0800 102 112
Feb 05 in Plastics
Nylon Engineering Plastics
Our Nylon engineering plastics are available in PA6, PA66 and PA12, supplied in rod, tube and sheet to suit a wide range of industrial applications. We offer both standard and enhanced grades, with cut-to-size options to help you get exactly what you need, when you need it.
If you’d like product guidance or want to check availability, our team is here to help—just give us a call on 0800 102 112.
Table of contents
- What stock sizes of Nylon rod, Nylon tube and Nylon sheet are available?
- What are Nylon thermoplastics?
- What are the key characteristics of Nylons for engineering?
- What do the numbers mean such as Nylon 6, Nylon 66 or Nylon 12?
- Should I use Nylon PA6, Nylon PA66 or PA12?
- Extruded or cast Nylon?
- What modified grades of Ensinger Nylon plastics are available from Supply Services?
- Modified Extruded Nylons
- Modified Cast Nylons
- What is the service temperature range of Nylon?
- Download our visual and hugely popular Plastics Properties Chart
- What is the melting point of Nylon?
- Does Nylon plastic absorb moisture?
- Are there food grade Nylons?
- What are Nylon engineering plastics commonly used for?
- What are common brand names for Nylon engineering plastics out in the field?
- Download our Engineering Plastics brochure
- Want to know more about our range?
What stock sizes of Nylon rod, Nylon tube and Nylon sheet are available?
We hold a large range of Ensinger Nylon plastics in stock, though not every grade is held on-site. Check with our team to confirm availability and the best option for your application.
Stock shapes available from the entire range are:
- Extruded Nylon rod from 4mm to 250mm diameter and in cast from 50mm to 800mm diameter.
- Extruded Nylon tubes from 25mm to 300mm outside diameter (OD) with numerous inside diameters (ID). Cast from 50mm OD to 600mm OD, again with various IDs.
- Extruded Nylon sheet from 5mm thick to 100mm thick and cast from 8mm thick to 200mm thick.
What are Nylon thermoplastics?
Nylon belongs to the polyamide family of polymers and is commonly referred to as PA. It’s a man-made, semi-crystalline thermoplastic that can be melt-processed into fibres, films, and moulded components.
Known for being tough yet lightweight, Nylon was one of the first commercially successful thermoplastics, invented by DuPont in 1935. By 1940, it appeared in everyday products such as toothbrushes and women’s pantyhose.
Today, Nylon is likely the most widely used engineering plastic. You’ll find it throughout the automotive sector, in business machines, home appliances, and a wide range of industrial equipment.
This article looks at common grades such as Nylon 6, Nylon 66, and Nylon 12. Other grades, including Nylon 46 and Nylon 11, are also available.
The below graphic of the plastic classification pyramid shows where Nylon PA sits—mid-range on the semi-crystalline side (image courtesy of Ensinger Plastics).
What are the key characteristics of Nylons for engineering?
Engineering-grade Nylon is known for being tough, durable, and highly wear-resistant. It offers high impact strength, moderate overall strength, a low coefficient of friction, and reliable bearing and wear properties.
Nylon also provides good chemical resistance, temperature resistance, and mechanical damping—three features that make it a versatile, mid-range engineering plastic.
One important consideration is moisture absorption. Nylon absorbs more moisture than most other engineering plastics, which can affect dimensional stability. Because different Nylon grades absorb varying amounts, it’s always best to confirm with us that the grade you’re choosing will perform as expected.
As a semi-crystalline thermoplastic, Nylon typically has a sharp melting point, tends to be opaque, can be difficult to bond, and offers good fatigue resistance. These characteristics make it a strong choice for bearing, wear, and structural applications.
What do the numbers mean such as Nylon 6, Nylon 66 or Nylon 12?
All Nylon polymers come from the same family but are different in chemical structure. The number simply refers to the number of carbon atoms in the molecular chain.
Common examples include Nylon PA6, PA46, PA66, and PA12.
For instance, Nylon PA6 has six carbon atoms and one monomer, while Nylon PA66 has two monomers, each containing six carbon atoms.
Should I use Nylon PA6, Nylon PA66 or PA12?
For many applications, using the ‘wrong’ Nylon grade may not cause issues—though you might end up paying too much.
However, in demanding environments you must choose the correct grade to avoid breakages, safety concerns, or costly downtime.
All our Nylons are supplied by Ensinger Plastics, producing more than 100 semi-finished plastic shapes for a huge range of applications. We are proud to represent Ensinger in New Zealand.
TECAMID 6 – Nylon PA6E Extruded
TECAMID PA6 offers good damping capacity, high impact strength, and strong toughness—even in low-temperature conditions.
It provides good wear resistance (especially against rough surfaces) and overall good chemical resistance. Natural in colour.
TECAMID 66 – Nylon PA66E Extruded
TECAMID PA66 provides excellent rigidity, hardness, abrasion resistance, and thermal dimensional stability.
It machines better than TECAMID 6 and is ideal for components exposed to high mechanical and thermal loads. Natural in colour.
