SLS Powder · Industrial 3D Printing

Glass Filled Nylon 12 Powder (SLS)

A glass-filled, biocompatible SLS nylon with enhanced stiffness and heat resistance for demanding industrial environments. Nylon 12 GF holds shape at temperature where unfilled nylon softens, with no supports to remove.

Drag & Drop Your Files Uploads are secure and confidential Upload Now Compare Material Specs

170 °C

Heat Deflection

@ 0.45 MPa thermal rating

2.8 GPa

Tensile Modulus

Stiffest SLS nylon we print

56 MPa

Flexural Strength

Resists bending loads

None

Support Structures

Sintered powder needs none

Real Nylon 12 GF SLS Parts

Actual Formlabs SLS prints in Glass Filled Nylon 12 Powder, not renders.

Large automotive grille panel with thin ribs and a circular duct, printed in Formlabs Glass Filled Nylon 12 SLS powder, held in two hands — A large grille panel held flat. Glass filling is what keeps a thin panel this size from bowing.

Sintered duct elbows with threaded fittings and a screw cap, printed in Formlabs Glass Filled Nylon 12 SLS powder — Duct elbows with printed threads and a screw cap, in the matte standard finish.

Summary & Key Takeaways

Stiffest SLS Nylon We Print: A 2.8 GPa tensile modulus, roughly 1.5 times unfilled Nylon 12, from glass filling.
170 °C Heat Deflection: Nearly double Nylon 12's 87 °C, for parts that see sustained heat.
Dimensionally Stable: Glass filling reduces warp and creep, so large flat parts and fixtures stay true.
Stiffness Costs Ductility: 4% elongation at break; not for snap fits or parts that must flex.

Compare Nylon 12 GF SLS to Other 3D Printing Materials

A quick, scannable comparison against the alternatives engineers usually weigh against it. All values are shown at once; use the buttons to focus on one comparison at a time.

Swipe to see all materials →

Tensile modulus, flexural strength, elongation at break, impact strength, and heat deflection temperature for SLS Glass Filled Nylon 12 versus SLS Nylon 12, Rigid 4000 Resin, and High Temp Resin.
Property	Nylon 12 GF SLS	Nylon 12 SLS	Rigid 4000	High Temp
Tensile modulus	2.8 GPa	1.9 GPa	4.1 GPa	2.8 GPa
Flexural strength	56 MPa	66 MPa	69 MPa	97 MPa
Elongation at break	4%	11%	5.3%	2%
Notched Izod impact	36 J/m	32 J/m	23 J/m	17 J/m
Heat deflection temp (0.45 MPa)	170 °C	87 °C	77 °C	238 °C
Support structures	None required	None required	Removable supports for overhangs	Removable supports for overhangs

Why Choose Glass Filled Nylon 12 Powder (SLS)?

The stiff, heat-capable end of the SLS range, for structural parts that also need the geometric freedom of powder-bed printing.

Glass-Filled Stiffness

A 2.8 GPa tensile modulus and 56 MPa flexural strength let enclosures, brackets, and structural housings carry load with far less deflection than unfilled sintered nylon, closing much of the gap to a filled resin.

Holds Shape at Temperature

A 170 °C heat deflection temperature at 0.45 MPa, nearly double Nylon 12's, so fixtures and housings stay dimensionally stable in engine bays, near heaters, and through paint or cure cycles.

Complex Geometry, No Supports

Because parts are sintered in a powder bed, internal channels, ribbing, and threaded-insert bosses print without supports, and the finish is uniform on every face rather than scarred where supports attached.

Nylon 12 GF SLS Design Rules (DFM) at a Glance

Formlabs SLS design guidelines for the Fuse Series. Check your CAD feature dimensions against these limits before uploading your file.

Min. wall thickness (vertical · horizontal)	0.8 mm for both (same minimum whether the wall is supported or unsupported)
Min. pin/wire diameter	0.8 mm
Min. hole diameter	1.0 mm
Min. drain/escape hole (2 per powder-trapping cavity)	3.5 mm
Clearance, mating features separated after printing	0.2 mm (< 20 mm²) · 0.4 mm (> 20 mm²)
Clearance, mating features printed pre-assembled	0.3 mm (< 20 mm²) · 0.6 mm (> 20 mm²)
Clearance between unrelated parts in a build	1.0 mm min · 5.0 mm recommended
Min. embossed detail (raised text/logos)	0.15 mm deep, horizontal face · 0.35 mm deep, vertical face (4.5 mm min. text height)
Min. engraved detail (recessed text/logos)	0.1 mm deep, horizontal face · 0.15 mm deep, vertical face (3.0 mm min. text height)
Max. single-part build size	330 × 330 × 565 mm

Source: Formlabs' Design specifications for 3D models: Fuse 1, adapted to hold walls to a higher minimum than Formlabs' published figures. Nylon 12 GF is glass filled and only 4% elongation at break, so thin walls and sharp internal corners crack more readily than in unfilled nylon; add fillets on load paths and keep handled features at or above the minimum wall. These are general guidelines; thicker cross-sections, hole depth, and part geometry can shift the safe minimums for a specific design. Maximum build size reflects our largest-format SLS printer; actual build size depends on which machine your order routes to.

Frequently Asked Questions

Everything you need to know about designing, ordering, and using Nylon 12 GF SLS parts on Form Now.

What is Glass Filled Nylon 12 SLS powder?

Nylon 12 GF Powder is a glass-filled, biocompatible material for selective laser sintering (SLS) with enhanced stiffness and heat resistance for demanding industrial environments. It is used to produce stiff functional prototypes and end-use parts where structural rigidity and thermal stability are critical.

How much stiffer is Nylon 12 GF than standard Nylon 12?

Nylon 12 GF has a tensile modulus of 2.8 GPa against 1.9 GPa for unfilled Nylon 12, and a heat deflection temperature of 170 °C against 87 °C. The trade is ductility: 4% elongation at break versus 11%, so Nylon 12 GF is the stiffer and more brittle of the two.

What is Nylon 12 GF used for?

Nylon 12 GF is commonly used for stiff structural parts, enclosures, fixtures and tooling, parts with threaded inserts, and end-use components that must hold shape under load or sustained heat.

Can Nylon 12 GF parts flex or snap together?

Not really. At 4% elongation at break it is a stiff, comparatively brittle material, so snap fits, living hinges, and parts that must deflect are better served by Nylon 11 or Nylon 12 Tough, both of which are far more ductile.

Do SLS Nylon 12 GF parts need support structures?

No. SLS parts are sintered inside a bed of powder that supports the geometry as it builds, so there are no supports to design around or remove. That allows internal channels and pre-assembled moving parts, and the surface finish is uniform on every face.

What are the minimum wall thickness and hole size design rules for Nylon 12 GF?

Per Formlabs' design specifications for SLS, we recommend a minimum wall thickness of 0.8 mm for both vertical and horizontal walls, and holes should be at least 1.0 mm in diameter. Any cavity that can trap powder needs two escape holes of at least 3.5 mm. Because Nylon 12 GF is glass filled and stiff rather than ductile, add fillets to internal corners on load paths. Maximum single-part build size is 330 x 330 x 565 mm.