Nylon 3D Printing: Strong Parts for Demanding Applications

When PLA and PETG aren't strong enough for your application, nylon steps up to the plate. It's the material aerospace engineers, automotive manufacturers, and industrial designers reach for when parts need to survive abuse that would destroy other plastics.

Nylon isn't a beginner filament—it requires more attention to moisture, temperature, and storage than PLA or PETG. But the results justify the effort. Parts that are lighter than metal, tougher than most plastics, and resistant to chemicals, abrasion, and fatigue.

Here's what you need to know about printing with nylon: what makes it special, when to use it, and how to get reliable results.

What Makes Nylon Different

Nylon—technically polyamide—has been an industrial workhorse since the 1930s. You've encountered it everywhere: toothbrush bristles, fishing line, clothing, automotive components, and mechanical parts. Its combination of properties makes it nearly irreplaceable for certain applications.

Exceptional toughness. This is nylon's defining characteristic. It absorbs impact energy rather than shattering like PLA or cracking like ABS. Drop a nylon part on concrete? It bounces. Subject it to repeated stress? It flexes without fatigue. This toughness makes nylon ideal for parts that experience real-world abuse.

Wear and abrasion resistance. Nylon excels in sliding applications. Gears, bushings, bearings, pulleys—anywhere surfaces move against each other, nylon performs. Its self-lubricating properties mean less friction and longer part life compared to other plastics.

Chemical resistance. Nylon shrugs off oils, fuels, organic solvents, and alkalis that would damage other materials. Workshop environments, automotive applications, and industrial settings won't phase nylon parts.

Low friction coefficient. Moving parts need low friction to operate smoothly and efficiently. Nylon's natural lubricity reduces wear on mating components and allows mechanisms to run without added lubricants in many cases.

Flexibility with strength. Unlike rigid plastics that break when bent, nylon can flex significantly and return to shape. This makes it perfect for snap-fits, living hinges, and parts that need to absorb movement without permanent deformation.

Lightweight. Nylon achieves strength comparable to some metals at a fraction of the weight. Replacing metal brackets, housings, or mechanical components with nylon parts can dramatically reduce overall product weight.

The Nylon Family: PA6, PA12, and Beyond

Not all nylon is the same. Different formulations offer different trade-offs between printability, strength, and moisture resistance.

PA6 (Nylon 6)

PA6 is the strongest and most heat-resistant common nylon variant, with a usable temperature around 190°C. It offers excellent impact resistance that actually improves as it absorbs moisture from the environment—the water acts as a plasticizer.

The catch: PA6 absorbs moisture aggressively, up to 3% of its volume. This means stringent drying requirements before printing and careful storage afterward. It also warps significantly during printing, requiring an enclosure and careful bed adhesion strategies.

PA6 is your go-to for high-temperature applications and parts that need maximum impact resistance.

PA12 (Nylon 12)

PA12 has become the darling of desktop nylon printing for good reason. It absorbs far less moisture than PA6—only about 0.5%—which means easier handling, more consistent prints, and parts that maintain their properties better over time.

PA12 sacrifices some strength and heat resistance compared to PA6 (usable to about 175°C), but the trade-off is worth it for most applications. Prints are more dimensionally stable, warping is far less severe, and you don't need to baby-sit your filament as carefully.

For most users, PA12 is the practical choice. You get nylon's toughness and wear resistance without PA6's moisture headaches.

Carbon Fiber Reinforced Nylon

Adding carbon fiber strands to nylon creates a composite material with exceptional stiffness and dimensional stability. The fibers prevent warping during printing and produce parts that don't creep under sustained load.

Carbon fiber nylon prints with less fuss than pure nylon—the fibers stabilize the material thermally. The trade-off is reduced impact resistance (the fibers can act as stress concentrators) and increased wear on brass nozzles (you need hardened steel).

This material excels for structural parts that need rigidity: brackets, enclosures, jigs, and fixtures.

Glass Fiber Reinforced Nylon

Similar to carbon fiber variants, glass-filled nylon offers improved stiffness and stability. It's typically less expensive than carbon fiber versions while providing excellent rigidity for structural applications.

When Nylon Is the Right Choice

Here's the mental checklist for determining whether your part needs nylon:

Choose nylon when:

• The part experiences repeated impact or stress (hinges, latches, handles)
• Wear resistance is critical (gears, bushings, sliding surfaces)
• The part will contact oils, fuels, or chemicals
• You need a living hinge or snap-fit that won't fatigue
• Heat resistance beyond PETG's limits is required
• You're replacing metal parts with plastic to reduce weight
• The application is automotive, aerospace, or industrial

Stick with PETG when:

• Moisture management is impractical for your situation
• The part doesn't need nylon's specific advantages
• Budget is a primary concern
• You need maximum color variety
• The application is decorative or lightly functional

Consider PLA when:

• The part is purely decorative or a prototype
• Budget matters most
• Heat and stress resistance aren't concerns

At Mandarin3D, we use nylon for customers whose applications genuinely demand it. Our BambuLab P1S printer handles nylon reliably within our 250mm build volume. For parts that will experience demanding conditions, nylon is often the difference between a product that works and one that fails.

Print Settings for Nylon

Nylon requires higher temperatures and more attention than PLA or PETG. Here's what works:

Nozzle temperature: 240-280°C depending on the specific nylon variant. PA12 typically prints around 250-265°C. PA6 needs 260-280°C. Carbon fiber variants often print on the lower end of the range. Always check your filament manufacturer's recommendations.

