3D Printing Info

Filament comparison

PA12 vs PLA

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

PA12 (Nylon 12) guidePLA (standard) guide

2 selected · all documented properties

Open these two in the interactive comparisonMore PA12 comparisonsMore PLA comparisons
PA12 vs PLA — documented properties and sources
PropertyPA12 (Nylon 12)PAPLA (standard)PLA
Market snapshot
Listing priceUSD/kg; dated snapshots$64.33/kg median; $36.00–$170.67/kg across 3 dated product listings$19.74/kg median; $9.99–$32.99/kg across 24 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]Poly(lactic acid), a thermoplastic aliphatic polyester from fermented plant starch[3][4]
Densityg/cm³1.01 specific gravity (Stratasys FDM Nylon 12, ASTM D792)[5]1.17–1.24 (ISO 1183)[3][6][4]
Typical priceUSD/kg1 kg-equivalent spools span 36–171; the middle of the market is about 64[7][8]Mainstream 1 kg spools cluster near 20[9][10][11]
Price range across brandsUSD/kg36–171 across brands; IEMAI 3D 36, Fiberlogy 64 at 3DJake, 3DXTech AmideX Nylon 12 171[7][12][8]10–33 across brands; budget house brands 10–14, premium European 26–33[13][14][15][16]
Market availability1–5Available from several mainstream brands[7][12]Ubiquitous, every brand and retailer[17][18]
Spool sizes & diameters1.75 and 2.85 mm; 750 g and 1 kg spools[12][7]1.75 and 2.85 mm; 0.75, 0.85, 1 and 1.1 kg spools plus spool-less refills[9][19][20][15][21]
Typical applicationsDimensionally stable functional parts, ducting and living hinges where PA6 would move too much with humidity[1][22]Concept models, functional prototypes, low-wear toys, jigs used at room temperature[23]
Diameter tolerance± mmNot documented±0.02 (Prusament) to ±0.03 (Bambu Lab, Prusa Research standard)[3][9][24]
Printing Parameters
Nozzle temperature°C260–290 (Extrudr DURAPRO PA12)[25]190–230; Prusament specifies 210 ± 10[3][6][4]
Bed temperature°C110 (Extrudr DURAPRO PA12)[25]25–60; Prusament 40–60, Bambu Lab 35–45[3][6][4]
Enclosure / chamber requirement1–5Enclosure required (passive)[1]Open frame is fine[6][17]
Part cooling fanPart cooling fan not required (Simplify3D)[26]100 % from the second layer; reduce on the first one or two layers for bed adhesion[3][18]
Bed surface & adhesion aidPEI sheet with a glue stick, or a dedicated adhesive such as Magigoo[26][1]Smooth or textured PEI, glass or painter's tape; glue stick only where release is a problem[6][27][18]
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[25][28]12–20 (PrusaSlicer max volumetric speed guidance for PLA)[28]
Warping tendency1–5Not documentedNone[29][17]
Bed-adhesion difficulty1–5Needs a specific surface plus adhesive[26][1]Sticks to anything — glue only needed on smooth PEI[6][4][18]
Stringing / oozing tendency1–5Moderate — retraction tuning needed[1]Slight — 1–3 mm retraction handles it; oozing rises with nozzle temperature[6][18][30]
Overall printing difficulty1–5Advanced — enclosure, hardware upgrades, tuning[1]Beginner — prints on any machine out of the box[17][18]
Extruder requirementNot documentedAny extruder; Bowden and direct drive both fine, no hardware upgrades[17]
Hardware Wear & Reliability
Nozzle hardness required1–4Brass fine indefinitely for unfilled grades[1]Brass fine indefinitely[17]
Abrasiveness1–5Non-abrasive when unfilled[1]Non-abrasive[29][17]
Nozzle clog risk1–5High — jams from moisture, heat creep or particles[22][31]Very low[17][18]
Heat-creep / jam sensitivity1–5Moderate — good heatbreak cooling needed[26]Moderate — good heatbreak cooling needed; softens below 60 °C so it deforms in a warm cold zone[27][32]
Hotend requirementMay require an all-metal hot end (Simplify3D)[26]Any standard hotend; PTFE-lined is fine at PLA temperatures[17]
Other hardware wearNot documentedNone — brass nozzles and standard drive gears are unaffected[29][17]
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][22]Moderate — 0.40–0.51 % saturated at 23–25 °C and 55–70 % RH[4][6][33]
