3D Printing Info

Filament comparison

PA12 vs PE

Compare printing settings, strength, heat resistance, dated prices and sources.

PA12 (Nylon 12) guidePolyethylene (PE) guide

2 selected · all documented properties

Open these two in the interactive comparisonMore PA12 comparisonsMore PE comparisons
PA12 vs PE — documented properties and sources
PropertyPA12 (Nylon 12)PAPolyethylene (PE)POLYOLEFIN
Market snapshot
Listing priceUSD/kg; dated snapshots$64.33/kg median; $36.00–$170.67/kg across 3 dated product listings$87.72/kg median; $87.72–$87.72/kg across 1 dated product listings
Identity & Market
Base polymer / chemistryPolyamide 12 — the longest-chain common nylon, with the fewest amide groups per unit mass and so the least moisture uptake[1][2]Polyethylene — the simplest polyolefin, non-polar and highly crystalline. The one retailed filament grade, Spectrum HDPE, uses what Spectrum calls Low Warp technology and is denser and stiffer than plain HDPE[3][4]
Densityg/cm³1.01 specific gravity (Stratasys FDM Nylon 12, ASTM D792)[5]1.10 (Spectrum HDPE filament, ISO 1183) against 0.95 for extruded HDPE stock — the filament is a modified formulation[3][4]
Typical priceUSD/kg1 kg-equivalent spools span 36–171; the middle of the market is about 64[6][7]1 kg-equivalent spools cluster near 88[8]
Price range across brandsUSD/kg36–171 across brands; IEMAI 3D 36, Fiberlogy 64 at 3DJake, 3DXTech AmideX Nylon 12 171[6][9][7]87.72 — Spectrum's 500 g spools at 3DJAKE are the only PE filament listing found[8]
Market availability1–5Available from several mainstream brands[6][9]Niche, a handful of specialist brands — Spectrum HDPE in six colours is the only PE filament in the 3DJAKE and igo3d product sitemaps, at MatterHackers or at Printed Solid, but it is a normal stocked item rather than a special order[10][11][12][8]
Spool sizes & diameters1.75 and 2.85 mm; 750 g and 1 kg spools[9][6]1.75 mm; 500 g spools in six colours[8][10]
Typical applicationsDimensionally stable functional parts, ducting and living hinges where PA6 would move too much with humidity[1][13]Chemically resistant containers, packaging prototypes and consumer goods where HDPE is the production material[3]
Printing Parameters
Nozzle temperature°C260–290 (Extrudr DURAPRO PA12)[14]240-290 (Spectrum HDPE)[3]
Bed temperature°C110 (Extrudr DURAPRO PA12)[14]80-100 (Spectrum HDPE)[3]
Enclosure / chamber requirement1–5Enclosure required (passive)[1]Enclosure recommended — Spectrum recommends a closed chamber for larger prints[3]
Part cooling fanPart cooling fan not required (Simplify3D)[15]0-50 % part cooling (Spectrum HDPE)[3]
Bed surface & adhesion aidPEI sheet with a glue stick, or a dedicated adhesive such as Magigoo[15][1]Spectrum states no adhesive is necessary for its low-warp HDPE, depending on geometry[3]
Maximum volumetric flow (mm³/s; see test conditions)mm³/s12 at Extrudr's 150 mm/s cap on a 0.4 mm nozzle at 0.2 mm layer[14][16]Not documented
Warping tendency1–5Not documentedModerate — needs adhesion aid or draught shield. Spectrum's low-warp grade is sold as printable on desktop machines, which is not true of plain polyethylene[3]
Bed-adhesion difficulty1–5Needs a specific surface plus adhesive[15][1]Needs the right surface or a thin adhesive; Spectrum states no adhesive is necessary but recommends a closed chamber for large parts[3]
Stringing / oozing tendency1–5Moderate — retraction tuning needed[1]Not documented
Overall printing difficulty1–5Advanced — enclosure, hardware upgrades, tuning[1]Intermediate — dry filament and a tuned profile; Spectrum sells the grade as desktop-printable with no dry box and no hardened nozzle[3]
Hardware Wear & Reliability
Nozzle hardness required1–4Brass fine indefinitely for unfilled grades[1]Brass fine indefinitely — Spectrum states a ruby or hardened nozzle is not required[3]
Abrasiveness1–5Non-abrasive when unfilled[1]Non-abrasive[3]
Nozzle clog risk1–5High — jams from moisture, heat creep or particles[13][17]Low — Spectrum lists no drybox and no ruby or hardened nozzle for HDPE, and very low moisture absorption[3]
Heat-creep / jam sensitivity1–5Moderate — good heatbreak cooling needed[15]Not documented
Hotend requirementMay require an all-metal hot end (Simplify3D)[15]Not documented
