What is SLS PA11 (Nylon 11)?
PA11, or Nylon 11, is a strong, highly ductile, bio-based SLS nylon derived from renewable castor oil. It bends and absorbs impact rather than cracking, which makes it the pick for robust end-use parts, snap-fits, living hinges and thin-walled enclosures. RYSE 3D prints PA11 on the Formlabs Fuse platform with no supports, so complex geometry comes free.
What is the difference between PA11 and PA12?
PA11 is the tougher, more ductile nylon: 40% elongation and 71 J/m notched Izod against PA12's 25% and 60 J/m, a higher 182 °C heat deflection at 0.45 MPa, and far lower water uptake at 0.07% against 0.30%. PA12 is stiffer in service terms, more widely specified and lower cost. Choose PA11 for parts that flex, clip or take repeated knocks; choose PA12 for balanced all-round work.
How strong is SLS PA11?
PA11 reaches 49 MPa ultimate tensile strength with a 1,600 MPa tensile modulus and 55 MPa flexural strength, at 40% elongation at break in X/Y — the highest elongation of any rigid nylon we sinter. Notched Izod impact is 71 J/m to ASTM D256-10, the highest in our SLS range.
How hot can SLS PA11 parts get?
Heat deflection is 182 °C at 0.45 MPa and 46 °C at 1.8 MPa, both to ASTM D648-16, with a Vicat softening temperature of 189 °C. The gap matters: the 182 °C figure applies to a lightly loaded part, the 46 °C one to a part carrying real load. For components that are hot and loaded at once, PA12-GF holds 113 °C at 1.8 MPa.
Is PA11 bio-based and sustainable?
Yes — PA11 is polymerised from castor oil rather than fossil feedstock, making it a renewable-source engineering nylon with no performance compromise. Combined with SLS, which needs no support structures and nests parts densely through the build volume, it is the lowest-impact rigid nylon route we offer.
Is SLS PA11 skin-safe?
The manufacturer's technical data sheet reports that source samples passed ISO 10993-5 cytotoxicity and ISO 10993-10 irritation and sensitisation evaluations. Those results relate to the tested samples and are not a blanket certification of a finished component, so if you have a specific regulatory requirement for a skin-contact or wearable part, contact us and we'll confirm what evidence is available for your application.
Why does PA11 suit orthotics and wearables?
Three properties line up: 40% elongation so thin sections flex and spring back rather than fatiguing, 0.07% water absorption so parts stay dimensionally stable against skin and in humid conditions, and the ISO 10993 evaluations noted above. SLS also prints lattices and variable-thickness shells with no supports, which is how conforming, weight-optimised geometry gets made.
What is PA11 used for?
Impact-resistant jigs, fixtures and end-use parts; thin-walled ducts, housings and enclosures; snap-fits, clips and living hinges; sporting equipment; orthotics, prosthetics and wearables; and ductile production parts in low to mid volume.
What colour is PA11 and can it be finished?
PA11 prints in a natural grey. Parts can be bead blasted, dyed black or Vapor Smoothed in-house. If you need a specific colour, tell us the target and we'll advise what is achievable on the grey base.
Is PA11 good for production, or just prototypes?
Both. PA11's fatigue and impact performance make it a genuine end-use material, and cost per part falls as quantities rise. Our instant quote prices up to 100,000 parts.
How do I order PA11 3D printed parts in the UK?
Upload your CAD to our instant online quote and select SLS PA11. As a UK 3D printing service bureau we print, finish and inspect every part in-house in Shipston-on-Stour, Warwickshire, and ship UK-wide — from a single prototype to 100,000 parts.
