We produce plastic AM parts in Nylon 12 and Glass-Filled Nylon 12 and with the UK’s largest plastic AM facility we are able to dedicate machines to specific materials, thereby reducing the machine turnaround time and delivery leadtimes.
Nylon 12 and Glass-Filled Nylon 12 provide good long term stability, strength and durability required for form, fit and functional testing. Neither material is hydroscopic or porous (given sufficient wall thickness), thereby negating the requirement to seal the surface on components being used with liquids.
Nylon 12
By far the most common material used in plastic AM, parts have good long term stability, offer resistance to most chemicals and is harmless to the environment. High levels of complexity are achievable and the material delivers the impact strength and durability required for functional testing. Tensile and flexural strength combine to make tough plastic prototypes, with the flex associated with many production thermoplastics. It is able to emulate living hinge designs, certainly to 20+ cycles. The plastic material is non-hygroscopic, thereby negating the requirement to seal the surface on components being used with liquids.
Glass Filled Nylon 12
This is the Glass Filled variant of Nylon 12. Providing greater rigidity, the glass-filled blend is perfect when prototyping rigid parts intended for production in advanced engineered thermoplastics, and is the right choice for functional testing. Form, fit and functional testing can now be completed without sacrifice. The filler is glass bead and not fibre. Hence the part predominantly increases in stiffness but not strength. Filler ratio approximately 40% by weight. Material is not hydroscopic or porous (given sufficient wall thickness), thereby negating the requirement to seal the surface on components being used with liquids.
The full technical specifications are downloadable as pdf documents. If you are unable to open pdf files, you can download a free copy of Adobe Reader here
