Nylon

Nylon (Polyamide/PA) is an engineering-grade filament known for exceptional strength, wear resistance, and durability. It’s challenging to print but produces professional-quality functional parts.

Advantages

• Extremely strong - Best strength-to-weight ratio
• Wear resistant - Excellent for gears and bearings
• Impact resistant - Tough, doesn’t shatter
• Self-lubricating - Low friction
• Flexible - Bends before breaking
• Chemical resistant - Resists many solvents

Print Settings

Setting	Value
Nozzle Temp	240-270°C
Bed Temp	70-90°C
Print Speed	30-50mm/s
Cooling	None or minimal
Enclosure	Required

Major Challenges

Hygroscopic

Nylon absorbs moisture from the air very quickly:

• Must be dried before printing (6-12 hours at 70-80°C)
• Print from a dry box
• Store in sealed container with desiccant
• Wet nylon pops, bubbles, and produces weak prints

Warping

• Requires enclosure
• Use adhesive (glue stick, Magigoo)
• Wide brim helps
• Draft-free environment

Bed Adhesion

• PEI works but may need adhesive
• Garolite (G10/FR4) is ideal
• Blue tape with glue stick

Variants

• Nylon 6 (PA6) - Strong, common
• Nylon 66 (PA66) - Higher heat resistance
• Nylon 12 (PA12) - Easier to print, less moisture sensitive
• Carbon Fiber Nylon - Stiffer, requires hardened nozzle

Best Uses

• Gears and bearings
• Hinges and clips
• Functional mechanical parts
• Tools and fixtures
• Automotive components