Prusa Launches PA11 Natural Filament for Gears and Moving Parts

Pure PA11 without the carbon fiber

Prusa Research is adding a pure PA11 filament to its Prusament line, aimed specifically at gears, hinges, and outdoor hardware that needs to slide, flex, or survive sunlight. The new material, Prusament PA11 Natural, skips the carbon fiber used in the existing PA11 Carbon Fiber spool. That trade changes the mechanical profile: the pure version offers stronger layer-to-layer adhesion and lower friction, at the cost of the carbon-filled version's heat resistance and stiffness.

PA11 is a semicrystalline polyamide derived from castor oil. It resists impact at low temperatures, handles wear well, and stands up to UV exposure. Prusa says the natural color is a translucent yellowish-white with a slight pearlescent look. The 800 g spool launches at $122 USD including import duties, or 107 EUR with VAT.

Who this filament is for

This is not a drop-in upgrade for an open-frame printer. Prusa requires an enclosed machine with active chamber heating: the CORE One+, CORE One L, or Pro HT90. A dedicated PA nylon print sheet is strongly recommended. The recommended print profile runs a 0.4 mm brass nozzle at 275 C, a heated bed at 100 C, and an actively heated chamber at 55 C.

PA11 absorbs moisture quickly, so Prusa specifies drying at 90 C for six to eight hours before printing. The company also recommends active filtration or good ventilation, because nylon emits odor and ultrafine particles during extrusion. A thin glue-stick layer on the PA nylon sheet helps with adhesion for large solid parts.

Layer bonding and annealing

The tensile strength anisotropy coefficient reaches r = 0.84 when printed on a CORE One+, according to Prusa. That is the highest in the current Prusament lineup. PLA High Speed sits at r = 0.60, and standard PLA and PC Blend are both around 0.33. In practical terms, the part is harder to split along layer lines.

Heat deflection temperature in the as-printed state measures 58.7 C under load. After proper annealing at 110 C for six to eight hours, that number rises to 122.5 C. Prusa provides a detailed annealing procedure, though the process may slightly yellow the final part.

The bottom line

Prusament PA11 Natural fills a gap for users who need tough, low-friction functional parts and already own an enclosed, chamber-heated Prusa. The price per kilogram is high, and the hardware requirements rule out casual experimentation. For the specific audience building gears, outdoor mechanisms, or chemical-exposed hardware, the material's castor-oil origin and documented mechanical properties make it a deliberate upgrade over the carbon-filled alternative.