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Nylon 6/6 (30% Glass-Filled)

Nylon 6/6 with 30% glass fill trades the toughness of unfilled nylon for stiffness and strength — tensile climbs to 170 MPa while elongation drops to 3%. Rated to 120C with full chemical resistance, it is a cost-effective structural engineering plastic for stiff housings, gears, and brackets that must hold their shape under load.

How Nylon 6/6 (30% Glass-Filled) machines

Rated 3.0/5 — the 30% glass fill is abrasive and wears standard tooling, so use carbide and replace edges proactively. Like all nylons it absorbs moisture, which shifts dimensions; condition or dry stock before finishing tight-tolerance parts and machine in stable conditions to hold size.

Manufacturing & processing

Offered in injection molding, CNC, and extrusion. Molding is the primary route for high-volume structural parts, where the glass would otherwise punish cutting tools. CNC suits prototypes and low-volume brackets from stock plate or rod. Moisture absorption affects both dimensions and properties, so storage and conditioning matter.

Typical applications

Best for stiff structural housings, gears, brackets, and load-bearing components where unfilled nylon would flex too much. At 2.0/5 cost it delivers metal-replacement stiffness affordably, common in automotive under-hood parts, power-tool housings, and machine components needing rigidity rather than impact tolerance.

When to choose it

Choose PA66-GF30 when you need a stiff, strong, dimensionally capable plastic at low cost and can accept the brittleness and tool wear from glass fill. Choose unfilled nylon when impact toughness or wear-bearing matter more. Avoid it in wet, dimension-critical service where moisture absorption shifts size unacceptably.

Suitable surface finishes

Common finishes for Nylon 6/6 (30% Glass-Filled): bead blasting, powder coating. Use the finish selector →

FAQ

Does glass-filled nylon absorb moisture?
Yes — like all nylons it absorbs moisture, which swells dimensions and lowers stiffness over time. The glass fill reduces but does not eliminate this. For dimension-critical parts, condition or dry the stock and account for moisture-driven growth, especially in humid or wet service environments.
Why add 30% glass to nylon 6/6?
The glass fill roughly doubles tensile strength to 170 MPa and sharply increases stiffness and dimensional stability, turning a flexible material into a structural one. The trade-off is brittleness — elongation falls to 3% — and abrasive tool wear, so it suits rigid load-bearing parts, not impact-prone ones.
Is glass-filled nylon abrasive to machine?
Yes — the 30% glass fiber dulls standard tooling quickly, so carbide is recommended and edge replacement should be planned. The abrasion is less severe than 40% filled grades but still drives tool-life costs, so molding is preferred for high-volume runs over extensive machining.

Property values are typical/nominal for early guidance and vary by temper, grade, supplier and heat treatment. Confirm critical specs against a certified datasheet or with an mfgiq engineer.