Materials / Compare
Plastic ABS vs. Brass C260
Compare Plastic ABS vs. Brass C260 strength, stiffness, weight and thermal properties.
| Try it on a partA bracket to run stress or thermal on, free in your browser | Open in LessCAD | Open in LessCAD |
|---|---|---|
| Mechanical | ||
| Yield strength | 38.1MPasourcetypical | 345MPasourcenominal, strip/flat, 0.5% extension (not 0.2% offset) |
| Ultimate tensile strength | 38.1MPasourcetypical, peak stress (= stress at yield) | 427MPasourcenominal, strip/flat |
| Flexural strength | 61.1MPasourcetypical | not sourced |
| Elongation at break | 4.6%sourcetypical | 23%sourcenominal, in 2.0 in., strip/flat |
| Young's modulus (stiffness) | 1.96GPasourcetypical | 110GPasourcetypical, temper-independent |
| Density | 1,100kg/m³sourcetypical | 8,525kg/m³sourcenominal |
| Strength to weight | 34.6kN·m/kg | 40.5kN·m/kg17% higher |
| Stiffness to weight | 1.78MN·m/kg | 12.9MN·m/kg7.25x higher |
| Poisson's ratio | 0.39sourcebase material: ABS family typical (Covestro Part and Mold Design guide, Table 3-1) | 0.34sourcereference value at room temperature (Wieland-M30 = CuZn30 = C26000, rolled products) |
| Shear modulus | 0.706GPa | 41.2GPa58.3x stiffer in shear |
| Bulk modulus | 2.97GPa | 115GPa |
| Speed of sound | 1,336m/s | 3,597m/s |
| Thermal | ||
| Thermal conductivity | 0.17W/m·Ksourcebase material: INEOS Styrolution Terluran GP-22 injection-molding ABS, typical | 121W/m·Ksourcetypical, 20 °C |
| Thermal expansion | 80–110µm/m·Ksourcebase material: INEOS Styrolution Terluran GP-22 injection-molding ABS, range | 20µm/m·Ksourcetypical, mean 20-300 °C |
| 100 mm part over a 50 °C swing | 475µm growth | 100µm growth4.75x less |
| Specific heat | not sourced | 377J/kg·Ksourcetypical, 20 °C |
| Heats up and cools (diffusivity) | not sourced | 37.7mm²/s |
| Thermal shock resistance | 21.2W/m | 12,510W/m590x more resistant |
| Melting point | not sourced | 916–954°Csourcesolidus-liquidus |
| Glass transition | 101°Csourcetypical | not sourced |
| Max service temperature | 86.6°CsourceHDT 0.455 MPa (printed specimens) | not sourced |
| Values for | Ultimaker ABS, 3D-printed specimens, XY (flat); Ultimaker S5 Pro, engineering intent profile, 0.15 mm layer height, AA 0.4 print core, 100% infill, Cura 4.9, printed one-at-a-time, conditioned >=24 h at room temperature. TDS v5.00, April 20, 2022. | C26000 cartridge brass, H02 half hard flat/strip: CDA Electronic Connector Design Guide (mechanical) + CDA alloy page (physical) |
Every value links to the document that states it. "Not sourced" means no citable source states it (or only a specification minimum); figures computed from it are left out too.
Plastic ABS is 3D printed: its properties depend on build direction and print settings; these are typical values.
Questions
Is Plastic ABS stronger than Brass C260?
Brass C260 is stronger: its yield strength is 345 MPa against 38.1 MPa for Plastic ABS (9.06x).
Which is lighter, Plastic ABS or Brass C260?
Plastic ABS is lighter: 1,100 kg/m³ against 8,525 kg/m³ for Brass C260.
Which is stiffer, Plastic ABS or Brass C260?
Brass C260 is stiffer: Young's modulus 110 GPa against 1.96 GPa for Plastic ABS, so the same part in Brass C260 deflects less under the same load.
Which is lighter for the same job, Plastic ABS or Brass C260?
For the same stiffness or strength: Plastic ABS is lighter for a stiff beam (bending), stiff panel or plate, strong beam, strong panel or plate; Brass C260 is lighter for a stiff rod or tie (tension), strong rod or tie.
| Part that must be | Plastic ABS | Brass C260 |
|---|---|---|
| Stiff rod or tie (tension) | 7.25x heavier | lighter |
| Stiff beam (bending) | lighter | 3% heavier |
| Stiff panel or plate | lighter | 2.02x heavier |
| Strong rod or tie | 17% heavier | lighter |
| Strong beam | lighter | 1.78x heavier |
| Strong panel or plate | lighter | 2.58x heavier |
For the same stiffness or strength, mass scales with density over stiffness (or strength) raised to a power set by how the part is loaded: 1 for a rod in tension, 1/2 for a beam in bending, 1/3 for a panel (the standard material-selection indices).
Which conducts heat better, Plastic ABS or Brass C260?
Brass C260 conducts heat better: 121 W/m·K against 0.17 W/m·K for Plastic ABS.
Which expands less with temperature?
Brass C260 expands less: 20 µm/m·K against 95 µm/m·K for Plastic ABS.