Overview – MJF PA12
MJF PA12 has been engineered especially for HP Multi Jet Fusion technology, designed for producing functional parts across various industries.
MJF Nylon 12 offers an excellent balance between performance and reusability, making it ideal for manufacturing final parts and functional prototypes with fine detail and dimensional accuracy. This high-performance material serves as an alternative to plastics like ABS or PA6, which are widely used in injection moulding. It is perfect for complex assemblies, housings, enclosures, and watertight applications.
MJF PA12 works well for both smaller and larger parts, excelling particularly with larger components due to its high speed and low density builds. This makes it cost-effective and efficient for these applications. 3DPRINTUK is the only company in the UK to run Advanced Mode printing, ensuring the strongest material properties for HP PA12.
Maximum size of a part we can print in one piece:
350mm x 350mm x 255mm (Express, Economy & Trade service)
What machine does it run on?
We run MJF PA12 on our fleet of 5 HP 5210 Pro series MJF machines
MJF PA12 is highly recommended for
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Value for money – especially for low density parts - +
Larger parts – affordable and accurate for large items - +
Near Isotropic Strength – great strength in all axis
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Skin Safe Applications – certified for skin contact - +
Organic Shapes – ideal for complex and organic geometries - +
Chemical and Water Resistance – great for prolonged durability in harsh conditions
Mechanical properties
In the chart below you can compare the main mechanical properties of MJF PA12 against our other materials. To make it easier to compare, we have given each value a rating out of 5 (0.5 increments). This can also be seen in the table below. You can toggle each material visibility on/off using the buttons on the right.
Properties
Accuracy
Expected: 0.1mm or 0.1%
Guaranteed: 0.3mm or 0.3%
Repeatability
Great repeatability, though not quite as good as SLS PA12 or SAF PA11
Strength
Great material in terms of tensile and impact resistance. [data below]
Flexibility
Great flexibility, suitable for snap fits.
Melting point
Great thermal resistance with a melting point of 180 degrees C
Resistance to Warping
MJF PA12 can warp more than SLS PA12 and is harder to correct afterward. If you have a warpable part, SLS PA12 is recommended.
Elemental and UV Degradation
Great resistance to the elements can be used for outdoor products.
Chemical and Water Resistance
Has great chemical and water resistance.
Technical Data
Mechanical Properties
| Property | Mean | Unit | Test Standard |
|---|---|---|---|
| Tensile Strength | 48 (7397) | MPa (psi) | ASTM D638 |
| Elongation at Break | 20 | % | ASTM D638 |
| Flexural Modulus | 1730 | MPa/psi | ASTM D790 |
| Melting Point | 187 | °C | DIN EN ISO 306 |
Datasheets
For more information on MJF PA12 please download the datasheet you require from the list below. If you have any further questions please feel free to give us a call to discuss your project.
Colours Available
Grey & Black.
Certifications
Flame Retardancy
Yes, SLS PA12 has UL94 HB certification.
Food Grade
MJF PA12 does not currently have any food safety certifications.
Skin Safe
Yes, SLS PA12 is certified as non-irritant and shows no cytotoxic effect.
ESD
SAF PA11 is not classed as an ESD safe material.
3DPRINTUK observations while working with MJF PA12
Warping– MJF PA12 is the most prone material we have to warping. Some parts can be rectified after, however, if you do have a warpable part, we recommend SLS PA12 over MJF PA12.
Colour – Like SAF PA11, the natural colour is grey, not white like SLS PA12. The parts are printed from a white powder with a black fusing agent, resulting in a black inside and a grey exterior. The black inside does help with dyed parts as it makes the part uniformly black as opposed to having a white core like SLS has.
Thick parts – MJF PA12 can struggle with thick parts – these parts tend to have a very poor surface finish. To avoid this we have to hollow parts thicker than 10mm to a 4mm wall thickness. If you need parts printed solid, we recommend SAF PA11.
