Side by side
| Property | Nylon 12 | Nylon 11 CF |
|---|---|---|
| Tensile strength, X | 50 MPa | 69 MPa |
| Tensile strength, Z (build direction) | Lower than X | 38 MPa |
| Heat deflection at 1.8 MPa | 87 °C | 178 °C |
| Heat deflection at 0.45 MPa | 171 °C | 188 °C |
| Color | Gray, or dyed black | Black |
| Print atmosphere | Air | Nitrogen |
| Powder price | $99/kg | $999 per 6 kg |
| Our price, 60 × 20 × 40 mm bracket | $8.78 | $12.98 |
| Our standard ship time | 3 business days | 4 business days |
Material figures are Formlabs' published values for parts printed on a Fuse 1+ 30W; real parts vary with geometry and orientation.
When Nylon 12 is enough
Enclosures, brackets, clips, jigs and most prototypes. Nylon 12 is tough, holds tolerances well, takes dye and vapor smoothing, and costs about a third less than the carbon fiber grade in our rate card.
When carbon fiber Nylon 11 earns its price
- Stiffness. Its tensile modulus is 5.3 GPa in X, so arms and brackets flex far less under load.
- Heat. 178 °C heat deflection at 1.8 MPa covers engine bays, motors and hot enclosures where Nylon 12 would creep.
- Weight. It replaces machined aluminum in many brackets and mounts at a fraction of the mass.
Orientation matters more with carbon fiber
Carbon-filled parts are much stronger along the print plane than across layers: 69 MPa in X against 38 MPa in Z. We orient long, loaded features flat by default, and the quote flags parts where that conflicts with fit in the chamber.
Lead time and scheduling
Nylon 11 CF prints in a nitrogen atmosphere and needs its own build, so we run carbon fiber builds on set days and ship them a day later than Nylon 12. Economy orders help fill those builds and save 10%.