Is Nylon a Better Engineering Plastic Than Acetal? Our Take

When choosing the right engineering plastic, the decision often comes down to performance, reliability, and environment-specific needs. Two of the most widely used materials in precision parts and industrial components are Nylon (PA6 or PA66) and Acetal (POM-C or Delrin®). But which one truly comes out on top?

At first glance, both materials seem like solid contenders each offering a strong balance of strength, machinability, and wear resistance. However, their chemical structure, moisture absorption, and cost-efficiency vary greatly depending on the application.

Whether you're designing low-friction bearings, wear-resistant gears, or food-safe components, the decision between Nylon and Acetal could impact the lifespan, performance, and cost of your end product.

In this post, we’ll dive into a practical comparison to help UK engineers, manufacturers, and buyers determine: Is Nylon a better engineering plastic than Acetal? Or does Acetal take the lead in specific industrial situations?

Let’s break it down.

What Is Nylon and Where Is It Used?

Key Properties of Nylon (PA6, PA66)

Nylon, particularly PA6 and PA66, is one of the most versatile and widely used engineering thermoplastics in the UK and beyond. Known for its exceptional strength-to-weight ratio, wear resistance, and impact durability, Nylon is favoured for parts that must withstand repeated motion or load.

Key features include high mechanical strength, excellent abrasion resistance, resistance to oils and fuels, a high melting point, and self-lubricating behaviour in dry environments. However, Nylon has a notable weakness moisture absorption, which can reduce its dimensional stability over time.

Common Industrial Applications

Nylon is widely used in applications demanding mechanical strength and resilience under load, such as gear wheels, bushings, rollers, conveyor components, and automotive parts. It’s also a favourite in electrical insulators and machine housings. Its ability to replace metals in many dynamic applications makes it a lightweight and cost-effective choice.

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What Is Acetal and What Makes It Different?

Key Properties of Acetal (POM-C, Delrin)

Acetal, also known as Polyoxymethylene (POM) or by trade names like Delrin®, is a high-performance thermoplastic known for its dimensional stability, low moisture absorption, and exceptional machinability.

Compared to Nylon, Acetal maintains its shape and properties even in humid or wet conditions, making it ideal for applications where tight tolerances are essential.

Its advantages include extremely low friction, high surface hardness, minimal creep, and resistance to fuels and solvents. Acetal is also naturally food-safe and is widely used in FDA and EU-compliant environments.

Where Acetal Performs Best in Engineering

Acetal is the material of choice in industries requiring precision parts like gears, cams, levers, seals, and valve housings. It excels in food processing equipment, packaging machinery, and automation systems where dry-running and tight dimensional control are priorities.

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Nylon vs Acetal – Head-to-Head Comparison

Strength, Friction, Moisture Resistance & Machinability

Both Nylon and Acetal are excellent engineering plastics, but their performance differs in key areas:

  • Strength: Nylon generally provides higher impact resistance and is better suited for load-bearing components.
  • Friction: Acetal offers lower surface friction, making it more suitable for sliding parts or dry-running mechanisms.
  • Moisture: Acetal absorbs far less water, maintaining dimensional accuracy even in wet or humid environments.
  • Machinability: Acetal machines to a smooth finish with ease, while Nylon requires more care to avoid fuzz or chipping.

Cost, Availability & Suitability by Application

  • Cost: Nylon tends to be more cost-effective in high-volume applications, while Acetal’s superior machinability can reduce production time.
  • Availability: Both materials are readily available in sheets, rods, and cut-to-size formats from UK suppliers like PrimePlasts.uk.
  • Best Use: Nylon suits impact-prone, rugged conditions; Acetal is ideal for precision engineering and low-friction components.

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When Should You Choose Nylon Over Acetal (And Vice Versa)?

Industry Use Cases & Performance Considerations

  • Choose Nylon for load-bearing, impact-resistant, and abrasive environments like automotive, construction, or agricultural machinery.
  • Choose Acetal for precision parts, food-contact components, and dry-operating systems in packaging, automation, or fluid control.

If dimensional accuracy in wet environments is key, Acetal is your best bet. For rugged parts under stress, Nylon delivers top performance.

Environmental Factors: Water, Chemicals, Heat

  • Moisture: Acetal excels in humid or submerged conditions.
  • Chemicals: Both resist chemicals, but Acetal often performs better against fuels and solvents.
  • Temperature: Nylon typically tolerates higher continuous use temperatures.
  • UV Resistance: UV-stabilised Nylon is better for outdoor use.

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Conclusion – The Right Plastic Depends on the Right Purpose

So, is Nylon better than Acetal? That depends entirely on your project needs.

Go with Nylon for strength, impact durability, and cost-effectiveness in heavy-duty roles. Choose Acetal when you need low friction, precision, and dimensional stability over time.

Both materials offer excellent value when used appropriately. The key is matching material strengths with performance requirements.

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