Corrosion-Resistant Labware — Custom Liners for Harsh Reactions | Nylon 3D Printing Service (SLS PA12)
Need removable liners, splash guards, or secondary containment for aggressive media—without waiting weeks for machined PTFE or stainless? Our Nylon 3D printing service (SLS PA12) delivers robust, chemical-tolerant parts that install fast and swap out even faster. This page explains where PA12 shines, what to expect in the lab, and how to design liners that survive real-world abuse.
Email: [email protected]
Why PA12 (SLS) for Corrosion-Resistant Labware
Selective Laser Sintering (SLS) fuses PA12 powder into dense, isotropic parts with no support scars. For lab retrofits and pilot rigs, that means:
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Chemical tolerance where it counts PA12 resists many bases, salts, hydrocarbons, and alcohols. It shrugs off bleach (NaOCl) at typical housekeeping concentrations, many buffers, brines, oils, glycol blends, and most aliphatic hydrocarbons. It’s not a universal solvent shield—see the compatibility notes below—but it covers a very practical slice of wet-lab and pilot needs.
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Abrasion & impact resistance Nylon 12’s ductility and fatigue tolerance outperform brittle plastics. Liners take repeated clamp cycles, media slosh, and tool bumps without cracking.
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Thermal practicality Typical continuous service up to ~80–100 °C with short excursions higher (application dependent). That’s enough for many wash steps, jacketed vessel operation, and heated drains—without the cost of metal.
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Geometry freedom Add drains, splash lips, baffles, cable glands, clamp-on feet, or quick-release tabs directly to the part; no assemblies, no welding.
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Short lead times & easy iteration SLS builds unlatticed cavities, hidden channels, and interlocking features as one piece. If a detail needs tweaking, we revise CAD and reprint.
Bottom line: If you need rugged, corrosion-aware retrofit parts fast, SLS PA12 is a smart default before jumping to exotic polymers or metal.
Chemical Compatibility—What Works, What Doesn’t
Generally Suitable (typical lab concentrations & temperatures)
- Aqueous bases: NaOH, KOH (dilute to moderate), carbonate/bicarbonate solutions
- Oxidizers (housekeeping): Sodium hypochlorite bleach (typical facility dilutions), hydrogen peroxide ≤10% for short contact
- Salts & buffers: Phosphate, acetate, Tris, saline/brines
- Alcohols: Ethanol, IPA, n-propanol, butanols (limited swell)
- Hydrocarbons: Diesel, mineral oil, hexane/heptane, alkanes
- Glycols: Ethylene/propylene glycol mixes; coolants
Use Carefully or Validate First
- Polar aprotic solvents: DMF, DMAc, NMP, DMSO—these can swell or embrittle nylons; short exposures at ambient may be manageable in sacrificial liners, but require testing.
- Strong mineral acids: Concentrated H₂SO₄, HNO₃; fuming acids—risk of attack and property loss.
- Aromatics & chlorinated solvents: Toluene/xylene prolonged hot soak; methylene chloride/chloroform—avoid for long dwell.
- High-pH + high-temp + stress: Accelerates stress-cracking of many polymers, including nylons.
Tip: For borderline chemistries, we can print coupon sets for soak and mechanical retention tests before you commit a full liner.
Design Playbook for Durable, Swap-Ready Liners
Wall, Fillet & Rib Guidelines
- Wall thickness: 2.5–4.0 mm for general liners; 4–6 mm for heavy-duty splash trays.
- Fillets: Radius ≥1.5× wall (min 2 mm) to diffuse stress at corners.
- Ribs: 2–3 mm thick, 8–12 mm pitch; tie into corners to stiffen large panels.
Drains, Weirs & Baffles
- Drain sumps: Integrate a 5–10° taper; boss for bulkhead fitting or a printed NPT start (we’ll machine the final thread for seal quality).
- Splash lips: 15–25 mm vertical lip with 1–2 mm drip break crease reduces run-backs.
- Baffles: 2–4 mm plates with 5–10 mm under-gaps to control slosh and foam carryover.
Clamp-On Fasteners & Quick Change
- Clamp feet: 6–8 mm thick pads with embedded steel washers (press-fit after printing) for repeatable torque.
- Keyholes & latch tabs: 7×14 mm keyholes for M6 mushroom studs; latch tabs with 0.6–0.8 mm flex hinge roots.
- Alignment: Printed dowels (Ø6–8 mm) + slots for one-handed insertion; add chamfers.
Gaskets & Seals
- Flat-face seals: Print a 1 mm raised land, then use FKM/EPDM cut gaskets.
- Threaded interfaces: Prefer straight thread + gasket over tapered threads in polymer. When NPT is mandatory, we machine post-print and proof-pressure test.
Surface Finish, Cleaning & Sterilization
- Finish: Media-tumbled matte is standard. Where liquid beading matters, we can seal pores with lab-compatible coatings.
- Cleaning: Mild detergents, dilute bleach, alcohols are fine. Avoid hot concentrated oxidizers.
- Sterilization: PA12 tolerates EtO and low-temp H₂O₂ plasma. Steam autoclave cycles can warp/hydrolyze nylon; if you must autoclave, we’ll propose a reinforced geometry and test coupons first.