Moisture Behaviour
Moisture absorption (hygroscopicity)1–5High (0.8–2 %) — Polymaker's PA12-CF10 reaches 1.5 % equilibrium against 3.33 % for its PA6-GF25, and Polymaker developed the PA12 grade specifically for lower moisture sensitivity[2][13]Negligible (<0.1 % EMC) — Spectrum lists very low moisture absorption and no dry box[3]
Drying temperature & time60–80 °C for 8–12 h (Extrudr DURAPRO PA12); 100 °C for 8 h (Polymaker CoPA)[14][18]No drying step published; Spectrum lists a dry box as not required[3]
Symptoms when wetPopping and cracking during extrusion, then hard-to-diagnose defects[13]Not documented
Effect of moisture on strengthPolymaker states its PA12 grade changes little between wet and dry, unlike its PA6-based materials; the CoPA dry-to-wet reference shows what the PA6-type response looks like[13][18]Not applicable in practice — Spectrum lists very low moisture absorption and no drybox requirement for HDPE[3]
Storage requirementSealed below 20 % RH with desiccant[17]Store dry at 18-25 °C out of sunlight; Spectrum quotes a 24-month shelf life[3]
Hydrolysis at melt temperaturePolymaker requires a 100 °C dry for 8 h and storage below 20 % RH; no molecular-weight loss figure is published, and the published wet data is conditioning rather than melt hydrolysis[18][19]Not documented
Mechanical Properties
Tensile strength (XY)MPa49.3 at yield and 33.4 at break printed XZ (Stratasys FDM Nylon 12, ASTM D638)[5]29 at break (Spectrum HDPE, ISO 527; specimen type not stated) against 25.5 at yield on extruded HDPE stock (ASTM D638, from 3700 psi)[3][4]
Young's modulusMPa1510 printed XZ and 1250 ZX (Stratasys FDM Nylon 12, ASTM D638)[5]3500 (Spectrum HDPE, ISO 527) against 965 on extruded HDPE stock (ASTM D638, from 140,000 psi) — the filament grade is nearly four times stiffer than plain polyethylene[3][4]
Elongation at break%30 at break printed XZ against 6.5 in ZX (Stratasys FDM Nylon 12, ASTM D638)[5]18 at break (Spectrum HDPE, ISO 527) against above 100 on extruded stock (ASTM D638)[3][4]
Flexural strengthMPaNot documented27.6 on extruded HDPE stock (ASTM D790; converted from 4000 psi)[4]
Flexural modulusMPaNot documented3200 (Spectrum HDPE, ISO 178) against 965 on extruded stock (ASTM D790, from 140,000 psi)[3][4]
Charpy impact, notchedkJ/m²11 at +23 °C and 6.0 at -30 °C (Extrudr DuraPro PA12, ISO 179/1eA); unnotched does not break[14]Not documented
Other impact dataIzod notched 138 J/m printed XZ against 71.0 J/m in ZX (Stratasys FDM Nylon 12, ASTM D256)[5]Charpy 10 kJ/m2 (Spectrum HDPE, ISO 179-1; notch condition not stated); Izod 104 J/m on extruded stock, converted from 1.94 ft-lb/in (ASTM D256)[3][4]
Layer adhesion / Z tensileMPa41.8 at yield and 41.2 at break printed ZX (Stratasys FDM Nylon 12, ASTM D638) — higher than the XZ break figure, because XZ specimens draw and neck first[5]Not documented
Brittleness1–5Tough — absorbs impact, yields before breaking[1]Tough — absorbs impact, yields before breaking; 18 % elongation at break on the filament and above 100 % on extruded stock[3][4]
Hardness (scale-specific)Shore A / Shore D / RockwellNot documentedShore D 67 and Rockwell R54 on extruded HDPE stock (ASTM D2240, D785); Spectrum quotes Rockwell 80 HRM for its filament (ISO 2039-2)[4][3]
Creep resistance / sustained load1–5Moderate — the long-chain polyamides hold load better than PLA but below PC[1]Not documented
Fatigue / repeated-flex resistance1–5Excellent — living hinges viable. Stratasys sells FDM Nylon 12 specifically for repetitive-flex parts such as snap-fit clips and press-fit inserts on the strength of its fatigue properties[1][5]Good — Spectrum lists outstanding abrasion and crack resistance for its HDPE, but no repeated-flex or fatigue test data was found for any PE filament[3]
Elasticity / flexibility1–5Semi-flexible[13]Slightly flexible in thin sections — Spectrum's low-warp grade has a 3.5 GPa tensile modulus; plain extruded HDPE at 965 MPa is genuinely semi-flexible[3][4]
Z strength as % of XY%85 (Stratasys FDM Nylon 12, ZX against XZ tensile yield, ASTM D638) — one of the least anisotropic unfilled filaments measured[5]Not documented
Thermal Properties