TECAST T – Nylon PA6C Cast
Cast Nylon offers better physical performance than extruded PA6, including higher tensile strength, greater stiffness and hardness, improved wear resistance, lower moisture absorption, and better dimensional stability.
It is especially suitable for thick-wall or large components. Available in natural and colours.
Extruded or cast Nylon?
Extruded and cast Nylons differ in both production method and material behaviour. Extrusion typically suits smaller parts and larger production runs, while casting is ideal for larger, lower internal stressed parts.
Both can be modified with fillers or lubricants to enhance the base properties of the Nylon plastic.
What modified grades of Ensinger Nylon plastics are available from Supply Services?
We stock a wide range of modified engineering Nylons from Ensinger, covering both extruded and cast materials.
Our NZ warehouses carry the most commonly required grades to keep local industry moving.
Modified Extruded Nylons
Contains molybdenum disulphide (MoS2) for improved sliding and friction properties. Offers better UV resistance but reduced impact strength.
Filled with 30% glass fibre for higher strength, rigidity, creep resistance, and dimensional stability. Better for structural applications than sliding ones.
Provides a long-term service temperature of 110°C—10°C higher than PA6.
Also offers a 10°C temperature advantage over PA6 GF30.
We can also supply additional options in the extruded range including 35% glass-filled Nylons, flame-resistant Nylons, carbon fibre reinforced Nylons, heat-stabilised Nylons, solid lubricant-filled Nylons, and metal-detectable Nylons for food industry use.
Modified Cast Nylons
Tecast T MO is similar to standard cast PA6C but with added solid lubricant molybdenum disulfide. It offers good UV resistance, improved sliding properties, high surface hardness, high strength, and good damping properties. It is a tough, abrasion resistant material and machines well.
A lubricant-modified cast PA6C ideal for dry-running applications. Lubricant is distributed evenly throughout the material, providing consistent sliding and wear performance throughout its life.
We can also supply cast Nylons in blue colour for visual identification, Nylons with the addition of a proprietary solid lubricant and Nylons that have 15% elastomer added.
What is the service temperature range of Nylon?
Our range of Nylon plastics generally have a constant service operating temperature of 100°C, with some modified grades capable of 110°C.
Short-term, our Nylons can tolerate temperatures of around 160°C, and some grades up to 170°C. However, heating plastics near their short-term limit can reduce mechanical strength, so always confirm suitability with our team.
Ensinger defines short-term and long-term temperature resistance for plastics is as follows:
- Short-term service temperature: the maximum peak temperature a plastic can withstand for minutes or hours without damage (depending on load and duration).
- Long-term service temperature: the maximum temperature at which a plastic can operate for 10,000 and 20,000 hours without losing more than 50% of the initial values for its typical properties.
Note: Our experience shows that most standard or engineering class plastics if heated up slowly to the maximum short-term temperature would have lost a lot of their mechanical strength. This is important information to know, and you may need to jump to a higher performance material.
What is the melting point of Nylon?
Depending on the grade, Nylon melts between 210°C and 260°C.
Does Nylon plastic absorb moisture?
Yes. Of all the engineering plastics we supply, Nylon absorbs the most moisture by far.
Extruded Nylons absorb significantly more than cast Nylons. For example:
- Cast Nylon PA12 absorbs 1% at saturation
- Extruded Nyon PA6 absorbs 5–7% at saturation
Nylon doesn’t have to be submerged to take on moisture; it absorbs moisture directly from the air. This affects the dimensions of machined parts and reduces strength and stiffness—though it does increase toughness.
Are there food grade Nylons?
Yes. We stock a wide range of Nylon grades that comply with FDA and/or EU 10/2011 food contact requirements. We can also provide Ensinger food-grade certification, but this must be requested at the time of order. Note: Not all suppliers can offer certification of their materials.
If certification is important for your finished machined parts, please make sure to let our staff know as certification cannot be issued once material has left our warehouse.
What are Nylon engineering plastics commonly used for?
Nylon is used across almost every industry thanks to its strength, wear resistance, and versatility. Common applications include:
- gears
- rollers
- sprockets
- bearings
- bushings
- cable sheaves
- wear pads and strips
- structural parts
- chain guides
- thrust washers
- impact-resistant parts
- machine damping
- food-grade applications
What are common brand names for Nylon engineering plastics out in the field?
Nylon is sold under many brand names, including:
Polyamide, TECAMID, TECAST, Northex, Nylatron, Nylatron GSM, Ertalon, Ertalon LFX, Vekton, Nycast, Oilamid, Sustamid, Zellamid, Nylatech, Ensilon, Tuffkast, Nyoil, Celanese, HYD, Hydlar, MC901, MC907, Monocast, Stanyl, Ultramid and Zytel.
Find out more about our Engineering Plastics range
Download our Engineering Plastics brochure.
Explore our latest blog posts highlighting premium engineering thermoplastics, industrial composites, and our UHMWPE polyethylene products. You can also read our guide on machining engineering plastics.
If you’d like personalised advice, contact our team to discuss your requirements—we’ll help ensure you select the right material for your application.
We look forward to supporting your project and your business.
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