3D Printing InfoWhere it is used
Wear parts, bushings and gears where PA6's toughness and abrasion resistance matter more than dimensional stability
Sources
- PA (Nylon) — material basics · 2026-08 · doc
Nylon & composites · Material guide
PA6 (Nylon 6)
The toughest and most abrasion-resistant common nylon, and the most moisture-hungry: it must be printed dry, in an enclosure, and a conditioned part is measurably softer and larger than the…
Open in interactive comparisonUnderstand the material
At a glance
Before you print
- Setup difficulty
- Advanced — enclosure, hardware upgrades, tuning; the filament must be kept dry throughout the print
- Nozzle wear
- Non-abrasive when unfilled
Read the full material overview
The toughest and most abrasion-resistant common nylon, and the most moisture-hungry: it must be printed dry, in an enclosure, and a conditioned part is measurably softer and larger than the same part dry.
Applications
PA6 is a workhorse nylon for wear parts and mechanically durable components. Toughness and abrasion resistance explain its use in gears, bushings and sliding guides, where a contact surface must survive repeated rubbing rather than simply carry a one-time tensile load. It also serves larger injection-molded parts: BASF documents Ultramid B3K PA6 in BOOXit reusable transport boxes, selected for robust handling and efficient molding.
Water uptake is the central compromise: conditioned PA6 becomes softer and changes dimensions, directly affecting gear backlash and bushing clearance. Increased impact toughness after conditioning can therefore come at the expense of positional accuracy. FDM layer direction and surface finish also matter, while actual sliding wear depends on the mating material, contact pressure, speed and lubrication.
BOOXit reusable transport boxes ↗
Injection molding · Ultramid B3K BK00464 PA6 molding resin; not a filled nylon or FDM filament result · Documented case
BASF reports that BOOXit uses Ultramid B3K BK00464 PA6 for reusable transport boxes, connecting durability and impact resistance with an easy-flow, fast-processing molding grade. The documented benefit concerns repeated logistics handling and economical large-component manufacture.
Sources
- PA (Nylon) — material basics · 2026-08 · doc
- 3DXTech product catalogue · 2026-08 · vendor
- Moisture Conditioning — effect on printed nylon properties · 2026-08 · doc
- PolyMide CoPA Technical Data Sheet V5.4 (dry and wet status blocks) · 2024-11 · tds
- FDM Nylon 6 — data sheet (conditioned 20 °C / 50 % RH) · 2017-11 · tds
Find printable models
Check the model’s material and process notes before choosing a filament.
Plan your printer setup
All print settings ↓Printing quick reference
Representative catalog values. Check the exact grade and its linked conditions before using a setting.
Nozzle temperature (°C)
220–260 (Polymaker); 225–265 (Simplify3D)
Full value & sources
220–260 (Polymaker); 225–265 (Simplify3D)
- PA (Nylon) — material basics · 2026-08 · doc
- Nylon — Ultimate 3D Printing Materials Guide · 2026-08 · doc
Bed temperature (°C)
70–100 (Polymaker); 70–90 (Simplify3D)
Full value & sources
70–100 (Polymaker); 70–90 (Simplify3D)
- PA (Nylon) — material basics · 2026-08 · doc
- Nylon — Ultimate 3D Printing Materials Guide · 2026-08 · doc
Enclosure
Enclosure required (passive)
Full value & sources
Enclosure required (passive)
- PolyMide CoPA Technical Data Sheet V5.4 (dry and wet status blocks) · 2024-11 · tds
- PA (Nylon) — material basics · 2026-08 · doc
Drying
100 °C for 8 h (Polymaker CoPA); storage below 20 % RH
Full value & sources
100 °C for 8 h (Polymaker CoPA); storage below 20 % RH
- PolyMide CoPA Technical Data Sheet V5.4 (dry and wet status blocks) · 2024-11 · tds
- PolyMide CoPA — Technical Data Sheet page · 2026-08 · tds
Go deeper when you need to
63 documented fieldsProperties & source data
Open a topic to explore the complete data. Each value keeps its original conditions, units and dated sources.
