Materials / Compare
DMLS AlSi10Mg Aluminum vs. Stainless 304
Compare DMLS AlSi10Mg Aluminum 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 | 270MPasourcetypical, as manufactured, horizontal | 241MPasourcetypical, annealed, 70 °F (21 °C) |
| Ultimate tensile strength | 450MPasourcetypical, as manufactured, horizontal | 586MPasourcetypical, annealed, 70 °F (21 °C) |
| Elongation at break | 10.2%sourcetypical at break, as manufactured, horizontal | 55%sourcetypical, annealed, in 2 in. (50.8 mm) |
| Young's modulus (stiffness) | 72GPasourcesame material and process, different machine maker: Renishaw RenAM 500, 30 µm, as built, horizontal (XY) | 193GPasourcetypical, in tension |
| Density | 2,670kg/m³sourcetypical part density (ISO 3369), EOS M 290, AlSi10Mg_030_FlexM291 (30 µm) | 8,030kg/m³sourcetypical |
| Strength to weight | 101kN·m/kg3.37x higher | 30kN·m/kg |
| Stiffness to weight | 27MN·m/kg12% higher | 24MN·m/kg |
| Poisson's ratio | 0.33sourcebase material: cast Al-Si-Mg alloy 359.0 (Al-9Si-0.6Mg, closest MIL-HDBK-5J alloy to AlSi10Mg / EN AC-43000) | 0.3sourcedesign value (structural stainless steels) |
| Shear modulus | 27.1GPa | 74.2GPa2.74x stiffer in shear |
| Bulk modulus | 70.6GPa | 161GPa |
| Speed of sound | 5,193m/s | 4,903m/s |
| Thermal | ||
| Thermal conductivity | 110W/m·Ksourcetypical, as manufactured, horizontal (ISO 22007-2) | 16.2W/m·Ksourceat 100 °C |
| Thermal expansion | 20µm/m·Ksourcemean 25-100 °C, ASTM E228 | 16.9µm/m·Ksourcemean, 0–100 °C |
| 100 mm part over a 50 °C swing | 100µm growth | 84.5µm growth18% less |
| Specific heat | 963J/kg·Ksourcebase material: cast Al-Si-Mg alloy 359.0 (MIL-HDBK-5J), at 100 °C | 500J/kg·Ksourcemean, 0–100 °C |
| Heats up and cools (diffusivity) | 42.8mm²/s10.6x faster | 4.03mm²/s |
| Thermal shock resistance | 13,819W/m16.5x more resistant | 838W/m |
| Melting point | not sourced | 1,399–1,454°Csourcemelting range |
| Max service temperature | not sourced | 899°Csourcecontinuous, oxidation (scaling) limit in air |
| Values for | EOS Aluminium AlSi10Mg (powder 9011-0024), EOS M 290 | 30 µm process (AlSi10Mg_FlexM291 2.01), as manufactured, horizontal; machined (turned) specimens, ISO 6892-1 B10 | 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.
DMLS AlSi10Mg Aluminum is 3D printed: its properties depend on build direction and print settings; these are typical values.
Questions
Is DMLS AlSi10Mg Aluminum stronger than Stainless 304?
DMLS AlSi10Mg Aluminum is stronger: its yield strength is 270 MPa against 241 MPa for Stainless 304 (12%).
Which is lighter, DMLS AlSi10Mg Aluminum or Stainless 304?
DMLS AlSi10Mg Aluminum is lighter: 2,670 kg/m³ against 8,030 kg/m³ for Stainless 304.
Which is stiffer, DMLS AlSi10Mg Aluminum or Stainless 304?
Stainless 304 is stiffer: Young's modulus 193 GPa against 72 GPa for DMLS AlSi10Mg Aluminum, so the same part in Stainless 304 deflects less under the same load.
Which is lighter for the same job, DMLS AlSi10Mg Aluminum or Stainless 304?
For the same stiffness or strength: DMLS AlSi10Mg Aluminum 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 | DMLS AlSi10Mg Aluminum | Stainless 304 |
|---|---|---|
| Stiff rod or tie (tension) | lighter | 12% heavier |
| Stiff beam (bending) | lighter | 1.84x heavier |
| Stiff panel or plate | lighter | 2.17x heavier |
| Strong rod or tie | lighter | 3.37x heavier |
| Strong beam | lighter | 3.24x heavier |
| Strong panel or plate | lighter | 3.18x 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, DMLS AlSi10Mg Aluminum or Stainless 304?
DMLS AlSi10Mg Aluminum conducts heat better: 110 W/m·K against 16.2 W/m·K for Stainless 304.
Which expands less with temperature?
Stainless 304 expands less: 16.9 µm/m·K against 20 µm/m·K for DMLS AlSi10Mg Aluminum.