Selective Laser Sintering (SLS) Materials & Polyamides
Click the SLS Bone for more information.
Selective Laser Sintering (SLS) Materials & Polyamides
Look, we know your designs are tough. If they weren’t, you’d be using a cheap desktop printer and hoping for the best. When your parts need to survive real-world stress, chemical exposure, or the rigorous demands of aerospace and defense, you need industrial Selective Laser Sintering (SLS).
Our SLS systems sinter premium polyamide powders layer by layer, delivering high-precision, fully functional prototypes and lightweight production parts with complex geometries. No support structures, no geometric handcuffs—just pure engineering freedom.
Nylon 11 vs. Nylon 12: The Engineering Showdown
| Mechanical Property | SLS Nylon 11 (Bio-Based) | SLS Nylon 12 (Petrochemical) |
|---|---|---|
| The Origin Story | Derived from castor oil (Eco-friendly bragging rights). | Synthesized from petrochemicals (The industry baseline). |
| Flexibility & Ductility | High. Bends before it breaks; fantastic impact resistance. | Rigid. High dimensional stability and stress-crack resistance. |
| Best Used For... | High-pressure environments, living hinges, snap-fits. | Economical production, complex housings, rugged enclosures. |
Non-Stock Specialty Powders: For When "Standard" Won't Cut It
Sometimes your application demands something a little more… exotic. We can configure our systems to run eight specialized non-stock materials tailored to your exact load, environmental, or regulatory requirements.
The Powerhouse Carbon Blends
TPA 603-CF (Nylon 12) and PA 840-GSL (Nylon 11) blend carbon fiber or glass into the mix for extreme strength-to-weight ratios. Think drone frames, aerospace brackets, and parts that laugh at structural stress.
The Specialists
From fire retardant PA 606-FR to mineral-filled PA 620-MF, ultra-white PA 2200, and metallic-finished Alumide, we have the physical properties your data sheets demand.
Selective Laser Sintering (SLS) Materials
Engineered for strength and precision, our SLS materials deliver the perfect balance of flexibility, durability, and detail—ready to bring your toughest designs to life.
- Color: White – develops a patina with air exposure, that does not affect its mechanical properties
- Ideal for most applications
- Used for fuel and liquid storage
- Exceptional chemical, fuel, and UV-resistant
- FDA certified (21 CFR §177.15009(b)) food safe, except for alcohol
- Melting point around 325°F
- No porosity with wall thicknesses ›1.5 mm (0.060")
- Can be tumbled, dyed, painted, glued, drilled, tapped, and machined
- Color: Eggshell – slightly creamy white
- Strong and durable
- Excellent dimensional stability
- Popular for tooling applications
- Produces a very heavy part as compared to all the other materials
- Contains a 50% fill of glass beads
- Color: Bright White – with a Titanium Dioxide Whitener
- Durable and rugged
- Chemical resistant
- Economical
- Melting point around 325°F
- USP Class VI certified for biocompatibility (non-toxic to human cells)
- Highly workable for secondary operations
- Can be tumbled, dyed, painted, glued, drilled, tapped, and machined
- Color: Gray/Black
- High tensile strength
- Suited for applications where a high heat tolerance, strength, and resistance to wear are of paramount importance
- Superior stiffness factor compared to High Performance Nylon 12
- Extreme smoothness when processed with our secondary finishing operations
- Color: White
- Mechanical properties are similar to standard Nylon 12
- For applications where FAR certification is required (meets FAR 25.853 60 second burn specification)
- Suitable for interiors of aircraft, automotive, and other commercial transportation
- Excellent for laboratory ventilation and air handling
- Parts will exhibit a smooth surface finish and sharp feature detail
- Color: Off-white
- Strong and durable — lighter when compared to glass-filled materials
- Good dimensional stability without the brittleness of carbon fiber
- Greater mechanical stability than unfilled materials
- Color: Dark Grey
- Carbon fiber increases the dimensional stability
- Hollow glass beads add increased durability
- Very lightweight
- Developed for the UAV industry
- Color: Metallic silver appearance
- High stiffness
- Superior dimensional accuracy
- Good thermal conductivity
- Aluminum powder creates a product that is somewhat brittle – not recommended for structural applications
- Easy post processing via machining, grinding, and milling
- Secondary polishing processes provides a surface with a metallic-looking finish
- WARNING! This product should not be used in any application where contact with foodstuffs would be possible
- Color: Dark Grey
- Carbon adds dimensional stability
- Hollow glass beads Increase durability over unfilled Nylon 11
- Additional flexibility with Nylon 11-based material
- Very light compared to other materials
- Electrically conductive, due to carbon content
- Specifically developed for the UAV industry
- Color: Black
- For applications that require slightly higher tensile strength at break, along with a higher elongation factor
- All-weather performance, it excels in extreme climates
- High-impact and high-pressure resistance at sub-zero temperatures
- Low coefficient of friction
- Not bio-compatible
NW Rapid Materials List (PDF).
For details specific to your project, it’s best to call us at +1 503 434-8557 or request a quote.