The plastics industry was revolutionized in the 1930s with the announcement of polyamide (PA), far better known by its trade name Nylon ®. Nylon ® was the first purely synthetic fiber, introduced by DuPont Corporation at the 1939 World's Fair in New York City.
Molded nylon ® is used in hair combs and mechanical parts such as machine screws, gears and other low- to medium-stress components previously cast in metal. Engineering-grade Nylon ® is processed by extrusion, casting, and injection molding. Type 6,6 Nylon ® 101 is the most common commercial grade of Nylon ®, and Nylon 6 is the most common commercial grade of molded Nylon ®. Besides Nylon ® does PA also have other brand names such as Nylatron ®, Ertalon ®, Akulon ®, Ultramid ®, Sustamid ®, Zytel ®, Vestamid ® and Zellamid ®, Astramid ®, Calanese ®, Durethan ®, Radilon ®, Rislan ®, Systamid ®, Technyl ®, Lagamid ®, Nivionplast ®, Orgamid ®, Orgasol ®, .