Materials / Compare
Aluminum 7050-T7451 vs. Plastic PLA
Compare Aluminum 7050-T7451 vs. Plastic PLA 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 | 469MPasourcetypical, longitudinal, 0.2% offset | 52.5MPasourcetypical |
| Ultimate tensile strength | 524MPasourcetypical, longitudinal | 52.5MPasourcetypical, peak stress (= stress at yield) |
| Flexural strength | not sourced | 96.8MPasourcetypical |
| Elongation at break | 11%sourcetypical, longitudinal | 7.8%sourcetypical |
| Young's modulus (stiffness) | 70.3GPasourcetypical21.6x stiffer | 3.25GPasourcetypical |
| Density | 2,830kg/m³sourcenominal | 1,240kg/m³sourcetypical |
| Strength to weight | 166kN·m/kg3.91x higher | 42.3kN·m/kg |
| Stiffness to weight | 24.8MN·m/kg9.48x higher | 2.62MN·m/kg |
| Poisson's ratio | 0.33sourcetypical (handbook physical constant) | not sourced |
| Shear modulus | 26.4GPa | not sourced |
| Bulk modulus | 68.9GPa | not sourced |
| Speed of sound | 4,984m/s | 1,619m/s |
| Thermal | ||
| Thermal conductivity | 157W/m·Ksourcetypical, 20 °C | 0.13W/m·Ksourcebase material: NatureWorks Ingeo biopolymer, amorphous sheet, 25 °C |
| Thermal expansion | 23.5µm/m·Ksourcetypical, mean 20-100 °C | not sourced |
| 100 mm part over a 50 °C swing | 118µm growth | not sourced |
| Specific heat | 860J/kg·Ksourcetypical, at 100 °C | 1,200J/kg·Ksourcebase material: NatureWorks Ingeo biopolymer, amorphous sheet, 25 °C |
| Heats up and cools (diffusivity) | 64.5mm²/s738x faster | 0.0874mm²/s |
| Thermal shock resistance | 29,862W/m | not sourced |
| Melting point | 524–635°Csourcemelting range | 152°Csourcetypical |
| Glass transition | not sourced | 59.1°Csourcetypical |
| Max service temperature | not sourced | 58.8°CsourceHDT 0.455 MPa (printed specimens) |
| Values for | 7050-T7451 plate, Kaiser Aluminum sheet, coil & plate typical datasheet (longitudinal); Poisson from MIL-HDBK-5J | Ultimaker PLA, 3D-printed specimens, XY (flat) orientation; 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 dated April 20, 2022. |
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 PLA is 3D printed: its properties depend on build direction and print settings; these are typical values.
Questions
Is Aluminum 7050-T7451 stronger than Plastic PLA?
Aluminum 7050-T7451 is stronger: its yield strength is 469 MPa against 52.5 MPa for Plastic PLA (8.93x).
Which is lighter, Aluminum 7050-T7451 or Plastic PLA?
Plastic PLA is lighter: 1,240 kg/m³ against 2,830 kg/m³ for Aluminum 7050-T7451.
Which is stiffer, Aluminum 7050-T7451 or Plastic PLA?
Aluminum 7050-T7451 is stiffer: Young's modulus 70.3 GPa against 3.25 GPa for Plastic PLA, so the same part in Aluminum 7050-T7451 deflects less under the same load.
Which is lighter for the same job, Aluminum 7050-T7451 or Plastic PLA?
For the same stiffness or strength: Aluminum 7050-T7451 is lighter for a stiff rod or tie (tension), stiff beam (bending), stiff panel or plate, strong rod or tie, strong beam, strong panel or plate.
| Part that must be | Aluminum 7050-T7451 | Plastic PLA |
|---|---|---|
| Stiff rod or tie (tension) | lighter | 9.48x heavier |
| Stiff beam (bending) | lighter | 2.04x heavier |
| Stiff panel or plate | lighter | 22% heavier |
| Strong rod or tie | lighter | 3.91x heavier |
| Strong beam | lighter | 1.89x heavier |
| Strong panel or plate | lighter | 31% 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, Aluminum 7050-T7451 or Plastic PLA?
Aluminum 7050-T7451 conducts heat better: 157 W/m·K against 0.13 W/m·K for Plastic PLA.