Equilibrium moisture content at ~50 % RH%Not documented0.43 saturated at 25 °C / 55 % RH (Bambu Lab); 0.51 equilibrium (Polymaker)[4][6]
Drying temperature & time60–80 °C for 8–12 h (Extrudr DURAPRO PA12); 100 °C for 8 h (Polymaker CoPA)[25][34]50–55 °C for 6–8 h in a forced-air dryer; 45 °C for 12 h in the Bambu Lab AMS HT[6][4][32]
Symptoms when wetPopping and cracking during extrusion, then hard-to-diagnose defects[22]Bubbling and popping at the nozzle, stringing, rough surface and weak layers[31]
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[22][34]Polymaker rates PLA low-sensitivity — it absorbs moisture slowly and the loss shows as poor layer adhesion and brittle layers rather than a published strength figure[31]
Storage requirementSealed below 20 % RH with desiccant[31]Sealed with desiccant below 20 % RH; shelf life at ambient is long[4][18]
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[34][35]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]35–52 (printed XY, ISO 527); 55 mean across 16 brands and 53 for the reference PLA in a later run, both on 4×4 mm printed bars[3][6][4][36][37]
Young's modulusMPa1510 printed XZ and 1250 ZX (Stratasys FDM Nylon 12, ASTM D638)[5]2300–3427 (printed XY, ISO 527)[3][6][4]
Elongation at break%30 at break printed XZ against 6.5 in ZX (Stratasys FDM Nylon 12, ASTM D638)[5]6.3–12.2 (printed XY, ISO 527); Prusament quotes 2.9 at yield[6][4][3]
Flexural strengthMPaNot documented76–87 (printed XY, ISO 178); Fiberlogy quotes 81 by ASTM D790[3][6][4][38]
Flexural modulusMPaNot documented2750–3230 (printed XY, ISO 178); Fiberlogy quotes 3800 by ASTM D790[3][6][4][38]
Charpy impact, notchedkJ/m²11 at +23 °C and 6.0 at -30 °C (Extrudr DuraPro PA12, ISO 179/1eA); unnotched does not break[25]3.3–7.9 (printed XY, ISO 179, notched)[6][4]
Other impact dataIzod notched 138 J/m printed XZ against 71.0 J/m in ZX (Stratasys FDM Nylon 12, ASTM D256)[5]Charpy unnotched, printed: 13–14 (Prusament, ISO 179-1), 26.6 (Bambu Lab PLA Basic)[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]17–31 (Prusa interlayer test and printed Z tensile); 23 mean on My Tech Fun 4×4 mm bars[3][4][37]
Brittleness1–5Tough — absorbs impact, yields before breaking[1]Brittle — snaps with little warning[27][29]
Hardness (scale-specific)Shore A / Shore D / RockwellNot documented81 Shore D (Prusa Polymers in-house method); 75.3 Shore D measured on printed bars (My Tech Fun, Sunlu PLA)[3][39]
Creep resistance / sustained load1–5Moderate — the long-chain polyamides hold load better than PLA but below PC[1]Poor — deforms under load at room temperature; 12 mm bar sagged to 20.3 mm over 5 days at 1.25 kg[40][41]
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]Poor — 38 000–49 000 cycles at 30 % of tensile strength, against 79 000–193 000 for PETG (printed, R = 0.2, 7 Hz)[42][27]
Elasticity / flexibility1–5Semi-flexible[22]Rigid[29]
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]77–89 on TDS specimens; ≈44 on My Tech Fun 4×4 mm bars[6][4][37]
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]55–60 (ISO 75, 0.45 MPa)[3][6][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]54–58 (ISO 75, 1.8 MPa)[3][6][4]
Glass transition (Tg)°C34.0 (Stratasys FDM Nylon 12, ASTM D7426 inflection point)[5]55–61 (DSC)[3][6][4]
Melting point / Vicat°CVicat A 142 (Extrudr DURAPRO PA12, ISO 306)[25]145–160 peak melt (Prusament, ISO 11357); 150 and 160 by DSC (PolyLite, Bambu Lab); Vicat 57–63 (ISO 306)[23][6][4]
Continuous service temperature°CBounded by a Vicat softening point of 142 °C (Extrudr DURAPRO PA12); no loaded-bar service figure is published[25]50–55 — loaded bars begin to move at this temperature[29][37]
Annealing responseNot documentedBambu Lab conditions specimens at 55 °C for 8 h; annealing at 50–60 °C for 6–12 h raises crystallinity but can warp parts[4][43]
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)[25][5]96 ± 5 at 0° and 99 ± 5 at 90° raster (printed PLA, fibre Bragg grating, 25–50 °C)[44]
