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Nylon Filament Properties, Features, Pros, and Cons


MakeShaper Nylon Filament

Whether you just started 3D printing or have been working on it at a professional level, you might have surely come across the PLA or ABS filaments. These materials can produce amazing prints with ease of use. However, they surely have certain limitations. However, if you have been looking for certain material that comes with high flexibility, strength, as well as durability, you need to take a look at the Nylon filaments designed for 3D printing purposes.

Among the materials that can be used for the purpose of 3D printing, the Nylon filament tends to possess some of the most versatile features.

Nylon caters impeccable prints. The finish acquired from the use of this material is very silky as well as smooth. However, you need to monitor the material for dryness. Any moisture absorbed by Nylon filament can lead to uneven printing.

Strength and Durability: Nylon Filament When it comes to strength, nylon filament is a perfect option for the users. With nylon used as the printing filament, you will not experience any form of snapping or brittle effect. You can also note that the nylon 3D printing process produces parts that are very tough and designed to tolerate any kind of shock. Moreover, nylon is also known for being impact resistant.

On the other hand, the thinner sections of the nylon printed 3D project can become very flexible. Given its high-flexibility, nylon is also used to create parts that require diminished friction co-efficient with little to no need for lubrication. These filaments are also incredibly tensile.

3D printing properties of Nylon Filament All variants of the nylon filament threads tend to be hygroscopic. This suggests that they can absorb water easily. This might come to you as a surprise, but the nylon 3D printing filaments can easily absorb as much as 10 percent of its overall water density within 24 hours. In order to avoid this from happening, you have to keep your filament inside a container or bag that is completely airtight. To ensure that there is no moisture already present inside, you need to put in a desiccant.

Nylon filament 3D prints that have already absorbed water before the initiation of the printing process will come with finishes that aren’t at all desirable. You might also experience the filaments popping in the extruder. A dry filament ensures that you have a nice sheen with a smooth texture.

Why Nylon filament for 3D printing? When talking about 3D printing, Nylon comes with its own distinct collection of pros & cons. Pros:

  • Nylon tends to be durable and very resilient

  • Excellent flexibility to strength ratio

  • Can easily be dyed or colored

  • Resistant to UV

  • Better chemical resistance as opposed to ABS or PLA filament

Cons

  • Nylon can be a bit sensitive to the presence of moisture and needs to be kept perfectly dry

  • You have to dry the nylon filament in an oven before printing

  • The first layer of nylon filament can warp

  • Most of the nylon filaments come with a maximum shelf-life of 12 months

  • Nylon tends to shrink during the cooling process of the printed parts leading to less precision

Print Temperature For Nylon Filament Now, this is where things start getting tricky. Nylons tend to vary widely when it comes to temperatures. This is because each of the brands comes with its own temperature range. The temperature for Nylon filament printing can start anywhere from 230 degrees Celsius to as high as 300 degrees Celsius.

How can you dry the Nylon filament? Before you start printing with nylon filament, you should make sure that it is completely dry. If the filament has already been stored inside the air-tight box with the desiccant, you might not have to dry it before the 3D printing process. However, if you are unsure of its storage, it is better if you try and dry your spool.

Do not let go of your 3D prints with moisture-laden nylon filament that will surely ruin your project. In order to dry the nylon filament, you have to pop in this filament in your oven for a time period of 5 to 6 hours at 85 degrees Celsius. Remember that you shouldn’t leave the filament unattended when it is being dried inside the oven. Your silica gel-based desiccants can also be recharged in the very same way.

Get Optimum 3D Printing Results with Nylon Filament When opting for 3D printing technology with the nylon filament, you need to set the temperature somewhere between 240 degrees Celsius to 260 degrees Celsius. But obviously, you can try and experiment for your convenience.

Now, when talking about the printer’s heated bed, the ideal temperature should be somewhere close to 80 degrees Celsius. However, you can try and keep it at 100 degrees Celsius as nylon tends to cool down fast which can lead to warping issues.

Conclusion Nylon filament use for 3D printing can be particularly easy when you know the perfect temperature. Obviously it requires a bit of practice to master the ideal temperature. However, you know perfection is something that comes only with practice. Not just that, nylon can be comparatively affordable as opposed to mainstream options such as ABS or PLA filaments.

Looking for affordable and high-quality nylon filament? At MakeShaper, we house a varied range of filaments to cater to all your 3D printing requisites. Our collection houses some of the best materials that have been quality-checked to improve the project output. So, grab your filament today by visiting our website. Give us a quick call to know more about our products at (330) 753-0100. You can also mail us at sales@villageplastics.com.

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