Bed temperature: 80-100°C. Nylon needs a hot bed to prevent warping and promote adhesion. Some formulations work at the lower end; others need full 100°C.

Enclosure: Highly recommended. An enclosed build chamber significantly reduces warping by keeping the ambient temperature stable. While some nylon variants (especially carbon fiber reinforced) can print without enclosures, you'll get more consistent results with one.

Print speed: 40-60mm/s. Nylon doesn't love high speeds. Moderate pace improves layer adhesion and reduces the risk of under-extrusion. Modern high-speed printers can go faster with properly tuned profiles.

Cooling: Minimal. Nylon benefits from staying hot during printing. Run part cooling fans at 0-20% for most layers. Some cooling on overhangs and bridges improves surface quality, but heavy cooling weakens layer bonds.

Bed adhesion: This matters. Options include:

• PEI with glue stick (acts as both adhesive and release agent)
• Garolite (G10) sheets—excellent adhesion and release
• Painter's tape
• Specialty nylon-compatible adhesives

Never print nylon directly on glass—it can bond permanently and damage your bed.

The Moisture Problem and How to Solve It

Moisture is nylon's Achilles heel. The material is hygroscopic, meaning it actively pulls water from the air. Wet nylon produces:

• Popping and sizzling during extrusion (steam escaping)
• Rough, pockmarked surfaces
• Weak layer adhesion and part strength
• Stringing and poor surface quality
• Dimensional inaccuracies

Before printing: Always dry nylon filament. PA12 needs 4-6 hours at 80°C; PA6 needs longer (8-12 hours, sometimes 20 hours for completely saturated spools). A filament dryer or food dehydrator works well. Some users print directly from heated dry boxes.

During storage: Keep unopened spools in their vacuum-sealed bags until use. Once opened, store in airtight containers with fresh desiccant. Vacuum-seal bags are ideal for long-term storage.

Signs of wet filament: If your nylon is popping during extrusion, stop and dry it. Pushing through with wet filament wastes time and material on parts that won't perform properly.

Florida humidity note: Here in Jacksonville, the ambient humidity makes filament storage even more critical. Nylon left exposed overnight can absorb enough moisture to affect print quality. Active dry storage isn't optional—it's essential.

Post-Processing Nylon Parts

Nylon parts can be enhanced after printing:

Annealing improves crystallization and strength. Heat parts to 80-100°C for 6-16 hours in a convection oven. This improves mechanical properties but may cause slight dimensional changes.

Moisture conditioning improves impact toughness. Counter-intuitively, letting dried nylon parts absorb some moisture (about 48 hours in humid conditions) makes them tougher and more impact-resistant, though slightly less stiff. This is because water plasticizes the material.

Dyeing works well with nylon. The same hygroscopic property that causes problems during printing allows nylon to absorb synthetic fabric dyes. You can achieve vibrant, permanent colors that penetrate the material rather than sitting on the surface.

Machining is possible. Nylon machines well without splitting or deforming, so you can drill, tap, and refine printed parts with standard tools.

Real-World Nylon Applications

To illustrate what nylon handles well:

Mechanical components. Gears, bearings, bushings, pulleys, and cam followers. Nylon's wear resistance and self-lubricating properties make it ideal for moving parts.

Automotive parts. Engine bay components, interior brackets, cable guides, and fluid reservoirs. Nylon survives the heat, chemicals, and vibration of automotive environments.

Industrial equipment. Tool holders, jigs, fixtures, and machine guards. Parts that see daily abuse in workshop and manufacturing settings.

Outdoor and marine applications. Cleats, fairleads, brackets, and hardware. Nylon handles water, UV exposure, and repeated stress.

Living hinges. Nylon's flexibility allows single-piece designs with integrated hinges that survive thousands of cycles.

Snap-fits and latches. The combination of flexibility and memory makes nylon excellent for mechanisms that click together and hold securely.

Nylon vs Other Engineering Filaments

How does nylon compare to alternatives?

Nylon vs ABS: Nylon is tougher and more wear-resistant, but harder to print. ABS is easier to print with proper ventilation and offers easier post-processing with acetone. Choose nylon for impact and wear; choose ABS for easier printing and acetone finishing.

Nylon vs PETG: PETG is far easier to print and less moisture-sensitive. Choose PETG for general toughness; choose nylon when you specifically need its wear resistance, chemical resistance, or flexibility.

Nylon vs Polycarbonate: PC offers higher impact resistance and heat tolerance but is even more demanding to print than nylon. Both require enclosures and careful handling.

Getting Started With Nylon

Nylon isn't plug-and-play like PLA, but it's not impossibly difficult either. If you've successfully printed PETG, you can handle nylon with proper preparation.

The key is respecting the material's requirements: dry filament, proper temperatures, controlled environment, and appropriate bed adhesion. Skip any of these, and you'll fight the material. Get them right, and you'll produce parts that outperform anything possible with simpler filaments.

When you have a project that needs nylon's performance, upload your model and describe your application. We'll confirm nylon is the right choice and ensure your design is optimized for the material. Some parts that seem to need nylon actually work fine in PETG—and some that seem simple actually require nylon's specific properties.

That's the advantage of working with a print service that understands materials. We'll match your application to the right filament, not just the most familiar one.