You can make Incredibly durable parts with Nylon 3D printing. However, using it can be challenging! Read this article to learn more.
When subjected to static loads, the most popular type of 3D printing filament, PLA, is reasonably strong. However, it becomes brittle and loses its strength when exposed to 60°C and lower. Although much more robust than injection molded parts, ABS, the second most popular type of 3D printing filament, is still not frequently used for intricate functional parts.
Nylon is a high-performance substance that can be used to print highly robust components that are strong enough to be used as parts in products that are readily available on the market. It is flexible when thin, but its strong interlayer adhesion makes nylon-printed parts much more robust than those made with any other typical 3D printing feedstock.
Nylon is a good material for gears, bearings, pulleys, threads, and other mechanical parts because of its low coefficient of friction.
The drawback is that printing nylon is much more challenging than printing PLA or ABS.
Nylon Filament Types
Nylon filament for 3D printing comes in several different formulations, each with slightly different properties, uses, and printer settings. The mechanical strength, flexibility, and aesthetic appeal of nylon filaments are excellent.
Since Nylon is so adaptable, it can be tied into knots without the filament breaking or changing shape.
Taulman Alloy 910
The market leader in nylon 3D printing filaments, Taulman3D, created the nylon formulation known as Alloy 910. Alloy 910 is intended to produce 3D prints with an incredibly high strength without the use of fillers.
Some formulations include fillers like glass or carbon fiber to strengthen nylon filament (and other filament types). However, these fillers compromise the parts’ surface finish, and larger nozzle sizes are needed to prevent clogging.
Alloy 910 was explicitly created by Taulman for 3D printing. Warping is less likely because it prints smoothly and experiences slight shrinkage. Due to its high printing temperature requirements (about 500°F (260°C)), Alloy 910 necessitates the use of a high-end printer.
There are only two colors of alloy 910: black and clear. However, white Nylon can also be colored using common fabric dye, as will be covered in more detail below.
Taulman 645 Nylon
With the best mechanical strength of all the blends, Taulman3D’s 645 nylon is another nylon formulation. It is intended for printing production-quality components or prototypes that will be put to rigorous real-world testing.
Like other varieties of Nylon, this material prints at a high temperature of 470°F (245°C), necessitating a 3D printer with an all-metal hot end. Additionally, 645 nylon may be challenging to adhere well to beds. Blue painter’s tape or custom build plate materials work well for printing with 645 nylon.
Taulman 645 nylon is offered in black and clear colors, just like Alloy 910.
Taulman Bridge
Taulman3D’s Taulman Bridge nylon aims to close the usability gap between 645 nylon and more popular 3D printing plastics like ABS and PLA. Five priorities guided the design of the content:
- Keeping a high level of strength
- Better bed adhesion
- The material is priced similarly to more widely used feedstocks.
- Non-destructive inspection transparency
- Less shrinkage
Taulman’s page describes the production of the substance in great detail. Still, Bridge nylon is much easier to use and slightly less durable. Although it is not as strong as 645 nylon and is less fussy about bed adhesion, the material is still more robust than ABS.
Since Nylon has a low coefficient of friction, it is a “slippery” material. It works well for mechanical assemblies because of this, but it needs help sticking to the print bed. Bridge nylon adheres to your build plate better because it has a higher coefficient of friction than other nylon formulations. Bridge nylon is, therefore, simpler to print on and experiences less shrinkage than other nylons.
A bridge nylon sample print. Bridge nylon is designed to “bridge” the chasm” between more widely used 3D printing plastics and 645 nylon.
Despite this, Bridge nylon prints at a high temperature of 480°F (250°C), necessitating an expensive 3D printer with a heated bed for the best bed adhesion and minimizing warping.
Taulman Nylon 230
Despite this, Bridge nylon prints at a high temperature of 480°F (250°C), necessitating an expensive 3D printer with a heated bed for the best bed adhesion and minimizing warping.
On the other hand, Nylon 230 is explicitly made to be a more widely available kind of Nylon that can be printed using any 3D printer. The material’s target printing temperature of 450°F (230°C) inspired its name.
Additionally, a heated bed is not necessary for Nylon 230. Materials like BuildTak and Scotch Blue painters tape can be printed on a regular bed. It has an optional heated bed with a glass or aluminum surface with PVA glue coated.
Applying an even layer of glue is straightforward when using “disappearing purple” glue sticks because you can see where you’ve put the glue before it dries.
Nylon 230 is a solid alternative to PLA or ABS, even though it is less potent than Taulman3D’s other filament types.