Flammability / UL 94Flammable; no UL 94 rating published for the unfilled grades surveyed[25]Flammable; no UL 94 rating published by the major brands[4][6]
Environment & Chemical
UV resistance1–5Months outdoors before embrittlement[1]Degrades within weeks outdoors[27][23]
Outdoor durabilityNot documentedNot suitable for long-term outdoor use — UV embrittlement plus softening above 55 °C in direct sun[23][27]
Chemical resistanceWithstands oils, fuels and alkalis[1]Good against weak acids, oils and grease; poor against strong acids and alkalis; dissolved by chloroform, THF and hot benzene[6][27]
Water / humidity resistance in service1–5Good — minor absorption; the least moisture-sensitive of the common nylons[22]Good — insoluble in water, absorbs 0.4–0.5 % at equilibrium[4][45]
Food contactNot food-contact certified as filament[1]Base resin is food-contact grade and EN 71-3 certified by some brands, but printed layer grooves harbour bacteria; Prusa advises against food use[27][45]
Biodegradability / compostabilityNot biodegradable[1]Industrially compostable only — needs sustained 55 °C and specific microbial conditions; not home compostable[45][27][4]
RecyclabilityMechanically recyclable but not accepted in household plastic collection[1]Mechanically recyclable; not accepted in household plastic collection, so brand take-back schemes are the practical route[45]
Health & Safety
Fume toxicity1–5Moderate — measurable VOCs and UFPs, ventilation advised[46]Low hazard — minimal VOC and particle emission[46]
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[46]4–5 lactide, the dominant VOC (chamber study, three printers)[46]
Ultrafine-particle emission rateparticles/min≈2 × 10⁸ median — low for ultrafine particles despite the highest VOC mass of any filament tested[46]≈1 × 10⁸ median across three printers; only laywood ≈8 × 10⁷ and laybrick ≈6 × 10⁷ were lower[46]
Hazardous species emittedCaprolactam, at up to 180 µg/min from nylon filament — the largest single-VOC emission rate measured in the study[46]Lactide (3,6-dimethyl-1,4-dioxane-2,5-dione) dominates; no styrene or caprolactam as a leading species[46]
Ventilation / filtration requirement1–5Ventilated room or enclosure recommended[46]None needed in a normal room[46]
Post-Processing
Sanding & machiningSands poorly — gums rather than powders[26]Wet sanding — dry sanding heats the surface by friction and smears it[23][27]
Gluing & solvent weldingCyanoacrylate; no common solvent welds polyamide[26]Cyanoacrylate for most joints; some grades partially dissolve and bond with acetone, depending on additives and colour[27][24]
Vapour / chemical smoothingNo practical vapour smoothing[26]No practical vapour smoothing — only chloroform, hot benzene or THF, which are laboratory-only[27]
Support material pairingPolymaker sells a break-away PolySupport matched to PA12[26]PolySupport and PolyDissolve S1 (Polymaker); Support for PLA (Bambu Lab)[6][4]
Dimensional accuracy & detailHolds dimensions better than PA6 after conditioning — Polymaker singles its PA12 grade out on exactly this point[22]Good — low shrinkage and features under 0.2 mm resolve; 55° overhangs and 30 mm bridges[29][4][18]
Solvents & Solubility
Soluble inDissolved at 23 °C by formic acid, phenol, m-cresol, 96 % sulphuric acid or hexafluoroisopropanol — all laboratory reagents.[47][48]Chloroform: 10 % w/v in 2–4 h at 23 °C, every grade and morphology; THF and DMF only at 65 °C. Laboratory reagents.[49]
Softened or crazed byNot resistant to 10 % formic acid, phenol, chloroform or dichloromethane (Ensinger); zinc chloride stress-cracks nylon.[48][47]Acetone, ethyl acetate and toluene plasticise it but dissolve <1 % even at 65 °C; submersion in acetone crazes and destroys parts.[49][50]
Solvent welding & smoothing agentNone — nylon's only solvents are formic acid, phenol and HFIP, all of which degrade the part they wet.[47]Chloroform vapour smooths and welds PLA at the cost of tensile strength; acetone does not smooth it at all.[51][50]

