PA (Nylon)

Our nylon filament range is built for parts that move, rub and take a beating, such as gears, bushings, clips and heavy duty brackets, with unfilled PA6 and PA12 alongside carbon and glass fibre reinforced PA and PPA grades.

Choosing the right nylon filament

Nylon, or polyamide (PA), earns its place in engineering work through toughness, wear resistance and the ability to handle friction and repeated movement. It is also one of the most moisture sensitive filament families, so success depends as much on drying and storage as on printer settings. Our nylon filament range covers three base polymers:

PA6: stronger and more rigid than PA12 when properly dried, with excellent wear and friction resistance, but it absorbs moisture more readily.
PA12: absorbs less moisture than PA6 and holds its dimensions better in changing conditions, with natural flexibility. See our PA12 nylon filament page for a closer look.
PPA: polyphthalamide, the high heat, high stiffness end of the family, sold here in carbon and glass fibre reinforced grades.

PA6, PA12 and PPA grades compared

Product	Best for	Nozzle / bed	HDT
PA6 Nylon	Gears, bushings, hinges and clips that see wear and friction	240-280°C / 80-110°C	85°C
PA6-CF	Rigid, heat resistant fixtures, brackets and automotive parts	270-290°C / 60-90°C	200°C
PA12 Nylon	Tough parts that flex, used around oils, fuels and greases	See the product page	See the product page
PA12-CF	Dimensionally accurate structural parts with lower moisture uptake	260-280°C / 60-90°C	90°C
PA12-GF	Stiff, stable brackets, housings, jigs and fixtures	See the product page	See the product page
PPA-CF	High heat, high load parts that must resist creep and vibration	255-275°C / 80-100°C	220°C
PPA-GF	Ultra rigid, load bearing industrial and automotive parts	See the product page	See the product page

Listed tensile strength runs from 50 to 55 MPa for PA12-CF and 55 to 58 MPa for PA6, up to 60 to 65 MPa for PA6-CF and 108 to 112 MPa for PPA-CF. PPA-CF is also the fastest, rated at 60 to 250mm/s with 200mm/s recommended, while PA6-CF lists 40 to 90mm/s and PA6 and PA12-CF 40 to 60mm/s. Full print settings for PA12 Nylon, PA12-GF and PPA-GF are not in our data yet, so check each product page before printing.

Nylon print settings and hardware

Dry before and during printing

Nylon can absorb humidity quickly once a spool is open, and damp filament prints with popping, stringing, rough surfaces and weak layers. Follow the drying figure for each grade:

PA6 Nylon: 80°C for 12 hours or more, with 24 hours recommended.
PA6-CF and PA12-CF: 80°C for at least 12 hours.
PPA-CF: 120°C for 8 hours.
PA12 Nylon, PA12-GF and PPA-GF: see the product page. PPA-GF must be thoroughly dried to prevent degradation.

Drying once is not enough for long jobs. Feed from a dry box during printing, which our PPA-GF data specifies as an active heated dry box, and return spools to a sealed bag with fresh desiccant straight afterwards. Our vacuum storage bags and pumps suit 1kg rolls.

Hardened nozzle for fibre grades

Carbon and glass fibre are abrasive and will wear out a brass nozzle, so fit a hardened steel nozzle before printing PA6-CF, PA12-CF, PA12-GF, PPA-CF or PPA-GF. Our PA6-CF data lists a hardened steel nozzle as required, and PPA-GF can also run through a ruby nozzle. The PA-CF carbon fibre nylon setup guide walks through a full configuration.

Enclosure, bed adhesion and ventilation

Nylon shrinks as it cools. Our data recommends an enclosed printer for PA6-CF, PA12-CF and PA12-GF, and an enclosure helps every nylon print. Nylon does not grip every build surface: a garolite sheet or a thin layer of glue stick on a textured plate are the usual fixes. Printing nylon at these temperatures releases fumes, so ventilate the room and use a filtered or vented enclosure.

PA6-CF, PA12-CF and PPA-CF should be annealed for 3 hours at 80 to 100°C after printing for best results.

Where nylon beats PETG and PC

Gears and bushings: PA6's wear and friction resistance suits parts that slide, spin or mesh.
Clips and hinges: PA12's natural flexibility lets parts absorb stress and movement without becoming brittle, where stiffer plastics tend to crack after repeated flexing.
Vibration and sustained load: PPA-CF offers low creep and vibration resistance, and it holds threads well.
Oily workshops and vehicles: PA6 resists oils and greases, and PA12 adds resistance to fuels and many common chemicals.

PETG is far easier to print and store, and unfilled PC has more heat resistance than unfilled PA6, with an HDT of 123°C against 85°C. When heat is the priority, though, PA6-CF at 200°C and PPA-CF at 220°C outperform both. Compare every reinforced option in our carbon fibre and glass fibre collections.

Buying nylon filament from OzFDM

Every nylon roll here is 1kg and counts toward volume pricing when mixed with other 1kg filament: 5% off 3 or more, 10% off 6 or more, 15% off 12 or more, or 20% off a full carton of 12 in one colour and material. Engineering teams, schools and print farms that order often can apply for a trade account.

Nylon filament FAQs

How long do I need to dry nylon filament?

It depends on the grade. PA6 Nylon needs 80°C for 12 hours or more, ideally 24. PA6-CF and PA12-CF need 80°C for at least 12 hours, and PPA-CF needs 120°C for 8 hours. For PA12 Nylon, PA12-GF and PPA-GF, follow the product page. Whatever the grade, print from a dry box and reseal the spool with desiccant as soon as you finish.

Should I choose PA6 or PA12?

Choose PA6 when you want more strength and rigidity than PA12 and can keep the filament very dry. Choose PA12 when you want lower moisture uptake, better dimensional stability in changing conditions and parts that flex without cracking. Our PA12 collection compares PA12, PA12-CF and PA12-GF side by side.

What is PPA and how is it different from PA6?

PPA, or polyphthalamide, is a high performance member of the nylon family. Our PPA-CF lists an HDT of 220°C and tensile strength of 108 to 112 MPa, well beyond PA6 at 85°C and 55 to 58 MPa. PPA-GF uses glass fibre for extreme rigidity. Both are for demanding industrial parts, and both need careful drying and a hardened nozzle.

Do I need a hardened nozzle to print nylon?

For any carbon or glass fibre grade, yes. PA6-CF, PA12-CF, PA12-GF, PPA-CF and PPA-GF all contain abrasive fibres that wear brass nozzles quickly, which ruins dimensional accuracy and extrusion. Our PA6-CF data lists a hardened steel nozzle as required, and PPA-GF can also use a ruby nozzle. Unfilled PA6 and PA12 do not contain these fibres.

What bed surface should I use for nylon?

Nylon can be hard to keep stuck down, especially on large flat parts. Many makers print it on a garolite sheet, which grips nylon well while hot and releases once cool. A thin layer of glue stick on a textured build plate is the other popular option. Keep the bed at the temperature listed for your grade and use an enclosure to limit warping.

Can I run nylon through an AMS?

Some grades yes, some no. PA6 and PA12 can be used with AMS systems that support PA materials if the spool fits and stays dry. PA6-CF is not recommended for AMS or AMS Lite, and PPA-GF is not recommended for standard AMS. PA12-CF and PA12-GF are best loaded manually or from a dry box, and PPA-CF needs a careful setup.