A part that flexes slightly and survives repeated use can be more useful than one that feels perfectly rigid until it breaks. Nylon is worth investigating for that sort of job, as well as for wear-resistant components and practical fixtures. Its appeal comes with a handling requirement: the condition of the material matters before printing and after the part has cooled.[1]
On this page
- What the names mean
- Start with the movement the part is allowed to have
- Dry filament and conditioned parts are not contradictory
- The printer requirements can differ sharply
- Budget for keeping the reel dry during the job
- Annealing is a separate step, not another word for drying
- Carbon and glass change the choice
- What to read on the data sheet
- Buying nylon
The first buying question is which nylon. PA6, PA12, copolyamides and fibre-filled grades can call for different equipment and behave differently in service. A reel labelled simply “nylon” leaves too much unanswered for a demanding application.
What the names mean
Nylon belongs to the polyamide family, usually abbreviated to PA. Numbers such as PA6 and PA12 identify different polymer chemistries; they are not a rating where the larger number means a stronger material.[1][2]
PA12 generally absorbs less water than PA6 and PA66. Evonik explains the distinction at the polymer level, connecting lower uptake with more stable properties as humidity changes. That is a useful reason to investigate PA12, but not a guarantee that every commercial PA12 filament beats every modified PA6 product.[2]
Copolyamides introduce another choice. Polymaker identifies its PolyMide CoPA as a copolymer of nylon 6 and nylon 6,6. A CoPA profile therefore belongs to that product, not to any spool whose label happens to contain PA.[3]
| Label | What it tells you | What still needs checking |
|---|---|---|
| PA6 | A nylon family in which moisture handling deserves particular attention. | Properties in the relevant moisture condition and the complete printing requirements. |
| PA12 | A nylon family with generally lower moisture uptake than PA6 or PA66. | Whether the exact formulation suits the load, temperature, fit and equipment. |
| CoPA or copolyamide | The material combines more than one polyamide chemistry. | Which chemistry the manufacturer identifies and what its processing instructions require. |
| PA-CF or PA-GF | The nylon contains carbon or glass reinforcement. | The base polymer, filler content, nozzle requirements and directional properties. |
Do not compare an unfilled PA12 against a carbon-filled PA6 as though the only difference were the numbers after PA. The reinforcement is a major part of the product being assessed.
Start with the movement the part is allowed to have
Prusa describes nylon as useful for technical components requiring mechanical, thermal or chemical resistance, but also notes that it is a more demanding material to print. Its toughness is not the same as high rigidity.[1]
For a clip, some deformation may be part of the design. For a locating fixture, the same amount of movement may be unacceptable. Describe the job in those terms before searching for the highest tensile figure.
A moving part also needs more than a claim of wear resistance. Ask what it runs against, how much load it carries, whether lubrication is appropriate and what temperature develops during use. A nylon label does not supply the missing answers for a gear, sliding guide or bearing surface.
The same applies to chemical resistance. Match the actual substance, temperature and exposure time to the manufacturer's information. A brief splash, a cleaning routine and continuous immersion are different conditions.
Dry filament and conditioned parts are not contradictory
Nylon should be processed in the dry condition specified by its manufacturer. Moisture in the filament can disturb extrusion and leave defects. After printing, however, the finished part can take up moisture from its surroundings and change properties.[4]
Polymaker documents this distinction through dry and moisture-conditioned data. In its examples, conditioning reduces stiffness while increasing ductility and impact resistance; dimensions can change as well. The size of the effect depends on the formulation and the part, so there is no useful universal percentage to add to every model.[4]
That explains why a freshly printed nylon part can feel different after it has spent time in use. It also explains why a comparison between two data sheets can be misleading when one reports dry specimens and the other reports conditioned ones.
For a close-fitting component, decide which condition represents service. Check the critical dimensions and behaviour in that condition, rather than assuming the reading immediately after cooling will remain unchanged indefinitely. Keep the conditioning description alongside any test result used in the design.
The printer requirements can differ sharply
A general instruction to use the hottest possible bed and enclosure is not a sensible nylon profile. The manufacturer may have designed a formulation around a quite different process.
