Materials / Compare
Aluminum 7075-T6 vs. Glass
Compare Aluminum 7075-T6 vs. Glass strength, stiffness, weight and thermal properties.
| Try it on a partA sample part to run stress or thermal on, free in your browser | Open in LessCAD | Open in LessCAD |
|---|---|---|
| Mechanical | ||
| Yield strength | 503MPasourcetypical, 0.2% offset, .500 in dia specimen | not given (tensile used) |
| Ultimate tensile strength | 572MPasourcetypical | 41MPasourcetypical mean surface tensile stress at fracture (MOR), 60 s load, weathered, 50% breakage probability |
| Flexural strength | not sourced | 41MPasourcemean MOR (same value as tensile) |
| Elongation at break | 11%sourcetypical, in 4D | not sourced |
| Young's modulus (stiffness) | 71GPasourcetypical | 72GPasourcetypical |
| Density | 2,800kg/m³sourcenominal | 2,500kg/m³sourcetypical |
| Strength to weight | 180kN·m/kg11x higher | 16.4kN·m/kg |
| Stiffness to weight | 25.4MN·m/kg | 28.8MN·m/kg14% higher |
| Poisson's ratio | 0.33sourcetypical (handbook physical constant) | 0.22sourcetypical |
| Shear modulus | 26.7GPa | 29.5GPa11% stiffer in shear |
| Bulk modulus | 69.6GPa | 42.9GPa |
| Speed of sound | 5,036m/s | 5,367m/s |
| Thermal | ||
| Thermal conductivity | 130W/m·Ksourcetypical, 20 °C, T651 | 0.937W/m·Ksourcetypical at 75 F |
| Thermal expansion | 23.4µm/m·Ksourcetypical, mean 20-100 °C | 8.3µm/m·Ksourcetypical, 75-575 F |
| 100 mm part over a 50 °C swing | 117µm growth | 41.5µm growth2.82x less |
| Specific heat | 960J/kg·Ksourcetypical, at 100 °C | 880J/kg·Ksourcetypical at 75 F |
| Heats up and cools (diffusivity) | 48.4mm²/s114x faster | 0.426mm²/s |
| Thermal shock resistance | 26,370W/m526x more resistant | 50.1W/m |
| Melting point | 532–635°Csourcemelting range | not sourced |
| Max service temperature | not sourced | 511°Csourcestrain point (ASTM C336) - stress-relaxation onset, not a rated service limit |
| Values for | 7075-T6/T651, Kaiser Aluminum rod & bar (mechanical) and sheet/coil/plate (physical) typical datasheets; Poisson from MIL-HDBK-5J | Annealed soda-lime-silica float glass, Pilkington North America Technical Bulletin ATS-129 (04/2025) |
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.
Questions
Is Aluminum 7075-T6 stronger than Glass?
Aluminum 7075-T6 is stronger: its yield strength is 503 MPa against tensile strength 41 MPa for Glass (12.3x).
Which is lighter, Aluminum 7075-T6 or Glass?
Glass is lighter: 2,500 kg/m³ against 2,800 kg/m³ for Aluminum 7075-T6.
Which is stiffer, Aluminum 7075-T6 or Glass?
Glass is stiffer: Young's modulus 72 GPa against 71 GPa for Aluminum 7075-T6, so the same part in Glass deflects less under the same load.
Which is lighter for the same job, Aluminum 7075-T6 or Glass?
For the same stiffness or strength: Aluminum 7075-T6 is lighter for a strong rod or tie, strong beam, strong panel or plate; Glass is lighter for a stiff rod or tie (tension), stiff beam (bending), stiff panel or plate.
| Part that must be | Aluminum 7075-T6 | Glass |
|---|---|---|
| Stiff rod or tie (tension) | 14% heavier | lighter |
| Stiff beam (bending) | 13% heavier | lighter |
| Stiff panel or plate | 13% heavier | lighter |
| Strong rod or tie | lighter | 11x heavier |
| Strong beam | lighter | 4.75x heavier |
| Strong panel or plate | lighter | 3.13x 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 7075-T6 or Glass?
Aluminum 7075-T6 conducts heat better: 130 W/m·K against 0.937 W/m·K for Glass.
Which expands less with temperature?
Glass expands less: 8.3 µm/m·K against 23.4 µm/m·K for Aluminum 7075-T6.