PolyD offers a comprehensive range of professional materials for industrial 3D printing, optimised for functional prototyping, mass production and advanced technical applications: Nylon PA12, glass-filled PA12GB, rubber-like TPU, polyamide PA11 and carbon fibre-reinforced Nylon PA12-CF. The latest addition is Flame Retardant (FR) Nylon.
Most materials are printed using HP Multi Jet Fusion technology, whilst Nylon PA12-CF is printed using FDM. The choice of material depends on the application: functional prototypes, industrial components, flexible parts, rigid parts, outdoor applications, lightweight parts or metal replacements.
Please refer to the comparison table and the technical data sheets below to identify the material best suited to your needs.
| Material | Technology | Tensile strength | Elongation | Ideal for | Main advantage |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
Nylon PA12 TOP |
MJF |
48 MPa |
17% |
Housings, enclosures, general technical components and functional prototypes |
The best balance of strength, appearance and versatility |
|
Nylon PA12 TOP MECHANICAL |
MJF |
53 MPa |
19% |
Mechanical components, automation, tooling and high-performance series production |
Maximum mechanical performance and dimensional precision |
|
Nylon PA12 STANDARD |
MJF |
48 MPa |
17% |
Series production, industrial spare parts and cost-optimized technical components |
Best value for money for industrial production |
|
Nylon PA12 FAST |
MJF |
44 MPa / 40 MPa Z-axis |
12% |
Functional mock-ups, dimensional checks, housings and static parts |
The most affordable and fastest solution for non-critical applications |
|
Nylon PA12 UVR-R Resistant Roughtless Top |
MJF |
45-43 MPa |
12-5% |
Outdoor components, external housings and applications exposed to sun and weather |
High resistance to UV rays, sunlight and weathering |
|
Nylon PA12 FR Flame Retardant |
MJF |
46 MPa |
4.7% |
Electrical housings, electronics, automation and applications with UL94 requirements |
UL94 V0 certification for applications with fire-safety requirements |
|
Glass Beads TOP (PA12GB) |
MJF |
29 MPa |
10% |
Jigs, tooling, structural supports and rigid high-stability components |
High stiffness and dimensional stability under load |
|
TPU Shore A 88-90 |
MJF |
9 MPa |
280-150% |
Bellows, protective covers and elastic components |
Elasticity and wear resistance similar to technical rubber |
|
Polyamide PA11 TOP |
MJF |
52 MPa |
36% |
Living hinges, snap-fits, parts subject to impact and repeated flexing |
Exceptional ductility and impact resistance |
|
NYLON PA12-CF Carbon Fiber |
FDM |
69.3 MPa |
2.9% |
Structural brackets, robotics, automotive and metal replacement |
High stiffness with reduced weight compared to metal |
Full mechanical data, certifications and available finishes are set out in the individual material data sheets.
Nylon PA12 TOP
PA12
- Print mode: Layer thickness 80 micron
- Tensile strength 48 MPa
- Elongation at break 17 %
- Manual optimisation to maximize the mechanical and aesthetic quality of the component.
- Sandblasting and cleaning with automatic cycle and subsequent Manual remaking
Natural color: Grey
UV Resistant colors: Black
Painting: All 213 RAL shades
Sturdy thermoplastic material for components with high density.
Ideal for mass production.
Properties:
- Excellent mechanical properties
- High precision
- Excellent chemical resistance to oil, grease, aliphatic hydrocarbons and alkanes
- Good thermal stability
- Biocompatibility certifications: comply with directive USP class I-VI and US FDA
- Certifications : RoHS,11 REACH, PAHs, UL 94, UL 746A, Statement of Composition for Toy Applications.
Great for complex components, casings, cases and airlocked applications.
Nylon PA12 TOP MECHANICAL
- Print mode: Layer thickness 80 micron
- Tensile strength 53 MPa
- Elongation at break 19 %
- Manual optimisation to maximize the mechanical and aesthetic quality of the component.
