3D Printing Info

Filament comparison

PA6 vs PETG

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

PA6 (Nylon 6) guidePETG guide

2 selected · all documented properties

Open these two in the interactive comparisonMore PA6 comparisonsMore PETG comparisons
PA6 vs PETG — documented properties and sources
PropertyPA6 (Nylon 6)PAPETGPETG
Market snapshot
Listing priceUSD/kg; dated snapshots$104.00/kg median; $38.99–$136.00/kg across 3 dated product listings$19.99/kg median; $8.99–$69.99/kg across 21 dated product listings
Identity & Market
Base polymer / chemistryPolyamide 6, ring-opened from caprolactam — the most hygroscopic of the common nylons[1][2]Polyethylene terephthalate glycol copolymer — PET with a glycol comonomer that suppresses crystallisation[3][4]
Densityg/cm³1.06 (ISO 1183, 3DXTech iOn PA6 alloy)[5]1.24–1.30 (ISO 1183)[3][4][6][7]
Typical priceUSD/kg1 kg-equivalent spools span 39–136; the middle of the market is about 104, though budget unfilled PA6 has now arrived at 39[8][9]1 kg spools cluster near 20[10][11][12]
Price range across brandsUSD/kg39–136 across brands; YXPOLYER 39, 3DXTech iOn Nylon 6 Alloy 104, WearX Nylon 6 136. Unfilled PA6 filament stays rare — most PA6 reaches the market glass- or carbon-filled[8][9]12–70 across brands; IEMAI 12, ELEGOO 14, CHCKX 14, Bambu Lab 18–20, Hatchbox 26, Prusament 38, Prusament PETG V0 70[10][11][13][12][14][15]
Market availability1–5Niche, a handful of specialist brands[8]Ubiquitous, every brand and retailer[10][11][16][12]
Spool sizes & diameters1.75 and 2.85 mm; 500 g and 750 g spools[8]1.75 and 2.85 mm; 0.75, 0.8 and 1 kg spools plus spool-less refills[11][12]
Typical applicationsWear parts, bushings and gears where PA6's toughness and abrasion resistance matter more than dimensional stability[1]Functional parts, enclosures and outdoor fittings that need more toughness and heat tolerance than PLA[3][4]
Diameter tolerance± mmNot documented±0.02 (Prusament)[3]
Printing Parameters
Nozzle temperature°C220–260 (Polymaker); 225–265 (Simplify3D)[1][17]230–260 across brands; Prusament 250 ± 10, Polymaker 240–260[3][4][7]
Bed temperature°C70–100 (Polymaker); 70–90 (Simplify3D)[1][17]60–90; Prusament 80 ± 10, Polymaker 60–70[3][7]
Enclosure / chamber requirement1–5Enclosure required (passive)[18][1]Open frame is fine[7]
Part cooling fanPart cooling fan not required (Simplify3D)[17]Around 50 %; Polymaker specifies 20–60 %, less than PLA to protect layer bonding[3][7]
Bed surface & adhesion aidPEI sheet with a glue stick, or a dedicated adhesive such as Magigoo[17][1]Textured PEI, satin or powder-coated sheets. On smooth PEI a glue stick is used as a release agent, not an adhesive — PETG bonds to bare PEI hard enough to tear the sheet[3][7]
Maximum volumetric flow (mm³/s; see test conditions)mm³/sNot documented8–15 (PrusaSlicer guidance); My Tech Fun ran Bambu Lab PETG Basic at 13 mm³/s[19][20]
Warping tendency1–5Not documentedSlight — corner lift on large flat parts[3][7]
Bed-adhesion difficulty1–5Needs a specific surface plus adhesive[17][1]Needs the right surface or a thin adhesive — the problem is releasing the part, not sticking it[3]
Stringing / oozing tendency1–5Moderate — retraction tuning needed[1]Moderate — retraction tuning needed[3][7]
Overall printing difficulty1–5Advanced — enclosure, hardware upgrades, tuning; the filament must be kept dry throughout the print[1][21]Easy — minor profile tuning[7]
