For SLS 3D printing, PA802CF is the strongest material in our range: 89 MPa tensile strength thanks to carbon-fibre reinforcement in a PA11 matrix. For maximum stiffness, Carbon LW (PA640GSL) combines glass- and carbon-fibre reinforcement — 56 MPa tensile and roughly 2x the stiffness of standard PA12.
Strongest material: PA802CF
PA802CF is a carbon-fibre reinforced PA11 with a tensile strength of 89 MPa — nearly twice as strong as standard PA12. The PA11 base makes the material tough (low fatigue) and the carbon fibres deliver stiffness (Young’s modulus around 6,000 MPa) plus thermal stability.
Typical applications: structural drone components, motorsport brackets, jigs for self-propelled production lines, end-use metal-replacements in weight-critical sectors. The material is also carbon-neutral in production thanks to its bio-based PA11 feedstock.
Note: the fibres make the material anisotropic — strength is higher in the build direction than across. For parts loaded in every direction, choose an isotropic material like PA12 or PA 950 HD and compensate with thicker walls.
Stiffest material: Carbon LW (PA640GSL)
Carbon LW combines glass- and carbon-fibre reinforcement in a PA12 matrix. Tensile strength is 56 MPa, lower than PA802CF, but stiffness (Young’s modulus around 4,000 MPa) is twice that of standard PA12. That makes it the right choice for parts that must not deflect under load: brackets, structural frames, mounting plates.
The glass fibre keeps the material more affordable than PA802CF, so it’s a more popular choice for production runs. The surface is matter and slightly grainier than standard PA12, but dimensional stability is excellent.
"Strong" is more than tensile strength
The question “which material is strongest” depends on the load case. For impact, choose a tough material (PA11, 31% elongation at break) over a stiff fibre-reinforced one. For fatigue resistance in flexing parts, PA11 beats PA802CF. For flexible seals and covers, choose TPU (Shore 88A, 9 MPa).
For tailored advice: upload your STEP file and describe the load case in our tool. Our engineers then compare tensile strength, stiffness, fatigue and cost-per-part for your specific design.