Thule is a company that manufactures travel accessories such as bike racks, jogging strollers and luggages. Using Nylon 12CF, an industry-grade FDM 3D printing material, the company’s designers and engineers put their products through the Thule Test Center, where prototype designs are validated and put through functional testing before being greenlight for mass production.

The Thule’s Test Center prides itself on a rigorous and strain-inducing test method. Prototypes are therefore tested in the real world where their engineers and technicians aim to come out with products that are safe as well as easy to use. Such a tenacious process required an equally durable material such as Nylon 12CF. While other materials fell short in strength, Nylon 12CF outperformed in a variety of strain-testing methods without bending or breaking. Watch the video below to see how Thule utilizes additive manufacturing and FDM Nylon 12 CF printing material for rapid prototyping and design validation.