Plastic POM/Acetal vs. SLS PA12 Nylon

Compare Plastic POM/Acetal vs. SLS PA12 Nylon strength, stiffness, weight and thermal properties.

Plastic POM/AcetalBulk polymer (molded or machined)

Mechanical	Plastic POM/Acetal	SLS PA12 Nylon
Yield strength	69MPa1	not given (tensile used)
Ultimate tensile strength	69MPa144% stronger	48MPa2
Compressive strength	124MPa1	not sourced
Flexural strength	99MPa1	not sourced
Elongation at break	75%14.17x more ductile	18%2
Young's modulus (stiffness)	2.8GPa11.7x stiffer	1.65GPa2
Density	1,420kg/m³3	930kg/m³21.53x lighter
Strength to weight	48.6kN·m/kg	51.6kN·m/kg6% higher
Stiffness to weight	1.97MN·m/kg11% higher	1.77MN·m/kg
Poisson's ratio	0.351	not sourced
Shear modulus	1.04GPa	not sourced
Bulk modulus	3.11GPa	not sourced
Speed of sound	1,404m/s5% 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 POM/Acetal	SLS PA12 Nylon
Thermal conductivity	0.4W/m·K1	not sourced
Thermal expansion	mean122µm/m·K1	not sourced
100 mm part over a 50 °C swing	610µm growth	not sourced
Specific heat	average -18 to 100 °C1,465J/kg·K1	not sourced
Heats up and cools (diffusivity)	0.192mm²/s	not sourced
Thermal shock resistance	52.5W/m	not sourced
Melting point	175°C1	176°C2
Max service temperature	HDT 1.8 MPa125°C161 °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: DuPont, EOS GmbH

Plastic POM/Acetal: DuPont Delrin 100 acetal homopolymer, Table 2 'Typical Properties of Delrin Acetal Resins' (ASTM methods), Delrin Design Guide Module III hosted on delrin.com
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
Delrin Acetal Resin Design Guide, Module IIIDuPontarchived copyPlastic POM/Acetal · Yield strength: typical (single ASTM D638 tensile strength)Plastic POM/Acetal · Ultimate tensile strength: typicalPlastic POM/Acetal · Compressive strength: compressive stress at 10% deformationPlastic POM/Acetal · Flexural strength: flexural yield strength, typicalPlastic POM/Acetal · Elongation at break: typicalPlastic POM/Acetal · Young's modulus (stiffness): typicalPlastic POM/Acetal · Poisson's ratio: typicalPlastic POM/Acetal · Thermal conductivity: typicalPlastic POM/Acetal · Thermal expansion: mean, 29 to 60 °CPlastic POM/Acetal · Specific heat: average -18 to 100 °C, Delrin acetal resins (not grade-specific)Plastic POM/Acetal · Melting point: crystalline melting pointPlastic POM/Acetal · Max service temperature: HDT 1.8 MPa (annealed)
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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
Delrin 100 Product Data SheetDuPontPlastic POM/Acetal · Density: typical (DuPont product information for Delrin 100 NC010; 'The data listed here fall within the normal range of product properties')

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 POM/Acetal stronger than SLS PA12 Nylon?

Plastic POM/Acetal is stronger: its yield strength is 69 MPa against tensile strength 48 MPa for SLS PA12 Nylon (44%).

Which is lighter, Plastic POM/Acetal or SLS PA12 Nylon?

SLS PA12 Nylon is lighter: 930 kg/m³ against 1,420 kg/m³ for Plastic POM/Acetal.

Which is stiffer, Plastic POM/Acetal or SLS PA12 Nylon?

Plastic POM/Acetal is stiffer: Young's modulus 2.8 GPa against 1.65 GPa for SLS PA12 Nylon, so the same part in Plastic POM/Acetal deflects less under the same load.

Which is lighter for the same job, Plastic POM/Acetal or SLS PA12 Nylon?

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

Part that must be	Plastic POM/Acetal	SLS PA12 Nylon
Stiff rod or tie (tension)	lighter	11% heavier
Stiff beam (bending)	17% heavier	lighter
Stiff panel or plate	28% heavier	lighter
Strong rod or tie	6% heavier	lighter
Strong beam	20% heavier	lighter
Strong panel or plate	27% 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 POM/Acetal or SLS PA12 Nylon?

Plastic POM/Acetal stretches further before it breaks: 75% elongation at break against 18% for SLS PA12 Nylon.

Thermal

Which handles higher temperatures, Plastic POM/Acetal or SLS PA12 Nylon?

Plastic POM/Acetal does: 125 °C against 64 °C for SLS PA12 Nylon.