Plastic TPU vs. SLS PA12 Nylon

Compare Plastic TPU vs. SLS PA12 Nylon strength, stiffness, weight and thermal properties.

Mechanical	Plastic TPU	SLS PA12 Nylon
Yield strength	not given (tensile used)	not given (tensile used)
Ultimate tensile strength	23.7MPa1	48MPa2
Flexural strength	4.1MPa1	not sourced
Elongation at break	not sourced	18%2
Young's modulus (stiffness)	0.067GPa1	1.65GPa224.6x stiffer
Density	1,220kg/m³1	930kg/m³231% lighter
Strength to weight	19.4kN·m/kg	51.6kN·m/kg2.66x higher
Stiffness to weight	0.0549MN·m/kg	1.77MN·m/kg32.3x higher
Poisson's ratio	not sourced	not sourced
Shear modulus	not sourced	not sourced
Bulk modulus	not sourced	not sourced
Speed of sound	234m/s	1,332m/s5.68x faster

Stiffness against densityHigher and further left: stiffer for its weight

Strength against densityHigher and further left: stronger for its weight

Thermal	Plastic TPU	SLS PA12 Nylon
Thermal conductivity	not sourced	not sourced
Thermal expansion	not sourced	not sourced
100 mm part over a 50 °C swing	not sourced	not sourced
Specific heat	not sourced	not sourced
Heats up and cools (diffusivity)	not sourced	not sourced
Thermal shock resistance	not sourced	not sourced
Melting point	217°C140.8 °C higher	176°C2
Max service temperature	HDT 0.455 MPa50.3°C1	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

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

Sources2 documents: UltiMaker, EOS GmbH

Plastic TPU: Ultimaker TPU 95A, 3D-printed specimens, XY (flat); 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 (file v5.00), April 29, 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
Ultimaker TPU 95A Technical Data Sheet, v5.00UltiMakerarchived copyPlastic TPU · Ultimate tensile strength: typical, stress at breakPlastic TPU · Flexural strength: typicalPlastic TPU · Young's modulus (stiffness): typicalPlastic TPU · Density: typicalPlastic TPU · Melting point: typicalPlastic TPU · Max service temperature: HDT 0.455 MPa (printed specimens)
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

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

Questions

Mechanical

Is Plastic TPU stronger than SLS PA12 Nylon?

SLS PA12 Nylon is stronger: its tensile strength is 48 MPa against 23.7 MPa for Plastic TPU (2.03x).

Which is lighter, Plastic TPU or SLS PA12 Nylon?

SLS PA12 Nylon is lighter: 930 kg/m³ against 1,220 kg/m³ for Plastic TPU.

Which is stiffer, Plastic TPU or SLS PA12 Nylon?

SLS PA12 Nylon is stiffer: Young's modulus 1.65 GPa against 0.067 GPa for Plastic TPU, so the same part in SLS PA12 Nylon deflects less under the same load.

Which is lighter for the same job, Plastic TPU or SLS PA12 Nylon?

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

Part that must be	Plastic TPU	SLS PA12 Nylon
Stiff rod or tie (tension)	32.3x heavier	lighter
Stiff beam (bending)	6.51x heavier	lighter
Stiff panel or plate	3.82x heavier	lighter
Strong rod or tie	2.66x heavier	lighter
Strong beam	2.1x heavier	lighter
Strong panel or plate	1.87x 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).