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Nylon – Polyamide

plastic-shapes-IPS-4

Nylon (Polyamide)

PA6, PA6/6, PA6/10, PA6/12


Type 6, Type 6/6, Type 6/10, and Type 6/12 

Commonly known as PA6 (Cast) and PA66 (Extruded)
Available As Sheet, Rod, Tubular Bar, Tube and Cast Blocks and Shapes

Nylon material is used frequently in a self lubricating bearing surface or slide type applications. Resistant to most common chemicals.

One of the most popular work horse materials of the mechanical plastics family. The number designations that follow each type of nylon refers to the number of carbon atoms contained in the material’s prior polymerization process.

Used in Food Processing, Automotive, Fluid Handling, Electronics and Mining applications.

Other brand or trade names for Type 6/6 and Type 6: Vekton®, Unipa®, Tecast®, Nyoil®, Tecamid®, Sustamid®, Capron®, Nylatron®, Ensilon®, and Zytel®.  This wear resistant plastic is one of the best known superior mechanical plastic materials.

Various colors are available depending on the type of nylon need for your application.

Nylon is a High Tech Performance Plastic.

Large Natural Cast Nylon Tube Parts
A wide range of thicknesses are available in Natural and Black Nylon 66 sheet
Huge Cast Nylon type 6 looks like massive hockey puck
Nylon material is a durable material generally used for wear applications. Large cross sections and custom shapes can be made with the Type 6 Cast Nylon, as well as additives to increase desired properties. In the Cast Nylon Type 6, colors, lubricants, Food Grade Oil filled, stiffeners (glass), Molybdenum Disulfide or MD Filled, and other custom blends.

Why you should use Nylon/Polyamide:

  • Very Stiff Material – Great Wear Properties
  • Good Mechanical and Impact Properties
  • Self Lubricating & Abrasion Resistant
  • Many Varieties and formulations Available
  • Extremely Durable – High End Home Carpet and Tough Household Rope are Great Examples
  • Huge range of rod and sheet sizes – available as standard, also massive capacity on special order.
  • Nylon is ITAR compliant, and Nylon is RoHS compliant

Cast Nylon molded onto metal core as Gear

Common Specifications for Nylon 66 include: L-P-410 (LP410) with some exceptions, ASTM-D-4066 and ASTM-D-6779. Contact us for additional information on specifications.

This materials is…excellent wearing and very abrasion resistant. Introduced in 1938, and now one of the world’s most recognized plastic materials. Inherently dimensionally stable makes for consistent finished parts. An extremely tough material used in numerous demanding applications (like Carpet fiber and common Rope).

  • Door latches
  • Windshield wiper parts
  • Wire connectors
  • Fishing lines
  • Oil pans
  • Speedometer gears
  • Cooling fans
  • Bearings
  • Wear pads
  • Rollers
  • Sprockets

Large shapes can be produced in Cast Nylon Type 6

Materials Available As:

Nylon Sheet and Sheets:

.062″ (1/16″) – 6.0″ in Natural (Tan – Beige), Black and MD in 24″ X 48″ and up to 48″ X 96″
Nylon sheet thickness normally in stock: .125″, .187″, .250″, .375″, .500″, .625″, .750″, .875″, 1.0″, 1.250″, 1.500″, 1.750″, 2.0″, 2.250″, 2.500″, 2.750″, 3.0″, 3.50″, 3.750″, 4.0″ and thicker

Film:

.005″ – .062″ in 12″ wide in Natural (Tan – Beige), Black and MD (minimums may apply)
Nylon Rod and Rods:

.125″ – 10″ diameter in Natural (Tan – Beige), Black and MD Filled – up to 120″ lengths

Nylon rod diameters normally in stock:
.125″, .187″, .250″, .312″, .375″, .437″, .500″, .562″, .625″, .750″, .875″, 1.0″, 1.125″, 1.250″, 1.375″, 1.500″, 1.625″, 1.750″, 2.0″, 2.250″, 2.500″, 2.750″, 3.0″, 3.250″, 3.50″, 3.750″, 4.0″, 4.50″, 5.0″ and much larger depending on length

Cast Nylon Type 6 Rod and Rods:

2.0″ – 26″ diameter in Natural (Tan – Beige), Blue, Oil Filled, MD Filled, FDA grade, Black and other specialty formulations. Various lengths and sizes including 120″ lengths in some sizes.

Cast Nylon Type 6 Blocks and Near Net Shapes:

This is hard to quantify, as we can produce from small to massive blocks and ‘near net shapes’ in a limitless range of sizes. Simply let us know the size and shape you are looking for, and we will do our best to produce a Cast Nylon Part that size. Cast Nylon is available in Natural (Tan – Beige), Blue, Oil Filled, MD Filled, FDA grade, Black and other specialty formulations.