- Sandblasting and cleaning with automatic cycle and subsequent Manual remaking
Natural color: Grey
UV Resistant colors: Black
Painting: All 213 RAL shades
Sturdy thermoplastic material for components with high density.
Ideal for mass production.
Properties:
- Excellent mechanical properties
- High precision
- Excellent chemical resistance to oil, grease, aliphatic hydrocarbons and alkanes
- Good thermal stability
- Biocompatibility certifications: comply with directive USP class I-VI and US FDA
- Certifications : RoHS,11 REACH, PAHs, UL 94, UL 746A, Statement of Composition for Toy Applications.
Great for complex components, casings, cases and airlocked applications.
Nylon PA12 STANDARD
PA12
- Print mode: Layer thickness 80 micron
- Tensile strength 48 MPa
- Elongation at break 17 %
- Sandblasting and cleaning with automatic cycle
Natural color: Grey
UV Resistant colors: Black
Painting: All 213 RAL shades
Sturdy thermoplastic material for components with high density.
Ideal for mass production.
Properties:
- Excellent mechanical properties
- High precision
- Excellent chemical resistance to oil, grease, aliphatic hydrocarbons and alkanes
- Good thermal stability
- Biocompatibility certifications: comply with directive USP class I-VI and US FDA
- Certifications : RoHS,11 REACH, PAHs, UL 94, UL 746A
Great for complex components, casings, cases and airlocked applications.
Nylon PA12 FAST
PA12
- Print mode: Layer thickness 110 micron
- Tensile strength 44 MPa and only Z axis 40 Mpa
- Elongation at break 12 %
- Sandblasting and cleaning with automatic cycle
Natural color: Grey
UV Resistant colors: Black
Painting: All 213 RAL shades
Thermoplastic material for still components.
Ideal for production where mechanical and visual properties are not so important.
Properties:
- Good mechanical properties
- Good precision
- Excellent chemical resistance to oil, grease, aliphatic hydrocarbons and alkanes
- Good thermal stability
- Biocompatibility certifications: comply with directive USP class I-VI and US FDA
- Certifications : RoHS,11 REACH, PAHs, UL 94, UL 746A
Great for casings, cases and fixed parts.
Nylon PA12 UVR-R Resistant Roughtless Top
- Tensile strength 45-43 MPa
- Elongation at break 12-5%
- Manual optimisation to maximize the mechanical and aesthetic quality of the component.
- Sandblasting and cleaning with automatic cycle
- Recommended for Natural Matt finishes and spray painting
Natural color: Grey
Painting: All 213 RAL shades
Properties:
- Good mechanical properties
- Good precision
- Excellent chemical resistance to oil, grease, aliphatic hydrocarbons and alkanes
- Good thermal stability
Reduced surface roughness and increased weather resistance.
Ideal for complex parts, housings and watertight applications that are directly exposed to sunlight and outdoors.
Nylon PA12 FR Flame Retardant
New material: PA12FR
- Print mode: Layer thickness 90 micron
- Tensile strength 46 MPa
- Elongation at break 4,7 %
- Manual optimisation to maximize the mechanical and aesthetic quality of the component.
- Sandblasting and cleaning with automatic cycle and subsequent Manual remaking
Natural color: Grey
Halogen-free material, UL94 certified.
Achieves UL94 V0 flammability safety standard at 2,5mm thickness
Ideal for mass production.
Properties:
- Excellent mechanical properties
- High precision
- Good thermal stability
- HB certified with a thickness of 1,0mm
- V2 certified with a thickness of 1,8mm
- V0 certified with a thickness of 2,5mm
Great for complex components, casings, cases and airlocked applications.
Glass Beads TOP (MJF)
PA12GB
- Printing Mode: Layer thickness 80 micron
- Breaking load: 29 MPa
- Elongation at break: 10 %
- Manual optimization to maximize the mechanical and aesthetic quality of the component
- Sandblasting and cleaning with automatic cycle and subsequent Manual remaking
Natural color: Grey
UV RESISTANT colours: Black
Varnishing: All 213 RAL colours
This material is characterized by excellent stiffness in combination with good elongation at break.