Hardware Wear & Reliability
Nozzle hardness required1–4Brass fine indefinitely for unfilled grades[1]Brass fine indefinitely[19]
Abrasiveness1–5Non-abrasive when unfilled[1]Non-abrasive[7]
Nozzle clog risk1–5Very high — frequent jams without careful setup; wet nylon pops and cracks in the melt[22][21]Low — no special hot-end required and clogging is not among the listed drawbacks; Prusa lists no drybox and no hardened nozzle[23][24]
Heat-creep / jam sensitivity1–5Moderate — good heatbreak cooling needed[17]Slightly sensitive[23]
Hotend requirementMay require an all-metal hot end (Simplify3D)[17]No special hot-end required[23]
Moisture Behaviour
Moisture absorption (hygroscopicity)1–5Very high (>2 %) — Polymaker groups nylon with PVA as the most moisture-prone class, and its own PA6-based composites reach 2.35–3.33 % equilibrium[21][25]Moderate (0.3–0.8 %) — Bambu Lab reports 0.40 % saturated at 25 °C / 55 % RH; Prusa measures only 0.07 % in 24 h and 0.10 % in 7 days at the drier 22 % RH[3][26]
Equilibrium moisture content at ~50 % RH%Not documented0.10 after 7 days at 24 °C / 22 % RH (Prusa Polymers); 0.40 saturated at 25 °C / 55 % RH (Bambu Lab)[3][26]
Drying temperature & time100 °C for 8 h (Polymaker CoPA); storage below 20 % RH[18][27]60–65 °C for 6–8 h[7][26]
Symptoms when wetPopping and cracking during extrusion, then defects that Polymaker describes as very hard to diagnose[22]Bubbling and popping at the nozzle, stringing and a rough surface[3]
Effect of moisture on strengthMeasured dry against wet on printed specimens at 6.16 % moisture (Polymaker CoPA): tensile 78.0 → 34.3 MPa, Young's modulus 2703 → 724 MPa, flexural strength 109.8 → 22.6 MPa, while notched Charpy rises 6.9 → 27.7 kJ/m² and elongation 12.7 → 13.2 %[18][22]Polymaker groups PETG with nylon, PVA and TPU as highly hygroscopic and shows a before-and-after-drying comparison; the loss appears as poor layer adhesion and weak, brittle layers rather than a published dry-versus-conditioned figure[21]
Storage requirementSealed below 20 % RH with desiccant; Polymaker says nylon often needs to stay in a dryer while printing[27][21]Sealed with desiccant; Polymaker groups PETG with the highly hygroscopic materials[21][28]
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][27]Not documented
Mechanical Properties
Tensile strength (XY)MPa62 at break (printed XY, ISO 527, 3DXTech iOn PA6 alloy); Stratasys FDM Nylon 6 conditioned to 20 °C / 50 % RH gives 67.6 ultimate and 49.3 at yield printed XZ (ASTM D638)[5][29]38–51 (printed XY, ISO 527); Prusament 47 ± 2 at yield; 62 on My Tech Fun 4×4 mm bars[3][4][6][30]
Young's modulusMPa2110 (printed XY, ISO 527, 3DXTech iOn PA6 alloy); Stratasys FDM Nylon 6 conditioned gives 2232 printed XZ and 1817 ZX (ASTM D638)[5][29]1500–2311 (printed XY, ISO 527)[3][4][6][7]
Elongation at break%9 at break (printed XY, ISO 527, 3DXTech iOn PA6 alloy); Stratasys FDM Nylon 6 conditioned gives 38 printed XZ against 3.2 in ZX (ASTM D638)[5][29]5.2–9.3 at break (printed XY, ISO 527); Prusament 5.1 at yield[4][6][7][3]
Flexural strengthMPa78 (printed XY, ISO 178, 3DXTech iOn PA6 alloy); Stratasys FDM Nylon 6 conditioned gives 97.2 printed XZ and 82 ZX (ASTM D790)[5][29]58–80 (printed XY, ISO 178); Prusament 66 ± 2[3][4][6][7]
