Nylon vs Polycarbonate: When PLA and PETG Stop Cutting It

When desktop FDM hobbyists outgrow PLA and PETG, nylon and polycarbonate are the next step for heat-resistant, load-bearing functional parts, but only with proper drying and hardware.

In this episode you'll learn:

• PA6 reaches around 70 MPa tensile strength while PA12 sits at 45 to 55 MPa, with PA12 absorbing only about 1.5% moisture by weight versus up to 9% for PA6.

• Polycarbonate delivers 55 to 75 MPa tensile strength and notched impact toughness of 600 to 850 J/m, an order of magnitude above most FDM materials.

• Pure polycarbonate has a glass transition around 145°C, and Prusament PC Blend is rated for use up to 113°C per the Prusament data sheet.

• Prusament PC Blend prints at a nozzle temperature of around 275°C, and Polymaker requires an actively heated chamber for PC-FR, PC-ABS, and PC-PBT variants.

• Nylon and PC are both highly hygroscopic; without drying, prints show cracking, milky surfaces, and degraded mechanical properties within hours of room exposure.

Read the full guides on our site: Nylon (PA) and PA-CF: Engineering Filaments for Strong Parts (printara3d.com/nylon-pa-and-pa-cf-engineering-…) · Polycarbonate (PC): High-Temp Engineering Filament for Demanding Parts (printara3d.com/polycarbonate-pc-high-temp-engi…)

Watch on YouTube: 3D Printing Made Easy playlist (youtube.com/playlist?list=PLWslqJME5LWU)

We 3D-print custom props and game pieces for Z-AGENCY (z-agency.cz/en-us) and TerraHunt (terrahunt.com).
This show is our AI bonus channel: episodes are automatically generated audio editions of the articles we publish at printara3d.com, so you can follow our topics on the go.