Stratasys introduces tough unfilled nylon for additive manufacturing

Stratasys says that with FDM Nylon 12, its Fused Deposition Modeling (FDM) technology creates tougher, more flexible unfilled nylon parts than other additive manufacturing technologies can.

FDM Nylon 12 offers up to five times greater resistance to breaking and better impact strength compared with the strongest FDM materials. The new material’s elongation-at-break specification surpasses that of other 3D printed nylon 12 material by up to 100 percent based on published specifications.

This can create new opportunities for manufacturers in aerospace, automotive, home appliance and consumer electronics to more easily create durable parts that can stand up to high vibration, repetitive stress or fatigue. Examples include end-use parts, like interior panels, covers, environmental control ducting and vibration-resistant components, as well as tools, manufacturing aids, and jigs and fixtures used in the manufacturing process. 

“Nylon is one of the most widely used materials in today’s plastic products, and among FDM users it has been one of the top requested materials,” said Fred Fischer, Stratasys materials product director. “It is also the first semi-crystalline material and the toughest material Stratasys has ever offered.

"We expect it to be used for applications requiring repetitive snap fits, high fatigue endurance, strong chemical resistance, high impact strength or press-fit inserts. This material offers users a clean, simple way to produce nylon parts with an additive process.” 

FDM Nylon 12 is available for the Fortus 360, 400 and 900 systems. It is initially offered in black, and is paired with SR110, a new soluble support material optimised for FDM Nylon 12. Support removal requires virtually no labour and is conveniently washed away in the same cleaning agent as other FDM soluble supports. 

For more information about FDM Nylon 12, click here.