Nylon vs Delrin: A Detailed Comparison
The process of manufacturing different components through machining requires opting for materials that are durable and strength-oriented.
Nylon and Delrin are two such materials that are used for manufacturing various components and even prototypes. If you need to learn about nylon vs Delrin differences, read the guide below.
First, let’s know what nylon and Delrin are…
It is important to first know what these two materials are. A detailed insight into nylon and Delrin is given below.
What is Nylon?
Nylon is obtained out of polyamide, a synthetic material that is manufactured by the process of polymerization. It's a sturdy material that offers good resistance against chemicals and heat.
However, it may get unstable in an environment that is rich in moisture. These issues can be mitigated with the help of some pre-conditioning treatments. Nylon is mostly available in semi-crystalline form and is strong enough to be used in fabrication.
What is Delrin?
Delrin is an acetal polymer that is used in various processes like machining and even injection molding. It has a crystalline composition and offers a white color with an opaque texture.
Delrin is known for its excellent structural integrity and enhanced stiffness, it also offers low friction, all these properties make it suitable for precise components.
7 Differences Between Nylon and Delrin
When it comes to comparing nylon and Delrin, the 7 key differences between these two materials are as follows:
1. Wear Resistance
The roughness of the surface is high in nylon in dry setups compared to Delrin. However, Delrin offers poor wear resistance without fillers as compared to nylon. Hence, the wear rate is constant between the two in certain environments.
2. Tensile Strength
Tensile strength is the ability of a material to stay stable under stress, if a material has high tensile strength, it does not deform. If it has low tensile strength, it can deform. The tensile strength of Delrin is 10000 PSI, whereas the tensile strength of nylon is 12000 PSI.
3. Friction
Nylon and Delrin offer low contact resistance and they are both suitable for manufacturing components that require moving or sliding with no specific maintenance requirements.
4. Machinability
Most of the machinists think that nylon offers good machinability. However, in reality, Delrin offers excellent machinability. Hence, in the free cutting and machining process, Delrin ensures to provide great dimensional durability and is suitable for precision parts. Therefore, it is mostly opted for medical and electrical components.
5. Temperature Tolerance
The temperature suitable for Delrin ranges between 180 to 190°F, whereas nylon tolerates temperatures higher than Delrin. This makes nylon more temperature tolerant than Delrin.
6. Moisture Resistance
Nylon has the ability to absorb 8% of the moisture whereas Delrin absorbs around 0.2% of it when the conditions are similar. However, full nylon can absorb less moisture compared to unfilled variants.
7. 3D Printing Capability
When it comes to 3D printing capabilities, nylon and Delrin differ a lot. The processes suitable for 3D printing nylon consist of multijet fusion, selective laser steering, and FDM.
However, 3D printing Delrin is a bit challenging and requires extra effort. Usually, Delrin components like gears and bearings are opted for 3D printing due to their elevated layout.
Mechanical Properties of Delrin Vs Nylon at a Glance
| Mechanical Properties | Delrin | Nylon |
| Friction | Low Friction | Low Friction |
| Wear Resistance | Offers good wear resistance | Offers excellent wear resistance |
| Machinability | High machinability | Moderate Machinability |
| Temperature Tolerance | Good tolerance for temperature | Excellent tolerance for temperature |
| 3D Printing Capability | Challenging to 3D print | Easy to 3D print |
| Moisture Resistance | High resistance to moisture | Moderate resistance to moisture |
| Tensile Strength | 10,000 PSI | 12,000 PSI |
Applications of Nylon vs Delrin
The applications of nylon and Delrin are the following:
Nylon
Nylon is a popular choice in applications like agriculture, automobile, construction, and food production. Some of the commonly used products made using nylon are as follows:
- Gears
- Screws
- Blades
- Automobile components
- Plastic components
- Kitchen utensils
Delrin
Delrin is known for its excellent characteristics which makes it one of the most popular options for various operations. Some of the applications of Delrin are the following:
- Automobile parts like wiper gears, grill parts, hardware for seat belts, etc.
- Engine components, gears, farm equipment, and other industrial machinery
- Everyday use consumer products like door system components, handles, zippers, and valves.
- Appliance casings, holders for circuits, switches, and other electrical parts
Conclusion for Nylon vs Delrin Comparison
Delrin has excellent dimensional stability and resistance against creep and chemicals; hence, it's good for low moisture absorption applications. Nylon, on the other hand, is suitable for high-temperature and abrasive applications that require high wear resistance.
You can contact DEK, and we will suggest the best choice for your project.
FAQs
Is nylon stronger than Delrin?
Nylon offers high tensile strength compared to Delrin but they are both durable and strong enough to suit high-stress production processes.
How can you tell nylon from Delrin?
Nylon components can be created in 3D shapes and may have different colors, whereas Delrin is opaque.
Can nylon and Delrin be 3D printed?
Yes, both nylon and Delrin can be 3D printed but nylon is easier to print whereas Delrin is a bit challenging.
