Materials / Compare
Plastic ABS vs. Stainless 304
Compare Plastic ABS vs. Stainless 304 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 | 241MPasourcetypical, annealed, 70 °F (21 °C) |
| Ultimate tensile strength | 38.1MPasourcetypical, peak stress (= stress at yield) | 586MPasourcetypical, annealed, 70 °F (21 °C) |
| Flexural strength | 61.1MPasourcetypical | not sourced |
| Elongation at break | 4.6%sourcetypical | 55%sourcetypical, annealed, in 2 in. (50.8 mm) |
| Young's modulus (stiffness) | 1.96GPasourcetypical | 193GPasourcetypical, in tension |
| Density | 1,100kg/m³sourcetypical7.3x lighter | 8,030kg/m³sourcetypical |
| Strength to weight | 34.6kN·m/kg15% higher | 30kN·m/kg |
| Stiffness to weight | 1.78MN·m/kg | 24MN·m/kg13.5x higher |
| Poisson's ratio | 0.39sourcebase material: ABS family typical (Covestro Part and Mold Design guide, Table 3-1) | 0.3sourcedesign value (structural stainless steels) |
| Shear modulus | 0.706GPa | 74.2GPa105x stiffer in shear |
| Bulk modulus | 2.97GPa | 161GPa |
| Speed of sound | 1,336m/s | 4,903m/s |
| Thermal | ||
| Thermal conductivity | 0.17W/m·Ksourcebase material: INEOS Styrolution Terluran GP-22 injection-molding ABS, typical | 16.2W/m·Ksourceat 100 °C |
| Thermal expansion | 80–110µm/m·Ksourcebase material: INEOS Styrolution Terluran GP-22 injection-molding ABS, range | 16.9µm/m·Ksourcemean, 0–100 °C |
| 100 mm part over a 50 °C swing | 475µm growth | 84.5µm growth5.62x less |
| Specific heat | not sourced | 500J/kg·Ksourcemean, 0–100 °C |
| Heats up and cools (diffusivity) | not sourced | 4.03mm²/s |
| Thermal shock resistance | 21.2W/m | 838W/m39.5x more resistant |
| Melting point | not sourced | 1,399–1,454°Csourcemelting range |
| Glass transition | 101°Csourcetypical | not sourced |
| Max service temperature | 86.6°CsourceHDT 0.455 MPa (printed specimens) | 899°Csourcecontinuous, oxidation (scaling) limit in air |
| 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. | Type 304, annealed flat-rolled (Cleveland-Cliffs 304/304L Product Data Bulletin, May 2021); Poisson's ratio from the Nickel Institute/SCI structural stainless design manual |
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 Stainless 304?
Stainless 304 is stronger: its yield strength is 241 MPa against 38.1 MPa for Plastic ABS (6.33x).
Which is lighter, Plastic ABS or Stainless 304?
Plastic ABS is lighter: 1,100 kg/m³ against 8,030 kg/m³ for Stainless 304.
Which is stiffer, Plastic ABS or Stainless 304?
Stainless 304 is stiffer: Young's modulus 193 GPa against 1.96 GPa for Plastic ABS, so the same part in Stainless 304 deflects less under the same load.
Which is lighter for the same job, Plastic ABS or Stainless 304?
For the same stiffness or strength: Plastic ABS is lighter for a stiff panel or plate, strong rod or tie, strong beam, strong panel or plate; Stainless 304 is lighter for a stiff rod or tie (tension), stiff beam (bending).
| Part that must be | Plastic ABS | Stainless 304 |
|---|---|---|
| Stiff rod or tie (tension) | 13.5x heavier | lighter |
| Stiff beam (bending) | 36% heavier | lighter |
| Stiff panel or plate | lighter | 1.58x heavier |
| Strong rod or tie | lighter | 15% heavier |
| Strong beam | lighter | 2.13x heavier |
| Strong panel or plate | lighter | 2.9x 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 Stainless 304?
Stainless 304 conducts heat better: 16.2 W/m·K against 0.17 W/m·K for Plastic ABS.
Which expands less with temperature?
Stainless 304 expands less: 16.9 µm/m·K against 95 µm/m·K for Plastic ABS.