Material & market7 fields
| Property and unit | Published value and conditions | Sources and dates |
|---|---|---|
| Base polymer / chemistry | Polyamide 6, ring-opened from caprolactam — the most hygroscopic of the common nylons | |
| Density (g/cm³) | 1.06 (ISO 1183, 3DXTech iOn PA6 alloy) | 1 source
|
| Typical price (USD/kg) | 1 kg-equivalent spools span 39–136; the middle of the market is about 104, though budget unfilled PA6 has now arrived at 39 | 2 sources
|
| Price range across brands (USD/kg) | 39–136 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 | 2 sources
|
| Market availability (1–5) | Niche, a handful of specialist brands | 1 source
|
| Spool sizes & diameters | 1.75 and 2.85 mm; 500 g and 750 g spools | 1 source
|
| Typical applications | Wear parts, bushings and gears where PA6's toughness and abrasion resistance matter more than dimensional stability | 1 source
|
Print settings8 fields
| Property and unit | Published value and conditions | Sources and dates |
|---|---|---|
| Nozzle temperature (°C) | 220–260 (Polymaker); 225–265 (Simplify3D) | 2 sources
|
| Bed temperature (°C) | 70–100 (Polymaker); 70–90 (Simplify3D) | 2 sources
|
| Enclosure / chamber requirement (1–5) | Enclosure required (passive) | 2 sources
|
| Part cooling fan | Part cooling fan not required (Simplify3D) | 1 source
|
| Bed surface & adhesion aid | PEI sheet with a glue stick, or a dedicated adhesive such as Magigoo | 2 sources
|
| Bed-adhesion difficulty (1–5) | Needs a specific surface plus adhesive | 2 sources
|
| Stringing / oozing tendency (1–5) | Moderate — retraction tuning needed | 1 source
|
| Overall printing difficulty (1–5) | Advanced — enclosure, hardware upgrades, tuning; the filament must be kept dry throughout the print | 2 sources
|
Nozzle wear & reliability5 fields
| Property and unit | Published value and conditions | Sources and dates |
|---|---|---|
| Nozzle hardness required (1–4) | Brass fine indefinitely for unfilled grades | 1 source
|
| Abrasiveness (1–5) | Non-abrasive when unfilled | 1 source
|
| Nozzle clog risk (1–5) | Very high — frequent jams without careful setup; wet nylon pops and cracks in the melt | 2 sources
|
| Heat-creep / jam sensitivity (1–5) | Moderate — good heatbreak cooling needed | 1 source
|
| Hotend requirement | May require an all-metal hot end (Simplify3D) | 1 source
|
Moisture & drying6 fields
| Property and unit | Published value and conditions | Sources and dates |
|---|---|---|
| Moisture absorption (hygroscopicity) (1–5) | Very 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 | 2 sources
|
| Drying temperature & time | 100 °C for 8 h (Polymaker CoPA); storage below 20 % RH | 2 sources
|
| Symptoms when wet | Popping and cracking during extrusion, then defects that Polymaker describes as very hard to diagnose | 1 source
|
| Effect of moisture on strength | Measured 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 % | 2 sources
|
| Storage requirement | Sealed below 20 % RH with desiccant; Polymaker says nylon often needs to stay in a dryer while printing | 2 sources
|
| Hydrolysis at melt temperature | Polymaker 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 | 2 sources
|
Strength & mechanical properties14 fields
| Property and unit | Published value and conditions | Sources and dates |
|---|---|---|
| Tensile strength (XY) (MPa) | 62 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) | 2 sources
|
| Young's modulus (MPa) | 2110 (printed XY, ISO 527, 3DXTech iOn PA6 alloy); Stratasys FDM Nylon 6 conditioned gives 2232 printed XZ and 1817 ZX (ASTM D638) | 2 sources
|
| 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) | 2 sources
|
| Flexural strength (MPa) | 78 (printed XY, ISO 178, 3DXTech iOn PA6 alloy); Stratasys FDM Nylon 6 conditioned gives 97.2 printed XZ and 82 ZX (ASTM D790) | 2 sources
|
| Flexural modulus (MPa) | 2200 (printed XY, ISO 178, 3DXTech iOn PA6 alloy); Stratasys FDM Nylon 6 conditioned gives 2196 printed XZ and 1879 ZX (ASTM D790) | 2 sources
|
| Other impact data | Izod 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 | 1 source
|
| Layer adhesion / Z tensile (MPa) | 36.5 ultimate and 28.9 at yield printed ZX (Stratasys FDM Nylon 6, conditioned 20 °C / 50 % RH, ASTM D638) | 1 source
|
| Brittleness (1–5) | Tough — absorbs impact, yields before breaking | 1 source
|
