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Engineering Plastic

Nylon (PA6)

Nylon PA6 is a tough, wear-resistant engineering thermoplastic and the standard for mechanical parts like gears and bushings. It offers good strength (80 MPa), high ductility (50% elongation), low friction, and good chemical resistance (4.5/5). Its defining quirk is hygroscopicity, it absorbs moisture, which changes its dimensions and properties and complicates processing.

How Nylon (PA6) machines

Rated 3.5/5. It cuts well with sharp tools but is tough and slightly gummy, so it can fuzz or melt at the edge if tools dull or heat builds. Use sharp tooling, moderate speeds, and air to clear chips. Critically, moisture content shifts dimensions, condition stock to service humidity before final machining if tight tolerances matter.

Manufacturing & processing

Suits injection molding, CNC machining, and 3D printing. Drying before molding or printing is essential, wet PA6 causes splay, bubbles, and degraded properties. It's commonly cast (as PA6 cast nylon) for large stock shapes. Bonding is best mechanical or via specialized adhesives. Glass-filling boosts stiffness; moisture uptake continues in service, affecting fit.

Typical applications

Gears, bearings, bushings, rollers, and cams; wear pads and guides; fasteners and insulators; pump and valve components; conveyor and machinery parts. The everyday pick for low-friction, wear-resistant moving parts where metal is overkill and self-lubrication is welcome.

When to choose it

Choose PA6 when you need a tough, wear-resistant, low-friction part such as a gear or bushing and can manage its moisture sensitivity. If dimensional stability in humidity is critical, acetal (POM/Delrin) absorbs far less water. For higher heat or chemical resistance, step up to PA66, PEEK, or PPS.

Suitable surface finishes

Common finishes for Nylon (PA6): bead blasting, powder coating. Use the finish selector →

FAQ

Why does nylon PA6 absorb moisture, and does it matter?
Its polymer structure is hydrophilic, so PA6 takes up several percent water from humid air. This matters: absorbed water swells the part (changing dimensions and fit) and acts as a plasticizer, lowering stiffness while raising toughness. For tight-tolerance parts, condition the stock to service humidity before final machining.
Should I choose PA6 or acetal for a gear?
Both make good gears. Choose PA6 for higher toughness and impact and slightly better wear, accepting moisture-driven dimensional change. Choose acetal (POM/Delrin) when dimensional stability and low moisture absorption matter most, it holds size better in humid conditions and machines a touch more cleanly.
Do I need to dry PA6 before molding or printing?
Yes, always. Because PA6 readily absorbs moisture, wet material flashes to steam during melt processing, causing splay, voids, brittleness, and chain degradation. Dry it thoroughly before injection molding or 3D printing to get sound parts with full mechanical properties.

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.