Plastic Nylon vs. Plastic PLA

Compare Plastic Nylon vs. Plastic PLA strength, stiffness, weight and thermal properties.

Mechanical	Plastic Nylon	Plastic PLA
Yield strength	63.1MPa120% stronger	52.5MPa2
Ultimate tensile strength	63.1MPa120% stronger	52.5MPa2
Flexural strength	82.9MPa1	96.8MPa217% stronger in bending
Elongation at break	not sourced	7.8%2
Young's modulus (stiffness)	2.33GPa1	3.25GPa239% stiffer
Density	1,140kg/m³1	1,240kg/m³2
Strength to weight	55.4kN·m/kg31% higher	42.3kN·m/kg
Stiffness to weight	2.04MN·m/kg	2.62MN·m/kg28% higher
Poisson's ratio	base material0.43	not sourced
Shear modulus	0.833GPa	not sourced
Bulk modulus	3.89GPa	not sourced
Speed of sound	1,430m/s	1,619m/s13% faster

Stiffness against densityHigher and further left: stiffer for its weight

Strength against densityHigher and further left: stronger for its weight

Thermal	Plastic Nylon	Plastic PLA
Thermal conductivity	base material0.33W/m·K42.54x more heat through a fin	base material0.13W/m·K5
Thermal expansion	base material98–102µm/m·K4	not sourced
100 mm part over a 50 °C swing	500µm growth	not sourced
Specific heat	base material1,700J/kg·K442% higher	base material1,200J/kg·K5
Heats up and cools (diffusivity)	0.17mm²/s1.95x faster	0.0874mm²/s
Thermal shock resistance	53.6W/m	not sourced
Melting point	188°C136.6 °C higher	152°C2
Glass transition	55.1°C1	59.1°C2
Max service temperature	HDT 0.455 MPa89.2°C130.4 °C hotter	HDT 0.455 MPa58.8°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

Try it on a partA bracket to run stress or thermal on, free in your browser	Open in LessCAD	Open in LessCAD

Sources5 documents: UltiMaker, Covestro, BASF, NatureWorks

Plastic Nylon: Ultimaker Nylon, 3D-printed specimens, XY (flat), conditioned >=24 h at room temperature; Ultimaker S5 Pro, engineering intent profile, 0.15 mm layer height, AA 0.4 print core, 100% infill, Cura 4.9, printed one-at-a-time, conditioned >=24 h at room temperature. TDS v2.00, April 20, 2022.
Plastic PLA: Ultimaker PLA, 3D-printed specimens, XY (flat) orientation; Ultimaker S5 Pro, engineering intent profile, 0.15 mm layer height, AA 0.4 print core, 100% infill, Cura 4.9, printed one-at-a-time, conditioned >=24 h at room temperature. TDS dated April 20, 2022.

1
Ultimaker Nylon Technical Data Sheet, v5.00UltiMakerarchived copyPlastic Nylon · Yield strength: typicalPlastic Nylon · Ultimate tensile strength: typical, peak stress (= stress at yield)Plastic Nylon · Flexural strength: typicalPlastic Nylon · Young's modulus (stiffness): typicalPlastic Nylon · Density: typicalPlastic Nylon · Melting point: typicalPlastic Nylon · Glass transition: typicalPlastic Nylon · Max service temperature: HDT 0.455 MPa (printed specimens)
2
Ultimaker PLA Technical Data Sheet, v5.00UltiMakerarchived copyPlastic PLA · Yield strength: typicalPlastic PLA · Ultimate tensile strength: typical, peak stress (= stress at yield)Plastic PLA · Flexural strength: typicalPlastic PLA · Elongation at break: typicalPlastic PLA · Young's modulus (stiffness): typicalPlastic PLA · Density: typicalPlastic PLA · Melting point: typicalPlastic PLA · Glass transition: typicalPlastic PLA · Max service temperature: HDT 0.455 MPa (printed specimens)
3
Engineering Polymers Part and Mold Design: Thermoplastics, A Design GuideCovestroPlastic Nylon · Poisson's ratio: base material: unfilled polyamide (PA), conditioned, maker design-guide family value (Covestro Table 3-1)
4
Ultramid (PA) Product RangeBASFPlastic Nylon · Thermal conductivity: base material: unreinforced BASF Ultramid PA66 (A3K) and PA6 (B3S), 23 C (same value for both)Plastic Nylon · Thermal expansion: base material: unreinforced BASF Ultramid PA66 (A3K, 98) and PA6 (B3S, 102), 23-55 CPlastic Nylon · Specific heat: base material: unreinforced BASF Ultramid PA66 (A3K) and PA6 (B3S), 23 C (same value for both)
5
Engineering Properties of Ingeo BiopolymerNatureWorksarchived copyPlastic PLA · Thermal conductivity: base material: NatureWorks Ingeo biopolymer, amorphous sheet, 25 °CPlastic PLA · Specific heat: base material: NatureWorks Ingeo biopolymer, amorphous sheet, 25 °C

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.

Plastic Nylon and Plastic PLA are 3D printed: their properties depend on build direction and print settings; these are typical values.

Questions

Mechanical

Is Plastic Nylon stronger than Plastic PLA?

Plastic Nylon is stronger: its yield strength is 63.1 MPa against 52.5 MPa for Plastic PLA (20%).

Which is lighter, Plastic Nylon or Plastic PLA?

Plastic Nylon is lighter: 1,140 kg/m³ against 1,240 kg/m³ for Plastic PLA.

Which is stiffer, Plastic Nylon or Plastic PLA?

Plastic PLA is stiffer: Young's modulus 3.25 GPa against 2.33 GPa for Plastic Nylon, so the same part in Plastic PLA deflects less under the same load.

Which is lighter for the same job, Plastic Nylon or Plastic PLA?

For the same stiffness or strength: Plastic Nylon is lighter for a strong rod or tie, strong beam, strong panel or plate; Plastic PLA is lighter for a stiff rod or tie (tension), stiff beam (bending), stiff panel or plate.

Part that must be	Plastic Nylon	Plastic PLA
Stiff rod or tie (tension)	28% heavier	lighter
Stiff beam (bending)	9% heavier	lighter
Stiff panel or plate	3% heavier	lighter
Strong rod or tie	lighter	31% heavier
Strong beam	lighter	23% heavier
Strong panel or plate	lighter	19% heavier

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).

Thermal

Which handles higher temperatures, Plastic Nylon or Plastic PLA?

Plastic Nylon does: 89.2 °C against 58.8 °C for Plastic PLA, both HDT 0.455 MPa (printed specimens).

Which conducts heat better, Plastic Nylon or Plastic PLA?

Plastic Nylon conducts heat better: 0.33 W/m·K against 0.13 W/m·K for Plastic PLA.