Flexural modulusMPa2200 (printed XY, ISO 178, 3DXTech iOn PA6 alloy); Stratasys FDM Nylon 6 conditioned gives 2196 printed XZ and 1879 ZX (ASTM D790)[5][29]1068–2277 (printed XY, ISO 178)[3][4][6][7]
Charpy impact, notchedkJ/m²Not documented2.6 (PolyLite) to 11.6 (PolyMax) printed XY, ISO 179, notched; Prusament 6 ± 1[4][6][3]
Other impact dataIzod notched 106 J/m printed XZ against 43 J/m in ZX; unnotched 2873 against 192 J/m (Stratasys FDM Nylon 6, conditioned 20 °C / 50 % RH, ASTM D256 Method A) — a 15x anisotropy unnotched[29]Charpy unnotched does not break on Prusa's 4 J pendulum (ISO 179-1); Izod 3.37 kJ/m² on My Tech Fun printed bars[3][30]
Layer adhesion / Z tensileMPa36.5 ultimate and 28.9 at yield printed ZX (Stratasys FDM Nylon 6, conditioned 20 °C / 50 % RH, ASTM D638)[29]18 ± 4 (Prusa interlayer adhesion test); 42.8 printed Z for PolyLite PETG; 33 on My Tech Fun bars[3][4][30]
Brittleness1–5Tough — absorbs impact, yields before breaking[1]Moderate[3][4]
Hardness (scale-specific)Shore A / Shore D / RockwellShore D 86 and Rockwell 85 (108) — the source does not name the scales on extruded unfilled PA66 stock (ASTM D2240, D785); no figure is published for a PA6 filament[31]74 Shore D (Prusa Polymers method); measured on printed bars at 68.2 for Extrudr PETG, 72 for Fiberlogy PETG and 72.8 for Prusament PETG[3][30][32][33]
Creep resistance / sustained load1–5Moderate[1]Below average — a 12 mm bar sagged to 18.2 mm (Fiberlogy) and 19.4 mm (Bambu Lab Basic) over 5 days at 1.25 kg[30][20]
Fatigue / repeated-flex resistance1–5Excellent — living hinges viable[1]Moderate — 79 000–193 000 cycles at 30 % of tensile strength, about three times printed PLA (R = 0.2, 7 Hz)[34]
Elasticity / flexibility1–5Semi-flexible[22]Slightly flexible in thin sections[3]
Z strength as % of XY%54 (Stratasys FDM Nylon 6 conditioned, ZX against XZ ultimate tensile, ASTM D638); 59 on the yield figures[29]84 (PolyLite, printed Z against XY tensile)[4]
Wear resistance & friction3DXTech sells a dedicated wear-resistant PA6 grade; abrasion resistance is the usual reason to choose PA6 over PA12[8]Not documented
Thermal Properties
HDT at 0.45 MPa°CNot documented68 (Prusament) to 78 (PolyLite), ISO 75 at 0.45 MPa[3][4][7]
HDT at 1.8 MPa°C93 (Stratasys FDM Nylon 6, conditioned, ASTM D648 at 264 psi)[29]65 (Polymaker) to 75 (PolyLite), ISO 75 at 1.8 MPa; Prusament 68[3][4][7]
Glass transition (Tg)°C105 (DSC, 3DXTech iOn PA6 alloy)[5]71–81 (DSC)[4][6][7]
Melting point / Vicat°CNot documentedAmorphous — no melting point; Vicat 75–84 (ISO 306)[4][6][7]
Continuous service temperature°CNot documented61–66 — loaded bars begin to move at this temperature across six grades from four brands; Prusa publishes 68 for Prusament PETG[30][32][33][20][35]
Thermal expansion (CTE)µm/m·K81.0 on extruded unfilled PA66 stock (ASTM D696; source states 4.5e-5 in/in/°F); no figure is published for a PA6 filament, and PA6 and PA66 expand almost identically[31]65 at 30 °C (neat PETG, large-format printed bead, TMA)[36]
Flammability / UL 94Flammable; no UL 94 rating published for the unfilled filament grades surveyed[5]Flammable; no UL 94 rating published for standard PETG, though flame-retardant V0 grades exist[37][28]
Environment & Chemical
UV resistance1–5Months outdoors before embrittlement — unstabilised polyamide yellows and chalks under UV[1]Moderate — a season or two[3]
