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Plastic POM/Acetal vs. SLS PA12 Nylon

Compare Plastic POM/Acetal vs. SLS PA12 Nylon strength, stiffness, weight and thermal properties.

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Plastic POM/AcetalBulk polymer (molded or machined)
SLS PA12 Nylon3D printed (SLS)
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Mechanical
Yield strength69MPasourcetypical (single ASTM D638 tensile strength)not given (tensile used)
Ultimate tensile strength69MPasourcetypical44% stronger48MPasourcetypical
Compressive strength124MPasourcecompressive stress at 10% deformationnot sourced
Flexural strength99MPasourceflexural yield strength, typicalnot sourced
Elongation at break75%sourcetypical4.17x more ductile18%sourcetypical
Young's modulus (stiffness)2.8GPasourcetypical1.7x stiffer1.65GPasourcetypical
Density1,420kg/m³sourcetypical (DuPont product information for Delrin 100 NC010; 'The data listed here fall within the normal range of product properties')930kg/m³sourcetypical
Strength to weight48.6kN·m/kg51.6kN·m/kg6% higher
Stiffness to weight1.97MN·m/kg11% higher1.77MN·m/kg
Poisson's ratio0.35sourcetypicalnot sourced
Shear modulus1.04GPanot sourced
Bulk modulus3.11GPanot sourced
Speed of sound1,404m/s1,332m/s
Thermal
Thermal conductivity0.4W/m·Ksourcetypicalnot sourced
Thermal expansion122µm/m·Ksourcemean, 29 to 60 °Cnot sourced
100 mm part over a 50 °C swing610µm growthnot sourced
Specific heat1,465J/kg·Ksourceaverage -18 to 100 °C, Delrin acetal resins (not grade-specific)not sourced
Heats up and cools (diffusivity)0.192mm²/snot sourced
Thermal shock resistance52.5W/mnot sourced
Melting point175°Csourcecrystalline melting point176°Csourcetypical
Max service temperature125°CsourceHDT 1.8 MPa (annealed)64°CsourceHDT 1.8 MPa, X orientation
Values forDuPont Delrin 100 acetal homopolymer, Table 2 'Typical Properties of Delrin Acetal Resins' (ASTM methods), Delrin Design Guide Module III hosted on delrin.comEOS 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.

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 Plastic POM/Acetal stronger than SLS PA12 Nylon?

Plastic POM/Acetal is stronger: its yield strength is 69 MPa against tensile strength 48 MPa for SLS PA12 Nylon (44%).

Which is lighter, Plastic POM/Acetal or SLS PA12 Nylon?

SLS PA12 Nylon is lighter: 930 kg/m³ against 1,420 kg/m³ for Plastic POM/Acetal.

Which is stiffer, Plastic POM/Acetal or SLS PA12 Nylon?

Plastic POM/Acetal is stiffer: Young's modulus 2.8 GPa against 1.65 GPa for SLS PA12 Nylon, so the same part in Plastic POM/Acetal deflects less under the same load.

Which is lighter for the same job, Plastic POM/Acetal or SLS PA12 Nylon?

For the same stiffness or strength: Plastic POM/Acetal is lighter for a stiff rod or tie (tension); SLS PA12 Nylon is lighter for a stiff beam (bending), stiff panel or plate, strong rod or tie, strong beam, strong panel or plate.

Part that must bePlastic POM/AcetalSLS PA12 Nylon
Stiff rod or tie (tension)lighter11% heavier
Stiff beam (bending)17% heavierlighter
Stiff panel or plate28% heavierlighter
Strong rod or tie6% heavierlighter
Strong beam20% heavierlighter
Strong panel or plate27% heavierlighter

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).

Which is more ductile, Plastic POM/Acetal or SLS PA12 Nylon?

Plastic POM/Acetal stretches further before it breaks: 75% elongation at break against 18% for SLS PA12 Nylon.

Among 59 materials

1k10k0.1110100Density (kg/m³)Young's modulus (GPa)Plastic PLAPlastic PETGPlastic ABSPlastic TPUPlastic NylonAluminumSteelIronTitaniumSteel AISI 1018Stainless Steel 304Stainless Steel 316Aluminum 6061-T6Aluminum 7075-T6Brass C360Copper C110GlassSteel AISI 1045Steel AISI 4340Steel A992Stainless Steel 303Stainless Steel 17-4PHAluminum 2024-T351Aluminum 5052-H32Aluminum 7050-T7451Titanium Ti-6Al-4VBrass C260Nickel Inconel 718Magnesium AZ31B-H24Zinc Zamak 3Plastic ABS (bulk/injection)Plastic PolycarbonatePlastic Nylon PA6Plastic Nylon PA66Plastic PEEKPlastic UHMWPEPlastic HDPEPlastic PolypropylenePlastic PMMAFDM ASAFDM PolycarbonateFDM PAHT-CFFDM HIPSSLA Resin Tough 2000DMLS AlSi10Mg AluminumDMLS Ti-6Al-4V ELI TitaniumDMLS 316L Stainless SteelDMLS 17-4PH Stainless SteelPlastic POM/AcetalSLS PA12 Nylon
Stiffness against density
1k10k101001kDensity (kg/m³)Yield strength (MPa)Plastic PLAPlastic PETGPlastic ABSPlastic TPUPlastic NylonRubberAluminumSteelIronTitaniumSteel AISI 1018Stainless Steel 304Stainless Steel 316Aluminum 6061-T6Aluminum 7075-T6Brass C360Copper C110GlassSteel AISI 1045Steel AISI 4340Steel A992Stainless Steel 303Stainless Steel 17-4PHAluminum 2024-T351Aluminum 5052-H32Aluminum 7050-T7451Titanium Ti-6Al-4VBrass C260Nickel Inconel 718Magnesium AZ31B-H24Zinc Zamak 3Plastic ABS (bulk/injection)Plastic PolycarbonatePlastic Nylon PA6Plastic Nylon PA66Plastic PEEKPlastic PTFEPlastic UHMWPEPlastic HDPEPlastic PolypropylenePlastic PMMAFDM ASAFDM PolycarbonateFDM PAHT-CFFDM HIPSSLA Resin Tough 2000SLA Resin Elastic 50ADMLS AlSi10Mg AluminumDMLS Ti-6Al-4V ELI TitaniumDMLS 316L Stainless SteelDMLS 17-4PH Stainless SteelBrickPlastic POM/AcetalSLS PA12 Nylon
Strength against density

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