Engineering-grade thermoplastic composites for functional parts, structural applications, and high-performance components. When PLA or ABS won't cut it, nylon and carbon fiber reinforced nylon deliver the mechanical performance your application demands.
Get a Material Quote All Materials| Material | Tensile Strength | Flex Modulus | HDT | Key Characteristic |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Nylon 12 (PA12) FDM | 50 MPa | 1.6 GPa | 120°C | Flexible, fatigue-resistant, chemical-resistant |
| Nylon 6 (PA6) FDM | 65 MPa | 2.8 GPa | 130°C | Stiffer than PA12, higher strength ceiling |
| Glass-Filled Nylon (GF-PA) | 80 MPa | 5.5 GPa | 145°C | High stiffness, minimal creep, dimensional stability |
| Carbon Fiber Nylon (CFR-PA12) | 105 MPa | 10+ GPa | 130°C | Highest stiffness-to-weight ratio in FDM range |
| Carbon Fiber Nylon (CFR-PA6) | 130 MPa | 13+ GPa | 145°C | Near-aluminum stiffness, excellent fatigue life |
| SLS Nylon 12 (PA12 Powder) | 48 MPa | 1.7 GPa | 120°C | Isotropic properties, complex geometry, no supports |
Nylon 12 is the most printed engineering nylon for good reason. It combines excellent chemical resistance (oils, greases, fuels, and many solvents), good fatigue resistance for cyclically loaded parts, and enough flexibility to handle snap-fit and living hinge geometries that would fracture in PLA or ABS.
PA12 also absorbs less moisture than PA6, which means better dimensional stability in humid environments — important for Houston's climate.
Glass fiber reinforcement dramatically increases the stiffness and dimensional stability of nylon. Where unfilled PA12 has a flexural modulus of ~1.6 GPa, glass-filled nylon reaches 5+ GPa — making it nearly three times stiffer per unit of material. Creep under sustained load is also significantly reduced, which matters for load-bearing brackets, mounting plates, and structural components in hot environments.
Carbon fiber reinforced nylon delivers the highest stiffness-to-weight ratio available in our FDM material range. Short carbon fiber chopped into the nylon matrix increases flexural modulus to 10–13+ GPa while keeping density near the base nylon at 1.1–1.2 g/cm³. The result is parts with stiffness approaching aluminum at a fraction of the weight.
CFR-PA parts have a distinctive matte black carbon-fiber appearance and feel substantially stiffer than their dimensions suggest. An important note: CFR-PA is more brittle than unfilled nylon — higher stiffness comes with reduced elongation at break. Not recommended for snap-fits or living hinges.
Selective Laser Sintering (SLS) uses a laser to fuse nylon powder, building parts without any support structures. The result is parts with nearly isotropic mechanical properties (similar strength in all directions) and the ability to produce internal channels, interlocking assemblies, and complex geometry that FDM cannot achieve.
Unlike FDM which has weaker Z-axis properties, SLS nylon performs nearly identically in all directions. Critical for load cases where the load direction is uncertain or varies.
Unsintered powder supports the part during printing, so no supports are needed. Enables undercuts, overhangs, and internal channels that can't be printed in FDM.
SLS produces a slightly grainy but uniform surface texture — consistent across all surfaces including inside channels. Can be bead blasted for a smooth matte finish.
In tensile strength and stiffness, yes — significantly so. Carbon fiber nylon reaches 105–130 MPa tensile strength versus 40–55 MPa for ABS. Stiffness (flexural modulus) is 10–13 GPa for CFR-PA versus approximately 2 GPa for ABS. However, CFR-PA is more brittle — its elongation at break is 1–2% versus 3–8% for ABS. In applications where you need maximum stiffness and can accept brittleness (structural brackets, rigid frames, stiff mounts), CFR-PA wins clearly. For applications requiring impact resistance or flexibility, ABS or unfilled nylon may be the better choice despite lower stiffness numbers.
Nylon FDM materials require higher print temperatures than standard PLA or ABS: PA12 typically prints at 240–260°C nozzle temperature, PA6 at 250–270°C, and CFR-PA variants at 255–280°C. These temperatures require an all-metal hot end (no PTFE-lined hot end, which degrades at these temperatures). Our printers are equipped with hardened steel or ruby nozzles for abrasive CF composites. Nylon also requires heated build plates (70–90°C) and enclosed build environments to prevent warping from ambient temperature gradients. All of this is handled automatically in our process — you don't need to worry about print settings.
Yes — FDM nylon is anisotropic, like all FDM materials. Strength in the XY plane (within each printed layer) is higher than in the Z axis (between layers). For most engineering applications, this means we orient your part to place the weakest direction (Z) away from the primary load path. When you submit a part for printing, let us know the primary load direction and key stress points — we'll orient the print to maximize performance in your application. SLS nylon avoids this issue entirely by producing near-isotropic parts — worth the cost premium for parts with complex or multi-directional load cases.
Yes. Nylon is hygroscopic — it absorbs moisture from the environment, which can cause dimensional swelling and reduced mechanical properties over time in very high-humidity conditions. PA12 absorbs less moisture than PA6, which is one reason we recommend PA12 for Houston's humid environment. For most structural applications, moisture absorption in service is not a significant issue — parts reach equilibrium moisture content and properties stabilize. For precision-fit applications where dimensional stability over months matters, PA12 or glass-filled nylon (which absorbs less moisture than unfilled nylon) is the preferred choice. We dry all nylon filament before printing to ensure consistent starting properties.
Yes. CFR-PA parts can be drilled, tapped, sanded, and cut with standard carbide or diamond-tipped tooling. The carbon fibers are abrasive — HSS tools will wear quickly, so carbide is recommended. Drilling and tapping produce clean results in CFR-PA; threads cut into the material hold well in compression loading. Surface finishing is limited — the material's inherent carbon fiber appearance (matte black with fiber texture) doesn't sand to a smooth surface the way unfilled nylon does. For parts requiring a smooth surface finish, we recommend printing with unfilled nylon and adding CFR-PA only when stiffness requires it.