Chemical resistanceWithstands oils, fuels and alkalis — the usual reason to choose a polyamide[1]Withstands acids, alkalis, oils and UV exposure — Polymaker names outdoor use as a result[28]
Water / humidity resistance in service1–5Absorbs water, properties shift — a conditioned part is measurably softer and larger than the same part dry[22][18]Good — minor absorption[3]
Food contactPolymaker notes medical-grade variants exist, but standard filament is not food-contact certified[1]PET is the polymer of drinks bottles, but printed layer grooves harbour bacteria and no filament here carries a food-contact certification[28]
Biodegradability / compostabilityNot biodegradable[1]Not biodegradable[28]
RecyclabilityMechanically recyclable but not accepted in household plastic collection[1]PET is widely recycled as bottle stock, but printed PETG waste is not accepted in household collection[28]
Health & Safety
Fume toxicity1–5Moderate — measurable VOCs and UFPs, ventilation advised[2]Moderate — measurable VOCs and UFPs, ventilation advised[2]
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[2]Not documented
Ultrafine-particle emission rateparticles/min≈2 × 10⁸ median — low for ultrafine particles despite the highest VOC mass of any filament tested[2]≈5 × 10⁹ median for the PET-based T-Glase filament in the same chamber study, against ≈1 × 10⁸ for PLA[2]
Hazardous species emittedCaprolactam, at up to 180 µg/min from nylon filament — the largest single-VOC emission rate measured in the study[2]Not documented
Ventilation / filtration requirement1–5Ventilated room or enclosure recommended[2]Open a window / occasional ventilation[2]
Post-Processing
Sanding & machiningSands poorly — the toughness makes it gum rather than powder[17]Sands poorly — the material is tough and gums rather than powders[23]
Painting & finishingNot documentedPaint adheres poorly without abrasion and a primer[3]
Gluing & solvent weldingCyanoacrylate; no common solvent welds polyamide[17]Cyanoacrylate; no common solvent welds PETG cleanly[23]
Vapour / chemical smoothingNo practical vapour smoothing[17]No practical vapour smoothing[3]
Support material pairingPVA dissolves cleanly against nylon; Polymaker sells a break-away PolySupport for PA12[17]Prints its own supports; Polymaker rates PolyDissolve S1 for PETG[23]
Dimensional accuracy & detailParts grow as they absorb moisture after printing; Polymaker declines to publish a standard dimensional allowance because it depends on geometry and infill[22]Stringing and blobbing are the usual accuracy limits, not shrinkage[3][7]
Solvents & Solubility
Soluble inDissolved at 23 °C by formic acid above ~50 %, phenol, m-cresol, 96 % sulphuric acid or hexafluoroisopropanol — laboratory reagents.[38]No common workshop solvent; 1,2-dichloroethane destroys it inside a week and dichloromethane — a carcinogen — dissolves the surface.[39][40]
Softened or crazed byZinc chloride solutions stress-crack it — 10 % marginal, 37 % not resistant; alcoholic calcium chloride dissolves it.[38]Acetone (+16 % weight over 1 year at 23 °C), ethyl acetate, toluene and DMF swell and soften it; methanol crazes it.[39]
Solvent welding & smoothing agentNone — nylon's only solvents are formic acid, phenol and HFIP, all of which degrade the part they wet.[38]Dichloromethane brushed on is the only agent that smooths PETG — a controlled carcinogen, not workshop stock.[40]

