kg/m³ for Zinc Zamak 3.
Which is stiffer, SLS PA12 Nylon or Zinc Zamak 3?
Zinc Zamak 3 is stiffer: Young's modulus 85.5 GPa against 1.65 GPa for SLS PA12 Nylon, so the same part in Zinc Zamak 3 deflects less under the same load.
Which is lighter for the same job, SLS PA12 Nylon or Zinc Zamak 3?
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; Zinc Zamak 3 is lighter for a stiff rod or tie (tension), stiff beam (bending).
| Part that must be | SLS PA12 Nylon | Zinc Zamak 3 |
|---|---|---|
| Stiff rod or tie (tension) | 7.3x heavier | lighter |
| Stiff beam (bending) | 1% heavier | lighter |
| Stiff panel or plate | lighter | 1.9x heavier |
| Strong rod or tie | lighter | 1.54x heavier |
| Strong beam | lighter | 2.56x heavier |
| Strong panel or plate | lighter | 3.31x 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).