Talk to Andrew, our Head of Technical Sales, and discover how our services can save you time and money while achieving the highest quality prints.
Appearance and finishes available
Natural
This is as it comes off the machine. Parts have a granular texture similar to an extra strong mint and is the roughest of all the finishes. Ideal for parts with thin walls, or finer details that may get damaged in the other processes.
Polished
Use our vibro polishing service to take the roughness away from the natural finish. The result takes the surface from the texture of an extra strong mint to a softmint/mentos. This process is both low cost and high impact, but can cause damage to delicate parts below 2mm wall thickness. It is ideal if you are looking to paint parts afterward.
Natural Dyed
This is using our DM60 deep dye machines – takes parts from their natural colour to black or other colours. Can be used in conjunction with all other finishing processes. Parts are coloured on the surface only and can be used for applications that involve skin contact.
Polished & Dyed
This is using our vibro polishing machines – a rough abrasive process that smoothens the outside of the part from an extra strong mint type texture to a surface similar to a softmint/mentos. Not suitable for thin walls or features.
Shotpeen & Dyed
This uses our fleet of Dyemansion Powershot S’s – a less abrasive finish that provides a more premium satin/semi-gloss sheen to the parts. By far the best value for money finish we offer. More suitable than polishing for thinner walled and higher detailed parts.
Vapour Smoothed
Our vapour smoothing service allows you to have a gloss finish on your parts. The process not only enhances the surface finish, but also improves the strength of the parts, reduces friction, enhances the colour (black only), improves air and water tightness as well as other benifits.
Design Guidelines, Maximums and Minimums
Max Print Size
This is the maximum size we can print a part in one piece
350mm x 350mm x 255mm
Min Wall Thickness
This is the minimum wall thickness we can guarantee to print. You are able to print under this guarantee at your own risk, however, prints under our guarantee are not covered for a free reprint if damaged.
Natural: 1mm
Shotpeen: 1.5mm
Polished: 2mm
Min Embossed Thickness
This is the minimum thickness a surface detail can be – this includes text and small intricate details. Note the thickness stroke width, not the width of the entire letter if referring to text.
Width: 0.5mm
height: 0.3mm
Min Engraved Thickness
This is the minimum thickness a engraved surface detail can be – this includes text and small intricate details. Note the thickness stroke width, not the width of the entire letter if referring to text.
Width (except shotpeen): 0.5mm
Width (shotpeen): 0.7mm
Depth: 0.3mm
Min Hole Sizes
This is the minimum diameter of a hole. As a rule of thumb, the longer the hole, the larger the diameter is required to prevent them from blocking with powder. It is best to avoid long and twisting holes as these are near impossible to clear the powder from post-print.
<2mm depth: 1mm
2-5mm depth: 2mm
5-10mm depth: 3mm
10mm+: at least 4mm
*Powder may not be able to be cleared out of holes longer than 30mm
Clearance
This is the minimum gap required between two separate parts that are designed to fit together, such as a case and a lid. This is the distance between surface faces – remember that this is each side meaning that you need to double this measurement if the whole part is interlocking. e.g. if a shaft is going into a hole, 0.15mm between surfaces means 0.3mm between diameters.
Tight fit: 0.15mm
Smooth fit: 0.25mm
Flat/Warpable Parts
Flat parts are prone to warping. Warping is where the part cools at different rates causing geometrical changes in the object. It is best to try to avoid these shapes where possible, or contact us to ask for advice.
Limitation: part dependant – ask us if you are concerned.
Min Sharp Angle
This is the minium angle recommended without a fillet or chamfer. Parts with sharp angles tend to get damaged in the print or post-processing stages. Anything sharper than the minimum angle is recommended to have a fillet.
Min Angle: 60°
Sharp Angle Fillet
Anything sharper than our minimum guaranteed angle is recommended to have a filleted edge. Filleted edges are far stronger than sharp edges and are less prone to damage in either post-processing or print stages.
Min Fillet: 1mm
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