| Hardness (scale-specific) (Shore A / Shore D / Rockwell) | Shore 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 | 1 source
|
| Creep resistance / sustained load (1–5) | Moderate | 1 source
|
| Fatigue / repeated-flex resistance (1–5) | Excellent — living hinges viable | 1 source
|
| Elasticity / flexibility (1–5) | Semi-flexible | 1 source
|
| Z strength as % of XY (%) | 54 (Stratasys FDM Nylon 6 conditioned, ZX against XZ ultimate tensile, ASTM D638); 59 on the yield figures | 1 source
|
| Wear resistance & friction | 3DXTech sells a dedicated wear-resistant PA6 grade; abrasion resistance is the usual reason to choose PA6 over PA12 | 1 source
|
Heat & temperature4 fields
| Property and unit | Published value and conditions | Sources and dates |
|---|---|---|
| HDT at 1.8 MPa (°C) | 93 (Stratasys FDM Nylon 6, conditioned, ASTM D648 at 264 psi) | 1 source
|
| Glass transition (Tg) (°C) | 105 (DSC, 3DXTech iOn PA6 alloy) | 1 source
|
| Thermal expansion (CTE) (µm/m·K) | 81.0 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 | 1 source
|
| Flammability / UL 94 | Flammable; no UL 94 rating published for the unfilled filament grades surveyed | 1 source
|
Weather & chemical resistance6 fields
| Property and unit | Published value and conditions | Sources and dates |
|---|---|---|
| UV resistance (1–5) | Months outdoors before embrittlement — unstabilised polyamide yellows and chalks under UV | 1 source
|
| Chemical resistance | Withstands oils, fuels and alkalis — the usual reason to choose a polyamide | 1 source
|
| Water / humidity resistance in service (1–5) | Absorbs water, properties shift — a conditioned part is measurably softer and larger than the same part dry | 2 sources
|
| Food contact | Polymaker notes medical-grade variants exist, but standard filament is not food-contact certified | 1 source
|
| Biodegradability / compostability | Not biodegradable | 1 source
|
| Recyclability | Mechanically recyclable but not accepted in household plastic collection | 1 source
|
Health & safety5 fields
| Property and unit | Published value and conditions | Sources and dates |
|---|---|---|
| Fume toxicity (1–5) | Moderate — measurable VOCs and UFPs, ventilation advised | |
| VOC emission rate (µg/min) | Up to 180 caprolactam, the dominant VOC from nylon; total VOC reached nearly 200 µg/min, the highest of the nine filaments tested | |
| Ultrafine-particle emission rate (particles/min) | ≈2 × 10⁸ median — low for ultrafine particles despite the highest VOC mass of any filament tested | |
| Hazardous species emitted | Caprolactam, at up to 180 µg/min from nylon filament — the largest single-VOC emission rate measured in the study | |
| Ventilation / filtration requirement (1–5) | Ventilated room or enclosure recommended |
Finishing & post-processing5 fields
| Property and unit | Published value and conditions | Sources and dates |
|---|---|---|
| Sanding & machining | Sands poorly — the toughness makes it gum rather than powder | 1 source
|
| Gluing & solvent welding | Cyanoacrylate; no common solvent welds polyamide | 1 source
|
| Vapour / chemical smoothing | No practical vapour smoothing | 1 source
|
| Support material pairing | PVA dissolves cleanly against nylon; Polymaker sells a break-away PolySupport for PA12 | 1 source
|
| Dimensional accuracy & detail | Parts grow as they absorb moisture after printing; Polymaker declines to publish a standard dimensional allowance because it depends on geometry and infill | 1 source
|
Solvents & solubility3 fields
| Property and unit | Published value and conditions | Sources and dates |
|---|---|---|
| Soluble in | Dissolved at 23 °C by formic acid above ~50 %, phenol, m-cresol, 96 % sulphuric acid or hexafluoroisopropanol — laboratory reagents. | 1 source |
| Softened or crazed by | Zinc chloride solutions stress-crack it — 10 % marginal, 37 % not resistant; alcoholic calcium chloride dissolves it. | 1 source |
| Solvent welding & smoothing agent | None — nylon's only solvents are formic acid, phenol and HFIP, all of which degrade the part they wet. | 1 source |
How to read these values
Values describe representative grades, not every spool. Manufacturer datasheets and independent tests retain their source labels and dates. Printed orientation, test method, conditioning and formulation can change results. Unknown values are —. A listed use is not a certification. Shore A, Shore D and Rockwell hardness are separate scales.
