Plastic ABS (bulk/injection) vs. SLS PA12 Nylon

Compare Plastic ABS (bulk/injection) vs. SLS PA12 Nylon strength, stiffness, weight and thermal properties.

Plastic ABS (bulk/injection)Bulk polymer (molded or machined)

Mechanical	Plastic ABS (bulk/injection)	SLS PA12 Nylon
Yield strength	45MPa1	not given (tensile used)
Ultimate tensile strength	not stated (yield given)	48MPa2
Flexural strength	65MPa1	not sourced
Elongation at break	10%1	18%21.8x more ductile
Young's modulus (stiffness)	2.3GPa139% stiffer	1.65GPa2
Density	1,040kg/m³1	930kg/m³212% lighter
Strength to weight	43.3kN·m/kg	51.6kN·m/kg19% higher
Stiffness to weight	2.21MN·m/kg25% higher	1.77MN·m/kg
Poisson's ratio	0.393	not sourced
Shear modulus	0.827GPa	not sourced
Bulk modulus	3.48GPa	not sourced
Speed of sound	1,487m/s12% faster	1,332m/s

Stiffness against densityHigher and further left: stiffer for its weight

Strength against densityHigher and further left: stronger for its weight

Thermal	Plastic ABS (bulk/injection)	SLS PA12 Nylon
Thermal conductivity	0.17W/m·K1	not sourced
Thermal expansion	range80–110µm/m·K1	not sourced
100 mm part over a 50 °C swing	475µm growth	not sourced
Specific heat	not sourced	not sourced
Heats up and cools (diffusivity)	not sourced	not sourced
Thermal shock resistance	21.4W/m	not sourced
Melting point	not sourced	176°C2
Max service temperature	HDT 1.8 MPa94°C130 °C hotter	HDT 1.8 MPa64°C2

Thermal conductivity against densityHigher and further left: spreads more heat for its weight

Thermal expansion against thermal conductivityLower and further right: warps less when heated

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Sources3 documents: INEOS Styrolution, EOS GmbH, Covestro

Plastic ABS (bulk/injection): INEOS Styrolution Terluran GP-22 general-purpose injection-molding ABS, ISO typical values (TDS revision 08/01/2022)
SLS PA12 Nylon: EOS PA 2200 (PA12) Material Data Sheet, process parameter 'Balance' at 120 µm layer thickness, X orientation, dry (conditioned values not given). Live MDS status 04.10.2026, last changed 10.09.2026; PDF via ?topdf=... link on the same page.

1
Terluran GP-22 (ABS) Product Data SheetINEOS StyrolutionPlastic ABS (bulk/injection) · Yield strength: typical, tensile stress at yield 23 °CPlastic ABS (bulk/injection) · Flexural strength: typical, 23 °CPlastic ABS (bulk/injection) · Elongation at break: nominal strain at break, 23 °CPlastic ABS (bulk/injection) · Young's modulus (stiffness): typicalPlastic ABS (bulk/injection) · Density: typicalPlastic ABS (bulk/injection) · Thermal conductivity: typicalPlastic ABS (bulk/injection) · Thermal expansion: rangePlastic ABS (bulk/injection) · Max service temperature: HDT 1.8 MPa (annealed 4 h/80 °C)
2
PA 2200 Balance Material Data SheetEOS GmbHSLS PA12 Nylon · Ultimate tensile strength: typicalSLS PA12 Nylon · Elongation at break: typicalSLS PA12 Nylon · Young's modulus (stiffness): typicalSLS PA12 Nylon · Density: typicalSLS PA12 Nylon · Melting point: typicalSLS PA12 Nylon · Max service temperature: HDT 1.8 MPa, X orientation
3
Engineering Polymers Part and Mold Design: Thermoplastics, A Design GuideCovestroarchived copyPlastic ABS (bulk/injection) · Poisson's ratio: typical, ABS family (Covestro Part and Mold Design guide, Table 3-1)

Each number points to the document that states it, with the exact basis. Values without a number are computed from the sourced ones. "Not sourced" means no citable source states it (or only a specification minimum); figures computed from it are left out too.

SLS PA12 Nylon is 3D printed: its properties depend on build direction and print settings; these are typical values.

Questions

Mechanical

Is Plastic ABS (bulk/injection) stronger than SLS PA12 Nylon?

SLS PA12 Nylon is stronger: its tensile strength is 48 MPa against yield strength 45 MPa for Plastic ABS (bulk/injection) (7%).

Which is lighter, Plastic ABS (bulk/injection) or SLS PA12 Nylon?

SLS PA12 Nylon is lighter: 930 kg/m³ against 1,040 kg/m³ for Plastic ABS (bulk/injection).

Which is stiffer, Plastic ABS (bulk/injection) or SLS PA12 Nylon?

Plastic ABS (bulk/injection) is stiffer: Young's modulus 2.3 GPa against 1.65 GPa for SLS PA12 Nylon, so the same part in Plastic ABS (bulk/injection) deflects less under the same load.

Which is lighter for the same job, Plastic ABS (bulk/injection) or SLS PA12 Nylon?

For the same stiffness or strength: Plastic ABS (bulk/injection) is lighter for a stiff rod or tie (tension), stiff beam (bending); SLS PA12 Nylon is lighter for a strong rod or tie, strong beam, strong panel or plate.

Part that must be	Plastic ABS (bulk/injection)	SLS PA12 Nylon
Stiff rod or tie (tension)	lighter	25% heavier
Stiff beam (bending)	lighter	6% heavier
Stiff panel or plate	about equal	about equal
Strong rod or tie	19% heavier	lighter
Strong beam	17% heavier	lighter
Strong panel or plate	15% heavier	lighter

For the same stiffness or strength, mass scales with density over stiffness (or strength) raised to a power set by how the part is loaded: 1 for a rod in tension, 1/2 for a beam in bending, 1/3 for a panel (the standard material-selection indices).

Which is more ductile, Plastic ABS (bulk/injection) or SLS PA12 Nylon?

SLS PA12 Nylon stretches further before it breaks: 18% elongation at break against 10% for Plastic ABS (bulk/injection).

Thermal

Which handles higher temperatures, Plastic ABS (bulk/injection) or SLS PA12 Nylon?

Plastic ABS (bulk/injection) does: 94 °C against 64 °C for SLS PA12 Nylon.