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. Prusament PLA Technical Datasheet v1.1 Prusa Polymers · 2022-02 · tds
  4. Bambu Filament Technical Data Sheet V3.0 — PLA Basic Bambu Lab · 2026-08 · tds
  5. FDM Nylon 12 — Material Data Sheet Stratasys · 2021-09 · tds
  6. PolyLite PLA Technical Data Sheet V5.4 Polymaker · 2024-11 · tds
  7. Nylon PA12 — product listing 3DJake International · 2026-08 · vendor
  8. IEMAI 3D PA12 3D Printing Filament — store page IEMAI 3D · 2026-08 · vendor
  9. PLA Basic — product page Bambu Lab US Store · 2026-08 · vendor
  10. MH Build Series PLA Filament White 1.75mm 1kg MatterHackers · 2026-08 · vendor
  11. 3DJAKE ecoPLA Black 1.75mm 1000g 3DJake International · 2026-08 · vendor
  12. 3DXTech product catalogue 3DXTech · 2026-08 · vendor
  13. JAYO PLA Classic 1.1KG 1.75mm JAYO Official Store · 2026-08 · vendor
  14. ELEGOO PLA Filament 1.75mm Colored 1KG Elegoo US Official Store · 2026-08 · vendor
  15. Fillamentum PLA Extrafill Natural 1kg Fillamentum USA · 2026-08 · vendor
  16. Prusament PLA Jet Black 1kg (NFC) Prusa Research · 2026-08 · vendor
  17. Filament Material Guide Prusa Knowledge Base · 2026-08 · doc
  18. PLA — Ultimate 3D Printing Materials Guide Simplify3D · 2026-08 · doc
  19. Fiberlogy rPLA Refill Anthracite 850 g 3DJake International · 2026-08 · vendor
  20. JAYO Silk PLA+ 1.75mm 1.1kg JAYO Official Store · 2026-08 · vendor
  21. ColorFabb PLA/PHA 750g 3D Universe · 2026-08 · vendor
  22. Moisture Conditioning — effect on printed nylon properties Polymaker Wiki · 2026-08 · doc
  23. Prusament PLA Technical Data Sheet v1.0 Prusa Polymers · 2018-09 · tds
  24. Prusament rPLA Corn Pigment 1kg — product page Prusa Research · 2026-08 · vendor
  25. Extrudr Product Catalogue (DURAPRO PA12 data block) Extrudr · 2025-03 · tds
  26. Nylon — Ultimate 3D Printing Materials Guide Simplify3D · 2026-08 · doc
  27. PLA — material guide Prusa Knowledge Base · 2026-08 · doc
  28. Max volumetric speed Prusa Knowledge Base · 2026-08 · doc
  29. Prusament PLA — material page Prusa Polymers · 2026-08 · doc
  30. PLA — material basics Polymaker Wiki · 2026-08 · doc
  31. Wet Filament — signs, causes and drying Polymaker Wiki · 2026-08 · doc
  32. Filament Drying Recommendations Bambu Lab Wiki · 2026-08 · doc
  33. PolySonic PLA Technical Data Sheet V5.4 Polymaker · 2024-11 · tds
  34. PolyMide CoPA Technical Data Sheet V5.4 (dry and wet status blocks) Polymaker · 2024-11 · tds
  35. PolyMide CoPA — Technical Data Sheet page Polymaker Wiki · 2026-08 · tds
  36. 16 PLA brand comparison test — results spreadsheet My Tech Fun (Igor Gaspar) · 2022-10 · test
  37. Creality Hyper PLA filament review — results spreadsheet My Tech Fun (Igor Gaspar) · 2026-08 · test
  38. Easy PLA — product and technical data Fiberlogy · 2026-08 · tds
  39. Carbon Fiber PLA vs META-PLA vs PLA+ vs PLA by Sunlu — results spreadsheet My Tech Fun (Igor Gaspar) · 2026-08 · test
  40. BambuLab PLA Basic vs PLA Tough vs PLA-CF — results spreadsheet My Tech Fun (Igor Gaspar) · 2026-08 · test
  41. PolyTerra PLA vs PLA+ — results spreadsheet My Tech Fun (Igor Gaspar) · 2026-08 · test
  42. Mechanical Properties of Additively Manufactured Polymeric Materials — PLA and PETG — For Biomechanical Applications Polymers 16(13):1868 · 2024-06 · paper
  43. Bambu Filament Technical Data Sheet V3.0 — PLA Matte Bambu Lab · 2026-08 · tds
  44. Characterization of Thermal Expansion Coefficient of 3D Printing Polymeric Materials Using Fiber Bragg Grating Sensors Materials 17(18):4668 · 2024-09 · paper
  45. Filamentive PLA (recycled) — product page Filamentive · 2026-08 · vendor
  46. 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
  47. Ultramid Nylon Chemical Resistance guide (unmodified PA6 B27E and PA66 A27E) BASF · 2026-08 · tds
  48. Chemical resistance — resistance of Ensinger plastics to chemicals (DIN 50 014, 23/50) Ensinger · 2026-08 · tds
  49. Solubility Study of Ingeo Biopolymer Grades in Common Organic Solvents (NWPD003) NatureWorks · 2019-10 · tds
  50. Improve your 3D prints with chemical smoothing Prusa Research · 2026-08 · doc
  51. Effect of vapour smoothing in trichloromethane on 3D printed PLA — surface, mechanical and chemical structure Pitale, Keche & Chopra, Engineering Research Express 6(4) 045579 · 2024-12 · paper