Introducing PA12 ECO: a new recycled PA12 powder with up to 60% lower cost per part

 We’re constantly working to make SLS printing more accessible and sustainable. Today, we’re excited to introduce PA12 ECO – a new recycled PA12 powder designed specifically for Sinterit Lisa X. This material redefines what’s possible when you need high-performance parts at a fraction of the cost.

What is PA12 ECO?

PA12 ECO is a recycled PA12 powder engineered for functional prototyping and technical parts where mechanical strength matters, but surface finish is secondary. It’s designed for the Sinterit Lisa X running in a nitrogen atmosphere and represents our commitment to making advanced manufacturing more sustainable and economical.

Key specifications

• Price: €15/kg in 10 kg buckets.
• Platform: Sinterit Lisa X.
• Atmosphere: Nitrogen required.
• Colour: Grey.
• Cost advantage: Up to 60% lower material cost per part compared to standard PA12.

A Beta Technical Data Sheet is available, presenting preliminary material data intended for evaluation during the PA12 ECO Beta Program.

Who should consider PA12 ECO?

PA12 ECO is a strong candidate if you:

• own a Sinterit Lisa X (or plan to invest in one),
• work with functional prototypes, fixtures, jigs, or spare parts,
• want to lower the material cost per printed part,
• are ready to evaluate a high-performance recycled material.

Why PA12 ECO changes the game

For many teams, the challenge is clear: printing volumes are growing, but material budgets are not. PA12 ECO addresses this directly.

Thanks to its recycled origin and optimized pricing, the powder cost per printed part can be up to 60% lower compared to standard PA12. This makes a real difference when you’re printing functional prototypes regularly, producing internal fixtures and jigs, or managing ongoing spare parts inventory.

The exact cost reduction depends on your part geometry, packing density, and current material costs – which is why we’re launching the PA12 ECO Beta Program so you can see the numbers on your own parts.

Performance you can count on

We didn’t optimize for price alone. A key requirement during development was to maintain mechanical properties suitable for real engineering work – not just visual models.

Internal testing confirms that PA12 ECO delivers:

• high tensile strength to support load-bearing features like brackets and snap-fits,
• good elongation at break – balanced stiffness and ductility for parts that need resilience,
• robust impact resistance for demanding operational conditions and everyday handling,
• stable hardness and thermal behaviour typical of PA12-class materials.

This makes PA12 ECO well-suited for:

• assembled mechanical prototypes,
• brackets and mounts,
• production fixtures and tooling,
• non-cosmetic functional parts used in everyday operation.

Post-processing: Vapor Smoothing compatible

Although PA12 ECO is positioned primarily as a functional engineering material, printed parts can be successfully post-processed using vapor smoothing.

Vapor smoothing allows you to:

• reduce surface roughness typical for SLS,
• close surface porosity,
• improve cleanability and handling comfort,
• achieve a more uniform, sealed surface finish.

This makes PA12 ECO a viable option not only for purely technical parts, but also for applications where improved surface quality or hygiene is required – for example housings, enclosures, grips, or parts exposed to dust and moisture.

As with all SLS materials, final results depend on geometry, wall thickness, and the specific vapor smoothing process used, but PA12 ECO behaves consistently within the PA12 material family.

Perfect for Lisa X with nitrogen

PA12 ECO is optimized for Sinterit Lisa X with nitrogen atmosphere. This deliberate choice is essential as the nitrogen atmosphere ensures stable material properties and predictable powder life throughout the printing process. If you’re already running Lisa X with nitrogen, integration into your workflow is straightforward.

Experience PA12 ECO on your own parts

We believe the best way to evaluate a new material is to test it with your actual applications, not just sample models. That’s why we’re introducing the PA12 ECO Beta Program.

How it works

• You apply by describing your use cases and parts via an online form.
• You send us your 3D models (up to a defined total volume).
• We print your parts on Sinterit Lisa X in our facility.
• You pay only shipping – we cover the printing costs.

You receive:

• your own parts printed and ready to test and assemble,
• clear visibility into what PA12 ECO means cost-wise for your specific models.

In return, we ask for feedback on:

• surface quality and finish,
• mechanical behaviour in your application,
• how PA12 ECO fits into your prototyping or production workflow.

This feedback helps us refine the final positioning and ensures PA12 ECO delivers maximum value for your specific needs.

Ready to Explore PA12 ECO?

If you’re interested in understanding exactly how much you can reduce printing costs with PA12 ECO and seeing how this material performs on your parts, we invite you to apply for the Beta Program.

You’ll receive detailed information about how the program works, what’s included, and exactly how we calculate cost savings for your models.

PA12 ECO represents our next step toward making SLS more economical and sustainable – without compromising the mechanical performance that engineering teams depend on. Because at Sinterit, advanced manufacturing should work for everyone.

If you’re based outside the EU, we’d still like to hear from you.The current PA12 ECO Beta Program is limited to EU participants (shipping and program logistics), but we are actively tracking international demand. If you want to test PA12 ECO in your application, please use our Non-EU Interest Form. It takes 2 minutes and helps us prioritise where to open the next testing waves. We’ll contact you with updates as soon as testing becomes available in your region.