laser cutting from pa6 polyamide (nylon)

 A robust engineering plastic ideal for dynamic applications.

Polyamide is a hard, strong engineering plastic with many different names. It is known by the brand name Nylon but you may also know it as PA or PA6. Other names include Sustamid, Ertalon, Nylon 6, PA 12, PA66, Akulon, Ultramid, Zytel, and Nylatron.

Nylon comes in many forms; in clothing, as wire and rope, as hard parts or as film in the packaging industry. But here we are talking about sheets of polyamide from roughly 1 mm to 10 mm thick that you can have laser cut according to your design.

Typical properties of polyamide are:

• tough
• high mechanical strength
• high impact resistance
• wear-resistant
• Good gliding properties (low friction)
• High moisture absorption

Laser cutting

Polyamide can be laser cut fairly cleanly. At the bottom of the sheet , a thin melting edge forms along the cut. This is thin (0.1~0.5mm). You can remove the melt edge with a deburrer, a Stanley knife or with a file or sandpaper. Another option is to choose protective underside film during the ordering process. You will then receive the laser cut parts with foil and after removal, the fusing edge will also be gone. This remains on the foil. The top of the laser cut will be tight and neat. 

Alternatives

The properties of Nylon are very similar to those of POM (Polyacetal). Therefore, for most applications, POM is a good alternative to Nylon.

Application

Industries in which laser-cut polyamide semi-finished products or parts are used:

• automotive 
• oil and gas
• offshore
• automation
• bakeries
• meat and fish processing
• chemistry
• mechanical engineering
• wind energy
• food industry