Nylon is a fantastic material choice for gears or other moving parts because of its high durability and low friction.
Drying and Storing Filaments for Nylon 3D Printing
The fact that Nylon has a high propensity to absorb water from the surrounding air presents one of the main difficulties in using nylon filaments. The surface quality of your parts will be destroyed if you use a filament that has absorbed too much water.
While printing on dry Nylon is buttery smooth and has a glossy, translucent finish. However, with wet Nylon, any water trapped in the plastic will extrude as the material does, exploding out of the nozzle of your 3D printer and causing bubbles and other flaws in the print. Imperfections in the material can significantly weaken printed parts and reduce their aesthetic appeal.
Your prints will be weak and unattractive if you use wet Nylon. When your Nylon is too wet to use, you can hear it. If you pay close attention, you can listen to a crackling, popping sound in the video below, past the sound of the stepper motors and fans on the 3D printer. This is the sound of water vaporizing inside the Nylon as it is being extruded.
Filament Vacuum Bags
Nylon filament should be kept dry in rolls or loose coils. Consequently, nylon filament must be appropriately stored. Vacuum sealing filament spools with a lot of desiccant packs are one of the most straightforward storage solutions out of the many available. Vacuum sealing machines that are typically used for food storage can be used to seal your filament spools. Desiccant packets can be bought in bulk for less money.
Keep your nylon filament in a vacuum-sealed bag with moisture-absorbing desiccant packs.
Check Amazon.com for the best Nylon filament vacuum storage kits
eSUN 3D Printing Filament Electronic Vacuum Storage Kit Pro
3D Printer Filament Storage Bag Vacuum
Oven Dry
Due to its extreme hygroscopicity, nylon filament can become unusable for printing within six hours of exposure to the air. As a result, the filament usually needs to be dried between prints. Put nylon filament in a 170°F (~75°C) oven for six hours to dry it. The filament should be used immediately after drying or vacuum sealed as soon as the spool’s temperature permits.
Remember that some 3D printing materials emit unpleasant odors and fumes, which is probably not what you want in a cooking appliance! Always be mindful of the non-food items in your oven, and give yourself enough time after your filament has dried to allow for ventilation.
Filament Dryer
The task of drying filament can be handled by special equipment! This might be your best choice if you’re looking for something with extra features specifically made for 3D printing.
Although there are different filament dryers with a few various features, they are all generally easy to use. You load your spool (or spools) into the dryer, choose the setting you want, and let it work.
Typically, filament dryers run on electricity and use a heating element to create a warm environment in which any moisture in the filament and the surrounding air is evaporated. Depending on the filament you want to try, you will frequently have a choice of temperatures and the ability to set a timer to shorten the drying process.
When the allotted time has passed, you can retrieve your spool, which should be dry. Sometimes the printer and dryer can work together to save you time and hassle by drying and printing simultaneously.
The Sunlu Filament Dryer S2 and the Sovol SH01, both prominent brands of heated filament dryers, are shown above. These dryers provide a more dependable and customized drying experience, letting you eliminate filament concerns, and concentrate on fine-tuning your printer to produce the ideal prints. Additionally, your oven is still available to bake a cake to celebrate your newly dehumidified collection of printing materials!
To ensure that the nylon filament is completely dry before you begin your print, you can dry it in your kitchen oven.
Dyeing Nylon Parts
Compared to other popular 3D printing materials like PLA or ABS, nylon filament comes in a tiny variety of colors. However, using fabric dye, white Nylon is easily colored.
It is simple to add color to your nylon 3D prints. You only require a few simple materials:
- Rit fabric dye in the color of your choice
- A glass vessel large enough to submerge your 3D-printed component
- A microwave
- A thermometer
- To avoid getting dye on your fingers, use pliers, tweezers, or another tool to place your part into the dye.
When combined with water between 140°F and 175°F (60°C and 80°C), the fabric dye will best infiltrate the nylon part. Heat the water to 175°F (80°C) using a thermometer and your microwave. After that, combine the Rit fabric dye with water in a 5:1 ratio.
Put your piece in the warm dye solution. The part’s color will get darker the longer it soaks up the dye. The part should therefore be dipped into the dye for 30 seconds at a time, checking the color after each dip.
To achieve the desired color, dip your model into the dye for 30 seconds at a time.
When the part has reached the desired color, rinse it under running water to remove any excess dye. The component must then be completely dry.
Have you ever used nylon filaments for printing? Any hints or techniques we missed?
Let us know in the comments below or on our Facebook page to let us know your ideas, and we would appreciate seeing pictures of your works of art!
