Nylon has an enduring popularity within the 3D printing industry. It is applicable to both material extrusion and powder bed fusion 3D printing technologies. It can be difficult to print on a desktop 3d printer, so we’ve gathered a few tips and tricks.
About Nylon
Nylon is a synthetic polymer which is based on polyamides. It’s resilient, strong, durable and a tad bit flexible. Another property is that it’s hydroscopic. This means it absorbs liquids. This makes nylon a good choice when you need to dye your printed part in a certain color. It also means that nylon filament has a short shelf live and is difficult to store.
Functional 3D printed parts
Since nylon has such a unique durability to flexibility ratio, it is often used for functional parts. Think of prosthetics, medical equipment, connectors and living hinges.
Why Nylon?
Nylon has its own distinct pros and cons:
Pros
- Nylon is very resilient and durable.
- Excellent strength to flexibility ratio.
- Easily colored / dyed.
- UV resistant and higher chemical resistance than PLA or ABS.
Cons
- Nylon is very sensitive to moisture and must be kept dry.
- You’ll need to store nylon filament in a moisture free container or drybox.
- You might need to dry it in an oven prior to printing.
- First layers tends to warp.
- Most nylon brands have a shelf life of max. 12 months.
- Nylon can (potentially) shrink during cooling so printed parts may be less precise.
Requirements
There are quite a few desktop printers that are capable of printing nylon filament. Due to it’s moisture absorption and being sensitive to temperature changes we recommend to use:
- A print chamber enclosure (temperature controlled would be even better).
- Heated bed not necessary for all nylon filaments (yet preferable).
- Some sort of adhesion spray or glue stick to prevent warping.
Print Temperature
Things can get tricky here. Nylons can vary widely in terms of temperatures, cause each brand has their own range of nylons. Temperatures can range from 446 °F / 230 °C all the way up to 572 °F / 300 °C.
Mathieu says
Hi Ahmed, thanks for great article. Which affordable 3d printer would you recommend for a small business printing nylon all day long, and quite big parts. ? Many thanks, Mathieu
Rex says
Having a Bolt Pro, I don’t recommend it to anyone.
Dorothy Tang says
Hi,
which kind of support material can i use with nylon?
Peter says
It depends on which brands you use, but you have a good chance PVA will work just fine.
Jamie B. says
Hi Ahmed,
I was wondering if you would still recommend the Bolt Pro as the best 3d printer for nylon. I am looking to print parts that production grade in strength but also with a fine surface finish, I realize that is asking a lot. Any advice is appreciated.
Best -Jamie
Sumant says
Hi,
Do we have any solvent for nylon?
Peter Strikwerda says
I think you can try both PVA and HIPS, but it really depends on which printer you use and which filament brand.
Das_Sams says
Solvent for Polyamide is concentrated formic acid.
Bean says
What actually happens if you go over the shelflife of nylon? Has anyone any experience with this? Or is this just a myth? I have been looking all over to find an answer to this question- nobody seems to know – everybody just keeps repeating the 12 month shelflife phrase like a mantra, but there is never any explanation as to why
Robert Dehue says
This mainly has to do with humidity issues that nylon has when you store it for a longer time. It can get brittle or bubbly because it is a material that attracts moisture anywhere it can. This is also more or less the same for other filament types though, like PET or PLA (but in a lesser way). I think the 12 month shelflife comes from a manufacturers guarantee. The longer you store the filament, the more chance you have that it gets affected by moisture. We always recommend before using any old or stored nylon filament on a low temp. in the oven to vaporate any moisture that might have gotten into the filament. How long and at what temperature depends a lot on the nylon type and brand. Google is your best friend to find answers for that. Here are some tips for storing your filament properly: https://3dprinting.com/how-to/filament-storage-3d-printing-guide/
Jonathan Gilbert says
What about a machine dealing with multiple materials? Are there issues with pushing nylon through a hot end that’s already full of another material, or vice versa? Do you need to dedicate a machine to nylon, or can you easily switch back and forth?