Find a specific filament
3 listingsProduct listings and datasheets
Historical USD/kg snapshots. Read each listing’s sale/from qualifiers, spool mass, source date, shipping and tax notes. Product figures are separate from the material summary.
Browse 3 products from 2 brands
YXPOLYERPA6 Black38.99 USD/kg
$38.99 / 1 kg spool, yxpolyer.com, Aug 2026
Budget unfilled PA6 on a reusable PC spool; no technical data sheet is published. YXPOLYER publishes no specification of any kind for this filament: the product page carries marketing bullets only, and yxpolyer.com has no downloads, data-sheet or technical section.
Open product listing ↗- YXPOLYER PA6 Black 1 kg — product page · 2026-08 · vendor
3DXTechiOn Nylon 6 Alloy104.00 USD/kg
$78.00 / 750 g spool = $104.00/kg, 3dxtech.com product catalogue, Aug 2026
Handle ion-pa6-alloy-5. Tensile 62 MPa at break, elongation 9 %.
Open product listing ↗- 3DXTech iOn Nylon 6 Alloy product page · 2026-08 · vendor
- iOn PA6-based Nylon Alloy Technical Data Sheet v2.0 · 2026-08 · tds
| Density (g/cm³) | 1.06 (ISO 1183) |
|
|---|---|---|
| Nozzle temperature (°C) | 270 (TDS printed-specimen condition) |
|
| Bed temperature (°C) | 100 (TDS printed-specimen condition) |
|
| Tensile strength (XY) (MPa) | 62 at break (ISO 527) |
|
| Young's modulus (MPa) | 2110 (ISO 527) |
|
| Elongation at break (%) | 9 at break (printed XY, ISO 527) |
|
| Flexural strength (MPa) | 78 (printed XY, ISO 178) |
|
| Flexural modulus (MPa) | 2200 (printed XY, ISO 178) |
|
| HDT at 0.45 MPa (°C) | 97 (ISO 75, 0.45 MPa) |
|
| Glass transition (Tg) (°C) | 105 (DSC) |
|
| Electrical & ESD properties | Surface resistance >10^13 Ω/sq (ASTM D257) |
|
3DXTechWearX Nylon 6136.00 USD/kg
$68.00 / 500 g spool = $136.00/kg, 3dxtech.com product catalogue, Aug 2026
Handle wearx-1. A wear-resistant PA6 grade; 3DXTech publishes a wear rate and coefficient of friction to ISO 7148-2 alongside the usual mechanicals.
Open product listing ↗- 3DXTech WearX Nylon 6 product page · 2026-08 · vendor
- WearX Wear Resistant PA6 Copolymer 3D Filament — Technical Data Sheet Rev 1.0 · 2026-08 · tds
| Density (g/cm³) | 1.18 (ISO 1183) | |
|---|---|---|
| Spool sizes & diameters | 1.75 mm, 500 g |
|
| Nozzle temperature (°C) | 260–275 |
|
| Bed temperature (°C) | 80–95 |
|
| Drying temperature & time | 90 °C for 4–6 h |
|
| Tensile strength (XY) (MPa) | 62 at break (ISO 527; TDS does not state specimen orientation) | |
| Young's modulus (MPa) | 2458 (ISO 527) | |
| Elongation at break (%) | 18 at break (ISO 527) | |
| Flexural strength (MPa) | 70 (ISO 178) | |
| Flexural modulus (MPa) | 2215 (ISO 178) | |
| Wear resistance & friction | Wear rate 12 µm/km, dynamic coefficient of friction 0.35–0.55 (ISO 7148-2) | |
| HDT at 0.45 MPa (°C) | 143 (ISO 75, 0.45 MPa) | |
| Glass transition (Tg) (°C) | 76 (DSC) | |
| Melting point / Vicat (°C) | 198 melting point (DSC) | |
| Electrical & ESD properties | Surface resistance >10^13 Ω/sq (ASTM D257) |
Material selection articles
Compare specific grades and connect test results to part design.