Properties:
- high stiffness
- high mechanical resistance to wear
- high dimensional accuracy and high detail resolution
- excellent surface quality
- good thermal stability
Ideal for casings, drawing die parts or any other application that requires special rigidity, low abrasive wear and high thermal stability.
TPU Shore A 88-90 (MJF)
TPU
This material is characterised by excellent elasticity which makes it similar to rubber.
- Printing Mode: Layer thickness 80 micron
- Breaking load: 9 MPa
- Elongation at break: 280-150 %
- Manual optimisation to maximise the mechanical and aesthetic quality of the component.
- Sandblasting and cleaning with automatic cycle and subsequent Manual remaking
Natural colour: Grey
UV RESISTANT colour: Black
Characteristics:
- high elasticity and resistance
- good chemical resistance
- excellent long-term stability
- high resolution of details
Ideal for high quality functional and flexible plastic components.
Polyamide PA11 TOP (MJF)
PA11
- Printing Mode: Layer thickness 80 micron
- Breaking load: 52 MPa
- Elongation at break: 36 %
- Manual optimisation to maximise the mechanical and aesthetic quality of the component.
- Sandblasting and cleaning with automatic cycle and subsequent Manual remaking
Natural colour: Grey
UV RESISTANT colour: Black
Varnishing: All 213 RAL colours
This material has well balanced properties.
Characteristics:
- high strength and inflexibility
- good chemical resistance
- High resolution of details
- Bio-compatible
- Certifications: USP Class I-VI and US FDA guidance for Intact Skin Surface Devices
Ideal for high quality functional plastic parts, the excellent bending strength allows, for example, connections of moving parts with opening and closing cycles. Impact resistance and ductility for prostheses, insoles, sporting goods, fastening clips, hinges and more.
NYLON PA12-CF Carbon Fiber (FDM)
PA12-CF
- Print mode: FDM
- Tensile strength 69,3 MPa
- Elongation at break 2,9 %
Natural color: Black
Properties:
- Remarkable mechanical and thermal characteristics.
- Suitable for applications requiring robustness, longevity and tolerance to temperature fluctuations.
- Solid and durable structure perfect for applications requiring reliability and longevity.
- Its robust construction ensures that components retain their shape and size even under stress.
- High strength enabling it to withstand external forces and impacts without deforming or breaking.
- Lightness achieved through a 30% fill rate during 3D printing.
- This lightness does not compromise its strength, making it ideal for applications where weight reduction is crucial without affecting the integrity of the component.
Nylon PA12 CF (carbon fibre) is a high-performance material used in industry as a metal substitute; it is characterised by its extreme lightness and strength.
Printed with 3D FDM technology, it offers great flexibility in design.
Which PolyD material should I choose for functional parts?
For functional parts and technical components, the best-suited materials are Nylon TOP, Nylon TOP Mechanical and Polyamide PA11 TOP, depending on your needs for strength, ductility and finish.
Which material should I choose for flexible parts?
For flexible or rubber-like parts, the best-suited material is Similgomma TOP in TPU.
Which material should I choose for rigid parts?
For rigid parts or parts needing high stability, consider Glass-Filled PA12GB TOP or carbon-fiber Nylon PA12-CF, depending on the technology and application.
Which materials are printed with MJF?
Most PolyD materials are printed with MJF, including Nylon PA12, PA12GB, TPU and PA11. Carbon-fiber Nylon PA12-CF, on the other hand, is printed with FDM technology.
Each material has specific characteristics that make it ideal for different applications: mechanical components, mass production, jigs and fixtures, elastic parts, electronic casings, outdoor applications or the replacement of metal components. For this reason, PolyD does not simply limit itself to printing the component, but supports companies, designers and R&D departments in choosing the most suitable material, finish and production process.
Upload your file to polyd.com or contact us for a technical assessment: our team will help you identify the best solution in terms of performance, costs and production times.
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