Materials / Compare
Plastic ABS vs. Copper C110
Compare Plastic ABS vs. Copper C110 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 | 69MPasourcetypical, 0.5% extension under load |
| Ultimate tensile strength | 38.1MPasourcetypical, peak stress (= stress at yield) | 221MPasourcetypical |
| Flexural strength | 61.1MPasourcetypical | not sourced |
| Elongation at break | 4.6%sourcetypical | 55%sourcetypical, 1 in. rod |
| Young's modulus (stiffness) | 1.96GPasourcetypical | 117GPasourcetypical59.7x stiffer |
| Density | 1,100kg/m³sourcetypical | 8,913kg/m³sourcenominal |
| Strength to weight | 34.6kN·m/kg4.47x higher | 7.74kN·m/kg |
| Stiffness to weight | 1.78MN·m/kg | 13.1MN·m/kg7.37x 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-K32 = Cu-ETP = C11000, rolled products) |
| Shear modulus | 0.706GPa | 43.7GPa62x stiffer in shear |
| Bulk modulus | 2.97GPa | 122GPa |
| Speed of sound | 1,336m/s | 3,626m/s |
| Thermal | ||
| Thermal conductivity | 0.17W/m·Ksourcebase material: INEOS Styrolution Terluran GP-22 injection-molding ABS, typical | 391W/m·Ksourcetypical, 20 °C |
| Thermal expansion | 80–110µm/m·Ksourcebase material: INEOS Styrolution Terluran GP-22 injection-molding ABS, range | 16.9µm/m·Ksourcetypical, mean 20-100 °C |
| 100 mm part over a 50 °C swing | 475µm growth | 84.5µm growth5.62x less |
| Specific heat | not sourced | 385J/kg·Ksourcetypical, 20 °C |
| Heats up and cools (diffusivity) | not sourced | 114mm²/s |
| Thermal shock resistance | 21.2W/m | 8,992W/m424x more resistant |
| Melting point | not sourced | 1,065–1,083°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. | C11000 ETP copper, annealed to 0.050 mm grain size (OS050), 1 in. rod, copper.org typical values |
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 Copper C110?
Copper C110 is stronger: its yield strength is 69 MPa against 38.1 MPa for Plastic ABS (1.81x).
Which is lighter, Plastic ABS or Copper C110?
Plastic ABS is lighter: 1,100 kg/m³ against 8,913 kg/m³ for Copper C110.
Which is stiffer, Plastic ABS or Copper C110?
Copper C110 is stiffer: Young's modulus 117 GPa against 1.96 GPa for Plastic ABS, so the same part in Copper C110 deflects less under the same load.
Which is lighter for the same job, Plastic ABS or Copper C110?
For the same stiffness or strength: Plastic ABS is lighter for a stiff beam (bending), stiff panel or plate, strong rod or tie, strong beam, strong panel or plate; Copper C110 is lighter for a stiff rod or tie (tension).
| Part that must be | Plastic ABS | Copper C110 |
|---|---|---|
| Stiff rod or tie (tension) | 7.37x heavier | lighter |
| Stiff beam (bending) | lighter | 5% heavier |
| Stiff panel or plate | lighter | 2.07x heavier |
| Strong rod or tie | lighter | 4.47x heavier |
| Strong beam | lighter | 5.45x heavier |
| Strong panel or plate | lighter | 6.02x 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 Copper C110?
Copper C110 conducts heat better: 391 W/m·K against 0.17 W/m·K for Plastic ABS.
Which expands less with temperature?
Copper C110 expands less: 16.9 µm/m·K against 95 µm/m·K for Plastic ABS.