HDT at 0.45 MPa°C94.7 printed XY and 91.9 in XZ/ZX (Stratasys FDM Nylon 12, ASTM D648 at 66 psi)[5]75 on extruded HDPE stock (ASTM D648 at 66 psi; converted from 167 °F)[4]
HDT at 1.8 MPa°C84.3 printed XY and 75.3 in XZ/ZX (Stratasys FDM Nylon 12, ASTM D648 at 264 psi)[5]Not documented
Glass transition (Tg)°C34.0 (Stratasys FDM Nylon 12, ASTM D7426 inflection point)[5]Not documented
Melting point / Vicat°CVicat A 142 (Extrudr DURAPRO PA12, ISO 306)[14]Not documented
Continuous service temperature°CBounded by a Vicat softening point of 142 °C (Extrudr DURAPRO PA12); no loaded-bar service figure is published[14]110 stated as heat resistance by Spectrum with no test standard given; extruded stock is rated 120 long-term maximum (converted from 248 °F) and brittle below -76[3][4]
Thermal expansion (CTE)µm/m·K84-103 printed (Stratasys FDM Nylon 12, ASTM E831: 84.4 in XY and 85.6 in XZ/ZX over -50 to 10 °C, 89.1 over 10-45 °C, 98.2 over 45-70 °C); Extrudr quotes 100 for DURAPRO PA12 (ISO 11359-2)[14][5]117 (extruded HDPE stock, ASTM D696; source states 6.5e-5 in/in/°F)[4]
Flammability / UL 94Flammable; no UL 94 rating published for the unfilled grades surveyed[14]Not documented
Environment & Chemical
UV resistance1–5Months outdoors before embrittlement[1]Moderate — a season or two. Spectrum describes its HDPE as UV-stable and weather-resistant but publishes no exposure data[3]
Chemical resistanceWithstands oils, fuels and alkalis[1]Excellent chemical resistance to acids, bases, oils and solvents (Spectrum); Ensinger lists broad chemical compatibility for HDPE stock[3][4]
Water / humidity resistance in service1–5Good — minor absorption; the least moisture-sensitive of the common nylons[13]Excellent — essentially unaffected; Ensinger lists low moisture absorption for HDPE stock and Spectrum very low absorption for the filament[3][4]
Food contactNot food-contact certified as filament[1]Not documented
Biodegradability / compostabilityNot biodegradable[1]Not documented
RecyclabilityMechanically recyclable but not accepted in household plastic collection[1]Spectrum states the filament is fully recyclable; HDPE is resin code 2[3]
Health & Safety
Fume toxicity1–5Moderate — measurable VOCs and UFPs, ventilation advised[20]Not documented
VOC emission rateµg/minUp to 180 caprolactam, the dominant VOC from nylon; total VOC reached nearly 200 µg/min, the highest of the nine filaments tested[20]Not documented
Ultrafine-particle emission rateparticles/min≈2 × 10⁸ median — low for ultrafine particles despite the highest VOC mass of any filament tested[20]Not documented
Hazardous species emittedCaprolactam, at up to 180 µg/min from nylon filament — the largest single-VOC emission rate measured in the study[20]Not documented
Ventilation / filtration requirement1–5Ventilated room or enclosure recommended[20]Not documented
Post-Processing
Sanding & machiningSands poorly — gums rather than powders[15]Easy to machine — Ensinger lists machinability as a headline property of HDPE stock[4]
Gluing & solvent weldingCyanoacrylate; no common solvent welds polyamide[15]Not documented
Vapour / chemical smoothingNo practical vapour smoothing[15]Not documented
Support material pairingPolymaker sells a break-away PolySupport matched to PA12[15]Not documented
Dimensional accuracy & detailHolds dimensions better than PA6 after conditioning — Polymaker singles its PA12 grade out on exactly this point[13]Spectrum lists a shiny surface finish and no adhesive requirement; shrinkage remains the limit on large flat parts[3]
Solvents & Solubility
Soluble inDissolved at 23 °C by formic acid, phenol, m-cresol, 96 % sulphuric acid or hexafluoroisopropanol — all laboratory reagents.[21][22]None at room temperature; xylene dissolves HDPE at about 105 °C and LDPE at 75 °C. Hot decalin does the same.[23][24]
Softened or crazed byNot resistant to 10 % formic acid, phenol, chloroform or dichloromethane (Ensinger); zinc chloride stress-cracks nylon.[22][21]Toluene, xylene, styrene, chloroform, dichloromethane, MEK and trichloroethylene are all unsatisfactory at 21 °C.[24]
Solvent welding & smoothing agentNone — nylon's only solvents are formic acid, phenol and HFIP, all of which degrade the part they wet.[21]None — polyethylene has no room-temperature solvent, so joints are made by heat welding.[24][23]

