SLS & MJF · Nylon 3D Printing
Production-grade nylon.
Production-grade nylon.
No support structures.
EOS SLS and HP MJF 5200 printers running PA12, PA11, glass/carbon-filled, flame-retardant, and TPU elastomer. From 1-piece prototypes to 10,000-piece production runs. 3–5 day lead time.
01 · SLS vs MJF
Two powder-bed nylon technologies.
Both produce durable nylon parts without support structures. The differences are speed, isotropy, and available materials.
CO2 Laser fusion
SLS · Selective Laser Sintering
Printers3× EOS P-series
Build envelope340 × 340 × 620 mm
Layer height60–120 µm
Tolerance±0.3 mm
MaterialsWidest (incl PA11, PA12-FR)
Strength: best of both worlds for materials (PA11, PA12-FR flame retardant). Slower than MJF for large build densities.
Inkjet + IR fusion
MJF · Multi Jet Fusion
Printers2× HP Jet Fusion 5200
Build envelope380 × 284 × 380 mm
Layer height80 µm
Tolerance±0.3 mm
Speed10× faster than SLS
Strength: faster production runs, more isotropic properties, superior cosmetic black parts. Our default for 50+ part orders.
FAQ
SLS & MJF questions.
SLS (Selective Laser Sintering) uses a CO2 laser to fuse fine nylon powder layer by layer. MJF (Multi Jet Fusion) uses an HP inkjet head to deposit fusing and detailing agents, then an IR lamp fuses the powder. MJF is 10× faster than SLS for large builds, with more isotropic mechanical properties. SLS offers slightly wider material selection (PA11, PA12-FR). Both deliver comparable part quality for most applications.
Polyamide 12 (PA12) is an engineering nylon with excellent balance of strength, flexibility, and chemical resistance. Tensile strength 48 MPa, elongation at break 20%, HDT 171°C at 0.45 MPa load. Self-supporting during the print (no support structures needed), so complex internal geometries print at no extra cost. Production-grade for medical ducting, aerospace brackets, industrial housings, robotic end-effectors.
Yes. MJF is production-qualified for thousands of end-use applications. HP Jet Fusion PA12 meets UL 94 HB flammability, ISO 10993-5 cytotoxicity, and USP Class I–VI biocompatibility depending on grade. Used in production for medical prosthetics, automotive clips and brackets, ducting, industrial spare parts, architectural detailing.
As-printed parts have a slightly rough "sugar cube" surface. Standard post-processing: air blast to remove loose powder, bead blast to uniform matte finish, optional tumble polish for smoother feel. For cosmetic appearance: vapor smoothing (uses hydrocarbon vapor to melt surface smooth), dyeing in black/blue/red, or spray painting. MJF black parts have excellent as-printed cosmetic appearance.
Standard tolerance ±0.3 mm or ±0.3% of feature dimension (whichever is greater). Repeatability within a single build is excellent (±0.1 mm). For mating features below 0.1 mm tolerance, specify critical surfaces for post-machining. Thread accuracy: threaded holes up to M6 can be self-tapped in-print; for M8 and larger, insert threaded inserts or post-tap.
PA11 (higher impact, plant-based), PA12-GF (30% glass-filled, stiffer), PA12-CF (15% carbon-filled, structural), PA12-FR (flame-retardant UL 94 V-0), TPU 88A (thermoplastic elastomer, Shore 88A), PP (polypropylene, chemical resistance), ESD-safe PA12 (surface resistivity 10^6 Ω). Material datasheets available on request.