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Nylon 3D printing processes
Quick answer
Nylon is printed four main ways: SLS and MJF (and Stratasys's SAF), which fuse PA11/PA12 powder in a powder bed and dominate professional production; and FDM, which extrudes nylon filament and is the route most individuals and small workshops use. Powder processes give support-free, near-isotropic parts; FDM is far cheaper to access but is anisotropic and moisture-sensitive.
SLS — Selective Laser Sintering
The original nylon powder process. A laser sinters PA12 or PA11 powder layer by layer; parts are strong, complex and support-free.
MJF — Multi Jet Fusion
HP's agent-and-infrared powder process. Fast builds, fine detail and near-isotropic PA12, PA11 and glass-bead grades.
SAF — Selective Absorption Fusion
Stratasys's production powder process: a single infrared-absorbing fluid (HAF) jetted by piezo printheads, then flood infrared fusion. PA11 and PA12 on the H350.
FDM — Nylon Filament Printing
Extruded nylon filament: PA6, PA12, CoPA and carbon-fibre grades on desktop and industrial machines. The most accessible way to print nylon.
Powder-bed fusion vs filament extrusion
The split that matters most is between powder-bed fusion (SLS, MJF, SAF) and extrusion (FDM). In a powder bed, the part is fused inside loose powder that supports it from all sides: there are no support structures, parts can be nested throughout the build volume, and mechanical properties are similar in all directions. The trade-offs are expensive machines, powder handling, and a post-processing step to remove unfused powder. In FDM, a spool of filament feeds a heated nozzle: machines cost a fraction as much, but layer lines make parts weaker across layers, overhangs need supports, and nylon filament must be kept dry to print well.
Choosing between the two powder leaders is covered in depth in SLS vs MJF. SAF, used in the Stratasys H350, is a third powder-bed approach aimed at consistent production manufacturing, with a single-fluid imaging step; its machine is in the machine database.
Which nylon does each process use?
- SLS: PA12 is the standard; PA11, glass-filled PA12 and PA6 powders extend the range. See powder materials.
- MJF: HP's High Reusability PA 12, PA 11 and PA 12 Glass Beads.
- SAF: Stratasys High Yield PA11 and SAF PA12 powders (plus polypropylene and recycled-PA12 grades).
- FDM: PA6, PA12 and copolyamide filaments, very often filled with chopped carbon fibre.
Last updated: November 2026