Material entries describe families or representative grades, not an interchangeable specification for every spool. Test methods, orientations and conditions may differ. Unknown values are marked “Not documented”. Prices and source dates remain historical snapshots; check the linked guide for product details. Differences highlight text, not a universal winner.

Sources for this comparison

  1. PA (Nylon) — material basics Polymaker Wiki · 2026-08 · doc
  2. Fiberon PA612-CF15 Technical Data Sheet V1.1 Polymaker · 2024-12 · tds
  3. Spectrum HDPE Technical Data Sheet Spectrum Filaments · 2025-10 · tds
  4. TECAFINE HDPE natural — stock shape properties Ensinger · 2026-08 · tds
  5. FDM Nylon 12 — Material Data Sheet Stratasys · 2021-09 · tds
  6. Nylon PA12 — product listing 3DJake International · 2026-08 · vendor
  7. IEMAI 3D PA12 3D Printing Filament — store page IEMAI 3D · 2026-08 · vendor
  8. Spectrum HDPE Traffic Black, 1.75 mm / 500 g 3DJAKE · 2026-08 · vendor
  9. 3DXTech product catalogue 3DXTech · 2026-08 · vendor
  10. 3DJAKE product catalogue 3DJAKE · 2026-08 · vendor
  11. igo3d product sitemap (17452 product URLs) igo3d · 2026-08 · vendor
  12. Printed Solid product catalogue Printed Solid · 2026-08 · vendor
  13. Moisture Conditioning — effect on printed nylon properties Polymaker Wiki · 2026-08 · doc
  14. Extrudr Product Catalogue (DURAPRO PA12 data block) Extrudr · 2025-03 · tds
  15. Nylon — Ultimate 3D Printing Materials Guide Simplify3D · 2026-08 · doc
  16. Max volumetric speed Prusa Knowledge Base · 2026-08 · doc
  17. Wet Filament — signs, causes and drying Polymaker Wiki · 2026-08 · doc
  18. PolyMide CoPA Technical Data Sheet V5.4 (dry and wet status blocks) Polymaker · 2024-11 · tds
  19. PolyMide CoPA — Technical Data Sheet page Polymaker Wiki · 2026-08 · tds
  20. Emissions of Ultrafine Particles and Volatile Organic Compounds from Commercially Available Desktop Three-Dimensional Printers with Multiple Filaments (Azimi et al.) Environmental Science & Technology 50(3) 1260-1268 · 2016-01 · paper
  21. Ultramid Nylon Chemical Resistance guide (unmodified PA6 B27E and PA66 A27E) BASF · 2026-08 · tds
  22. Chemical resistance — resistance of Ensinger plastics to chemicals (DIN 50 014, 23/50) Ensinger · 2026-08 · tds
  23. US 5,278,282 Polymer recycling by selective dissolution — xylene dissolution temperatures Nauman & Lynch, Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute · 1994-01 · paper
  24. HDPE Chemical Resistance Guide (21 °C and 60 °C) INEOS Olefins & Polymers USA · 2026-08 · tds