| Selective Laser Sintering (SLS) | PA12, PA11, glass-filled nylon, aluminum-filled nylon | Approx. 200 × 200 × 200 mm to 400 × 400 × 400 mm | 0.08–0.15 mm | Reliable batch production; parts can be nested efficiently in the powder bed | Not normally required | Uniform, slightly grainy texture; can be dyed, coated, or polished | Functional prototypes, housings, ducts, brackets, and low-to-medium volume production |
| Multi Jet Fusion (MJF-Type Powder Fusion) | PA12, PA11, glass-filled nylon, recycled-content nylon blends | Approx. 300 × 300 × 300 mm to 400 × 400 × 400 mm | About 0.08 mm | Fast batch output and consistent mechanical properties across nested parts | Not normally required | Fine, consistent powder texture; suitable for dyeing and vapor or media finishing | Higher-throughput production of durable end-use parts and complex assemblies |
| High-Speed Sintering (HSS-Type) | PA12 and other powder-based nylon formulations, depending on the machine | Approx. 300 × 300 × 300 mm to 400 × 400 × 400 mm | 0.08–0.15 mm | Designed for faster powder-bed production; actual speed depends on packing density and thermal cycle | Not normally required | Powder-textured finish with good dimensional repeatability after process optimization | Production environments seeking higher productivity than conventional laser sintering |
| Fused Deposition Modeling (FDM/FFF) | Nylon 6, nylon 12, carbon-fiber-filled nylon, glass-fiber-filled nylon | Approx. 200 × 200 × 200 mm to 1,000 × 1,000 × 1,000 mm or larger | 0.10–0.40 mm | Lower equipment cost; slower for large batches and sensitive to moisture in the filament | May be required for overhangs; soluble or breakaway supports may be used | Visible layer lines; sanding, machining, coating, or annealing may improve appearance | Large prototypes, jigs, fixtures, custom tools, and low-volume parts |
| Continuous Fiber-Reinforced Nylon Extrusion | Nylon with continuous carbon fiber or glass fiber reinforcement | Approx. 250 × 250 × 250 mm to 600 × 600 × 600 mm | 0.10–0.30 mm | High stiffness-to-weight potential; strength is directional and depends on fiber layout | Usually limited, but complex geometries may need supports | Visible extrusion lines; fiber exposure and post-machining may occur | Lightweight tooling, robotic end-effectors, fixtures, and structural prototypes |
| Selective Absorption Fusion (SAF-Type Powder Fusion) | PA11, PA12, and compatible engineering powder blends | Approx. 300 × 300 × 300 mm to 500 × 500 × 500 mm | About 0.10–0.15 mm | Powder-bed batch production with emphasis on consistent thermal and material control | Not normally required | Fine, matte powder finish; secondary finishing can improve appearance | Repeated production runs where stable quality and material efficiency are priorities |
| Nylon Pellet Extrusion | Nylon pellets, recycled nylon, glass-filled nylon, carbon-filled nylon | Approx. 500 × 500 × 500 mm to several cubic meters | 0.50–2.00 mm or more | Very high material deposition rate and low feedstock cost; limited fine-detail capability | Often required for complex overhangs | Coarse layer texture; machining and surface coating are commonly used | Large-format molds, patterns, tooling, and oversized industrial prototypes |