Large Cast Blocks and Discs:

Use your imagination! Discs – 2.0″ x 72″ diameter in Natural (Tan – Beige), Blue, Oil Filled, MD Filled, FDA grade, Black and other specialty formulations. Many shapes are available in thicknesses up to 14″. Please give us a call, we have supplied huge blocks and large chunks.
Cast Tube (Tubular Bar):

You read that right – tube. 2.0″ – 36″ OD with a huge variety of wall thicknesses. The lengths depend on the wall thickness, but generally up to 48″ long. These Cast Nylon Tubes are available in Natural (Tan – Beige), Blue, Oil Filled, MD Filled, FDA grade, Black and other specialty formulations.

Special Formulations:

Nylon Massive Blocks, Huge Sheave, Near Net Shapes – Nylon – Polyamide Glass Reinforced in various percentages of glass, Oil Filled, FDA approved Oil Filled, MD Filled, Blue, Type 6, Type 6/12. Custom sizes, formulations and colors. Massive and Near-Net Shapes on special request. Rod and Rods are available up to 120″ long in huge diameters. Sheet sizes up to 48″ X 96″ in most varieties. Give us a try, we can probably do what you need.
These Properties are for evaluation purposes only. This information is not to be construed as a warranty, guarantee or assurance that you may achieve the same results. Materials made from different resin types, manufacturing techniques and manufacturers will react differently. The information should be used to compare against other materials only, and each user should make his own tests to determine suitability. No warranty as to this materials suitability are either expressed or implied.

Typical Resin Properties for Nylon 6/6 and Nylon Type 6

These properties are for evaluation purposes only. This information is not to be construed as a warranty, guarantee or assurance that you may achieve the same results. Materials made from different resin types, manufacturing techniques and manufacturers will react differently. The information should be used to compare against other materials only, and each user should make his own tests to determine suitability. No warranty as to this materials suitability are either expressed nor implied.

Is Nylon Food Grade

Is Nylon Food Grade

Is Nylon Rod and Sheet Food Grade

This question was very easy to answer, up until now.

First: what is Zytel 42? It is a Natural Nylon 6/6 extrusion grade plastic resin. An extremely popular and heavily used material for machinable and durable plastic parts. For as far back as we can find information, this Zytel 42 Nylon 6/6 resin has been used in numerous food contact and food processing machine components.

We have just received notice that Dupont will be making some changes to their formula for this Nylon grade. For years we have provided our clients with Dupont Zytel 42 Nylon resin extruded into sheet, rod and other profiles. The Dupont announcement states that the Zytel 42 will no longer have a food grade rating – FDA approval. They will produce a new resin called Zytel 42FG, which will have all the approvals we always had with the Zytel 42.

Why in the world would a company do such a thing? Our guess is that this is a cleaver way to increase prices significantly without a standard and blatant price increase. Let’s just hide it in a new resin package.

Nylon Sheet, Nylon Slab and Nylon Rod are all available as these:

Zytel 42 – will still be available, but without the FDA approval

Zytel 42FG – the ‘new’ resin will carry the FDA approval, but at much higher price

Nylon Food Grade still available

Large Cast Nylon Blocks 12" X 12" X 48"

These huge Cast Nylon Blocks 12″ X 12″ X 48″

What is the difference between the old Zytel 42 and the new Zytel 42FG? From what we have read so far, nothing. It is probably the same material, new name. The ‘new’ Zytel 42 is actually the new ‘dumbed’ down resin – they just took away the Food Grade label, maybe took out an ingredient or two, and viola, new Zytel 42 – non Food Grade Nylon.

This news has spread quickly through our industry. As mentioned above, we have provided this material in this grade for over 36 years for Food Grade/FDA Approved applications.

The main reason for this article is to get the news out the the marketplace. Engineers and designers have been specifying this resin for their applications, and now, with out much notice, the product they assume is Food Grade will no longer be acceptable for these applications. It is unclear at this point whether the extrusion plants will be producing product from both resins, or opting to use one or the other. It appears that Nylon Food Grade resins my become a special, or that all materials may becomes standard as Nylon Food Grade.

Is Nylon Food Grade Resin Important To You?

This is the question we find ourselves asking. Does the end user think of Nylon when they are looking for an FDA approved plastic? Or, do they consider Acetal Copolymer, Acetal Homopolymer, Polyethylene, and other materials first? Do you think of Nylon rod, bar, sheet and slab as mechanical materials to use when making gears, wear strips, and other non FDA applications?

Please take a moment and let us know you thoughts. We value your input – it will help us in evaluating the direction we want to go with our inventory.

Check our main website for more details on these and other plastic materials – www.iplasticsupply.com