Polymaker's CoPA guidance describes printing on a relatively cool bed without an enclosure, followed by the specified post-print treatment. Fiberlogy's current PA12 guidance calls for an enclosed chamber and a substantially hotter bed.[3][5]
| Named product example | Published setup distinction |
|---|---|
| PolyMide CoPA | The manufacturer describes a 30–40°C bed and printing without an enclosure, with drying and post-print treatment requirements. |
| Fiberlogy Nylon PA12 | The current product page lists a 110°C bed and an enclosed chamber, alongside its material-specific preparation instructions. |
These are product examples, not two alternative settings to try indiscriminately on one reel. Check the current instructions for the exact formulation and remain within the printer's supported limits.
Look at the whole setup: hotend temperature, bed and coating, preparation, feeding route and any post-print steps. A hotend that reaches the nozzle temperature does not prove the remaining process is practical on that machine.
Budget for keeping the reel dry during the job
A long nylon print is a reason to examine the feeding arrangement as carefully as the dryer. Fiberlogy recommends printing nylon from a dryer or suitably sealed container; Polymaker's CoPA instructions similarly emphasise dry handling throughout printing.[3][6]
Choose equipment that can deliver the specified treatment and accommodate the actual spool. Check the usable internal dimensions, the reel's temperature limit and the outlet position. A large reel that physically fits but cannot turn freely is not a workable solution.
After drying, minimise unnecessary exposure before and during the print. A humidity reading describes the air around the reel, not a direct percentage of water inside the polymer. Record the treatment used rather than treating the display as a measurement of filament moisture.
The dryer buying guide covers capacity and feed-through arrangements. The storage guide separates removing moisture from limiting its return.
Annealing is a separate step, not another word for drying
Some nylon formulations specify treatment of the printed part to develop the intended properties. Polymaker's CoPA guidance distinguishes annealing from subsequent moisture conditioning and explains the intended order.[3]
Do not apply that sequence to an unrelated nylon without checking its documentation. Nor should a part tested after annealing be described as if the same result came straight off the printer.
For a fitting component, build the required finishing and conditioning steps into the dimensional check. A process that improves one property but changes a locating feature still needs to be accounted for in the design.
Use suitable controlled equipment and the manufacturer's procedure. The need for an additional treatment is also a purchase consideration: it may be inconvenient for a one-off part even when the filament itself is affordable.
Carbon and glass change the choice
Reinforcement may increase stiffness or help control dimensional behaviour, but a filled nylon is not automatically better for a flexible clip or an impact-loaded detail. Prusa's composite-material guidance notes that properties differ from the unfilled polymer and that abrasive fillers require suitable hardware.[7]
Check nozzle material and minimum diameter, then the exact feeding-system compatibility. A spool turning in a feeder does not establish that its filament is approved for every part of that system.
Keep three descriptions together when comparing products: the nylon family, the reinforcement and the tested condition. “PA6-CF, dry, printed in this orientation” is more informative than a column headed “carbon nylon”. The carbon-fibre guide explains the broader distinction.
What to read on the data sheet
Identify whether the figures describe printed specimens, moulded material or another preparation method. Note the direction of loading, the moisture condition and any annealing. Polymaker's CoPA technical information makes specimen preparation explicit and cautions that typical values are not design guarantees.[8]
Do the same for thermal properties. A heat-deflection result at one load is not interchangeable with a result at another load or with a melting temperature. If those details are absent, the largest headline number is not enough to qualify the part.
For an important assembly, test a representative feature under relevant conditions. A quick hand bend is useful for spotting an obvious problem, but cannot establish fatigue life, wear performance or a safe continuous load.
Buying nylon
FormFutura's nylon range at 3DJake, Fiberlogy PA12 options and eSUN nylon products provide different formulations to investigate. Check the complete grade and pack size rather than comparing the price of a 500 g reel with a kilogram pack.
Include drying, feeding, nozzle and any finishing requirements in the cost. For a part that only needs to demonstrate shape, PLA may be enough. Nylon earns the extra preparation when its particular behaviour answers a requirement of the finished component.
Sources
[1] Prusa: polyamide applications and printing limitations
[2] Evonik: PA12 moisture absorption compared with PA6 and PA66
[3] Polymaker: PolyMide CoPA chemistry, preparation and printing requirements
[4] Polymaker: moisture conditioning and changes in printed nylon properties
[5] Fiberlogy: Nylon PA12 printing parameters and product data
[6] Fiberlogy: drying and filament-storage guidance