Thermal & Mechanical Envelope (Typical)
| Property (typical SLS PA12) | Practical Guidance for Liners |
|---|---|
| Heat deflection | Design for continuous ≤80–100 °C; brief peaks higher with safety factor |
| Tensile/Flex Ductility | Good for clamp cycling and impact; add ribs over thickness where stiffness is needed |
| Water uptake | Nylon absorbs moisture; equilibrated parts stabilize dimensions; account for +0.1–0.3% growth in tight nests |
Numbers vary by powder, print, and post-process. We validate against your use case, not just a datasheet.
Secondary Containment & Spill Control—Best Practices
- Capacity: Target 110% of the largest vessel (or local policy).
- Slope: 1–2° toward a removable sump puck for wipe-out.
- Inspection: Add sight windows or molded dip marks; embossed “MAX FILL” text.
- Labeling: Laser-etch or raised legends (chemical name arrows, flow direction).
Case Studies (Representative)
1) Hypochlorite Transfer Station Splash Guard
- Problem: Operators were getting drip-back from a gravity transfer spigot into a congested cart.
- Build: 3-piece PA12 guard with a 20 mm splash lip, clamp-on feet, and a 3° downhill tray into a drain puck.
- Outcome: 70% reduction in wipe-downs; swap in 20 s with one hand; still in service after 6 months of daily bleach exposure.
2) Abrasive Slurry Tank Liner (Pilot)
- Problem: Stainless tank was being sand-blasted internally by silica slurry, chewing through passivation.
- Build: 6 mm PA12 liner with sacrificial wear ribs and a service weir.
- Outcome: Tank life extended; liners replaced quarterly at a fraction of the downtime cost; rib wear visually indicates changeout.
3) Solvent Rinse Basin Insert
- Problem: Aluminum basin stained and pitted; occasional acetone/IPA spills.
- Build: PA12 insert with raised land for FKM gasket and a quick-drain boss; downstream HDPE jug.
- Outcome: Clean separations, no galvanic mess, and predictable sealing. For extended hot aromatic soaks, team switched to metal—exactly the kind of boundary we help identify early.
4) Cold-Room Drip Tray with Cable Glands
- Problem: Condensate and brine drips near a sensor bundle.
- Build: Shallow tray with integrated IP-style cable bushings and a snap cover.
- Outcome: No drips on connectors; 10-minute swap-out during PM rounds.
Tolerances & Fit—What to Expect
| Feature | Typical Result | Design Note |
|---|---|---|
| General dimensions | ±0.3% (min ±0.3 mm) | Confirm critical fits; we’ll add datums |
| Hole sizes | +0.2–0.4 mm vs. CAD | We offset in CAM for press-fits |
| Flatness on large panels | 0.5–1.0 mm per 200 mm span | Use ribs or perimeter returns |
| Threaded bosses | Printed start, machined finish | Better sealing and torque retention |
Ordering Workflow (Fast & Engineer-Friendly)
- Send CAD (STEP/IGES/Parasolid—or ask for a template) → [email protected]
- We review DfM: wall/rib balance, drains, seals, clamp features.
- Quote & proof: material callout (PA12), finish, leak-test option, and any machined threads.
- Pilot print (optional): include test coupons for your soak/temperature checks.
- Production: serialized builds, QC photos, and leak-test logs if specified.
Typical options
- Leak test up to your specified head (e.g., 0.3 bar).
- Post-machined threads (NPT, BSPP) and gasket lands.
- Sealed interior (lab-compatible pore seal).
- Embedded labels (raised text/QR).
Documentation on request
- Material lot traceability, tensile bars, and soak-test notes.
- Basic C of C and visual inspection records.
When to Choose a Different Material
- Long hot aromatic/chlorinated solvent dwell → consider metal or specialty fluoropolymers.
- Autoclave-every-day duty → PA12 can work with careful design, but PPSU/PEEK/metal are safer defaults.
- Very high pH at high temperature under stress → validate with coupons or pivot to a more resistant grade.
We’ll give you a straight answer—if PA12 isn’t right, we’ll say so early.
Frequently asked questions (fast answers)
Can PA12 liners go in dishwashers or high-temp wash tunnels?
Do you offer color coding?
Can you make the liner transparent?
What about ESD-safe?
Food or pharma contact?
Get a Quote
Ready to retrofit a basin, guard a spill point, or add secondary containment? Email CAD and a short description to [email protected]. We’ll turn around DfM notes and a clear quote.
References & Further Reading
- BASF Forward AM — Ultrasint® PA12 material overview and data. https://forward-am.com/material-portfolio/ultrasint-powders/ultrasint-pa12/
- EOS — PA 2200 (PA12) for SLS technical data. https://www.eos.info/en/materials/eos-polymer-materials/pa-2200
- 3D Systems — DuraForm® PA (Nylon 12) material page. https://www.3dsystems.com/materials/duraform-pa
- Arkema — Rilsamid® PA12 product information and chemical resistance notes. https://www.arkema.com/
- Evonik — VESTOSINT® / VESTAMID® PA12 background and properties for additive manufacturing. https://www.evonik.com/
- ASTM — D543: Standard Practices for Evaluating the Resistance of Plastics to Chemical Reagents. https://www.astm.org/
- EPA — SPCC secondary containment overview (best-practice context). https://www.epa.gov/oil-spills-prevention-and-preparedness-regulations
Disclaimer: If you choose to implement any of the examples described in this article in your own projects, please conduct a careful evaluation first. This site assumes no responsibility for any losses resulting from implementations made without prior evaluation.