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. 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
  3. Prusament PETG Technical Datasheet v1.1 Prusa Polymers · 2022-02 · tds
  4. PolyLite PETG Technical Data Sheet Polymaker Wiki · 2026-08 · tds
  5. iOn PA6-based Nylon Alloy Technical Data Sheet v2.0 3DXTech · 2026-08 · tds
  6. PolyMax PETG Technical Data Sheet Polymaker Wiki · 2026-08 · tds
  7. Polymaker PETG Technical Data Sheet Polymaker Wiki · 2026-08 · tds
  8. 3DXTech product catalogue 3DXTech · 2026-08 · vendor
  9. YXPOLYER PA6 Black 1 kg — product page YXPOLYER · 2026-08 · vendor
  10. PETG Basic — product page Bambu Lab US Store · 2026-08 · vendor
  11. Polymaker product catalogue Polymaker · 2026-08 · vendor
  12. Printed Solid product catalogue Printed Solid · 2026-08 · vendor
  13. Black PETG Filament 1.75 mm 1 kg — product data Hatchbox · 2026-08 · vendor
  14. IEMAI PETG 3D Printing Filament product page IEMAI 3D · 2026-08 · vendor
  15. CHCKX PETG 3D Printer Filament 1.75 mm 1 kg, Black CHCKX (Amazon US) · 2026-08 · vendor
  16. ELEGOO product catalogue ELEGOO · 2026-08 · vendor
  17. Nylon — Ultimate 3D Printing Materials Guide Simplify3D · 2026-08 · doc
  18. PolyMide CoPA Technical Data Sheet V5.4 (dry and wet status blocks) Polymaker · 2024-11 · tds
  19. Max volumetric speed Prusa Knowledge Base · 2026-08 · doc
  20. BambuLab PETG Basic vs Translucent vs PETG-CF — results spreadsheet My Tech Fun (Igor Gaspar) · 2026-08 · test
  21. Wet Filament — signs, causes and drying Polymaker Wiki · 2026-08 · doc
  22. Moisture Conditioning — effect on printed nylon properties Polymaker Wiki · 2026-08 · doc
  23. PET and PETG — Ultimate 3D Printing Materials Guide Simplify3D · 2026-08 · doc
  24. Filament Material Guide Prusa Knowledge Base · 2026-08 · doc
  25. Fiberon PA612-CF15 Technical Data Sheet V1.1 Polymaker · 2024-12 · tds
  26. Bambu Filament Technical Data Sheet — PETG HF Bambu Lab · 2026-08 · tds
  27. PolyMide CoPA — Technical Data Sheet page Polymaker Wiki · 2026-08 · tds
  28. PETG — material basics Polymaker Wiki · 2026-08 · doc
  29. FDM Nylon 6 — data sheet (conditioned 20 °C / 50 % RH) Stratasys · 2017-11 · tds
  30. PCTG vs PETG comparison — results spreadsheet My Tech Fun (Igor Gaspar) · 2026-08 · test
  31. TECAMID 66 natural (PA66) — stock shape properties Ensinger · 2026-08 · tds
  32. Extrudr PETG vs PCTG vs XPETG-CF — results spreadsheet My Tech Fun (Igor Gaspar) · 2026-08 · test
  33. Prusament PETG-CF vs PETG V0 vs PETG — results spreadsheet My Tech Fun (Igor Gaspar) · 2026-08 · test
  34. Mechanical Properties of Additively Manufactured Polymeric Materials — PLA and PETG — For Biomechanical Applications Polymers 16(13):1868 · 2024-06 · paper
  35. Prusament PETG — material page Prusa Polymers · 2026-08 · doc
  36. Effects of Fiber Orientation on the Coefficient of Thermal Expansion of Fiber-Filled Polymer Systems in Large Format Polymer Extrusion-Based Additive Manufacturing Materials 15(8):2764 · 2022-04 · paper
  37. Prusament PETG V0 Technical Datasheet Prusa Polymers · 2026-08 · tds
  38. Ultramid Nylon Chemical Resistance guide (unmodified PA6 B27E and PA66 A27E) BASF · 2026-08 · tds
  39. Eastman Spectar copolyester — Chemical resistance (unstressed bars, 1 year at 23 °C) Eastman Chemical Company · 2026-08 · tds
  40. Improve your 3D prints with chemical smoothing Prusa Research · 2026-08 · doc