Nylon 12 (PA-12) Material Characteristics

PA-12 comes in the form of a synthetic fine powder and is usually derived from petroleum. The PA12 nylon is exceptionally strong even when temperatures fall below freezing. It is characterized by being a strong, rigid material that is resistant to cracking with excellent long-term performance.

One of the most unique features of PA12 Nylon is that it tolerates temperatures up to 180-degrees Celsius without softening, which is indeed a clear advantage over many other types of materials used in 3D printing. PA12 Nylon is a superior performance material with high warping effects. This is why experts recommend it to users with good and/or extensive experience in the field of 3D printing.

Where the general properties of PA12 Nylon are concerned, the melting point (175-180 degrees Celsius) of this material is the lowermost among the significant polyamides. PA12 Nylon’s mechanical properties such as tensile strength, hardness, as well as its’ resistance to abrasion are quite similar to those of Nylon66 and Nylon6. In addition, low density and water absorption usually result from the long length of the hydrocarbon chain that likewise confers its paraffin-like structure and dimensional stability. Moreover, this material is highly resistant to chemicals and very insensitive to cracking.

This material is granular, white, and unpolished, as well as porous when it directly comes out of industrial 3D printers. With a variety of post-processing techniques (e.g. polishing, blasting, tumbling) the 3D printed product can be refined. PA12 Nylon is widely used in industrial 3D printing. It facilitates rapid prototyping and scalable volume production. Experts say that producing with PA12 Nylon is an optimal solution since this material is typically faster and cheaper than any other processes.

In addition, PA12 Nylon is used for a number of applications due to its’ high-quality standards and superior mechanical properties. Additionally, with lower concentrations of nitrogen-containing organic compounds compared to other polyamides that are commercially available, PA12 Nylon has the ability to absorb little moisture, and at the same time, it shows high resistance towards chemicals including fuels, oil, hydraulic fluids, solvents, salt water, grease, vibration etc.

In fact, the high-quality mechanical characteristics of PA12 Nylon are widely used to substitute injection molding plastics. The biocompatibility of the material can be also used to print 3D objects for various medical applications. Moreover, the abrasion resistance properties enable it to accurately form industrial components like jigs, fixtures, hinges and gears. 

It also offers freedom of design, which means that if you use it in 3D printing, you can print almost all types of geometries, even thinner structures up to approximately 0.5 mm, can be realized. Support structures are not required, hence almost all geometries can be printed. Even very thin structures, up to approx. 0.6 mm, can be realized. Using 3D software (e.g. CAD) the 3D design can be easily modified to make new iterations when required. 

To conclude, PA12 Nylon offers high impact strength, high resistance to chemicals, low specific density, good barrier properties, and optimal impact strength at lower temperatures, minimum uptake of water and other liquids, as well as excellent dimensional stability for 3D printing. Compared to other additive technologies, PA12 Nylon is more accurate, stronger, with higher resolutions offering faster printing times.