Thermal conductivity against densityHigher and further left: spreads more heat for its weightThermal expansion against thermal conductivityLower and further right: warps less when heated
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Sources6 documents: Kaiser Aluminum, EOS GmbH, Steel Construction Institute, Cleveland-Cliffs
Aluminum 3003-O
3003-O (annealed) aluminium-manganese alloy, the heat-exchanger tube and brazing alloy, Kaiser Aluminum Tube & Pipe Alloy 3003 Technical Data (Rev. 05/06), typical properties; specific heat from the NIST cryogenic 3003-F fit at 293 K.
DMLS 316L Stainless Steel
EOS StainlessSteel 316L (powder 9011-0032), EOS M 290, ParameterSet 316L 20µm Surface M290/400W, as manufactured, horizontal; ISO 6892-1
1
Alloy 3003 Tube & Pipe Technical Data, Rev. 05/06Kaiser Aluminumarchived copyAluminum 3003-O · Yield strength: typical, O, 0.0625 in specimenAluminum 3003-O · Ultimate tensile strength: typical, OAluminum 3003-O · Elongation at break: typical, O, in 4DAluminum 3003-O · Young's modulus (stiffness): typicalAluminum 3003-O · Density: nominal, 20 °CAluminum 3003-O · Thermal conductivity: typical, O, 20 °CAluminum 3003-O · Thermal expansion: typical, mean 20-100 °CAluminum 3003-O · Melting point: melting range
2
EOS StainlessSteel 316L Material Data SheetEOS GmbHarchived copyDMLS 316L Stainless Steel · Yield strength: typical, as manufactured, horizontalDMLS 316L Stainless Steel · Ultimate tensile strength: typical, as manufactured, horizontalDMLS 316L Stainless Steel · Elongation at break: typical at break, as manufactured, horizontalDMLS 316L Stainless Steel · Thermal expansion: mean 25-100 °C, ASTM E228
3
EOS StainlessSteel 316L Material Data Sheet, M 280 and M 290 (2014)EOS GmbHarchived copyDMLS 316L Stainless Steel · Young's modulus (stiffness): typical, as built, horizontal (XY); EOSINT M280-400W / M290-400W, 316L_Surface 1.0, 20 µm (2014 sheet)
4
EOS StainlessSteel 316L Material Data Sheet, FlexLine, M 290 (2016)EOS GmbHarchived copyDMLS 316L Stainless Steel · Density: part density (ISO 3369, not labelled min or typical), EOS M 290, 40 µm FlexLine
5
Design Manual for Structural Stainless Steel, 4th Edition (P413)Steel Construction Institutearchived copyDMLS 316L Stainless Steel · Poisson's ratio: base material: austenitic stainless steels incl. 1.4404 (316L), design value
6
316/316L Stainless Steel Product Data Bulletin (2021)Cleveland-CliffsDMLS 316L Stainless Steel · Thermal conductivity: base material: wrought 316/316L (Cleveland-Cliffs), at 100 °CDMLS 316L Stainless Steel · Specific heat: base material: wrought 316/316L (Cleveland-Cliffs), 0-100 °C
Each number points to the document that states it, with the exact basis. Values without a number are computed from the sourced ones. "Not sourced" means no citable source states it (or only a specification minimum); figures computed from it are left out too.
DMLS 316L Stainless Steel is 3D printed: its properties depend on build direction and print settings; these are typical values.
Questions
Mechanical
Is Aluminum 3003-O stronger than DMLS 316L Stainless Steel?
DMLS 316L Stainless Steel is stronger: its yield strength is 530 MPa against 40 MPa for Aluminum 3003-O (13.3x).
Which is lighter, Aluminum 3003-O or DMLS 316L Stainless Steel?
Aluminum 3003-O is lighter: 2,730 kg/m³ against 7,900 kg/m³ for DMLS 316L Stainless Steel.
Which is stiffer, Aluminum 3003-O or DMLS 316L Stainless Steel?
DMLS 316L Stainless Steel is stiffer: Young's modulus 185 GPa against 69 GPa for Aluminum 3003-O, so the same part in DMLS 316L Stainless Steel deflects less under the same load.
Which is lighter for the same job, Aluminum 3003-O or DMLS 316L Stainless Steel?
For the same stiffness or strength: Aluminum 3003-O is lighter for a stiff rod or tie (tension), stiff beam (bending), stiff panel or plate; DMLS 316L Stainless Steel is lighter for a strong rod or tie, strong beam, strong panel or plate.
Part that must be
Aluminum 3003-O
DMLS 316L Stainless Steel
Stiff rod or tie (tension)
lighter
8% heavier
Stiff beam (bending)
lighter
1.77x heavier
Stiff panel or plate
lighter
2.08x heavier
Strong rod or tie
4.58x heavier
lighter
Strong beam
1.93x heavier
lighter
Strong panel or plate
26% heavier
lighter
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 is more ductile, Aluminum 3003-O or DMLS 316L Stainless Steel?
DMLS 316L Stainless Steel stretches further before it breaks: 40% elongation at break against 30% for Aluminum 3003-O.
Thermal
Which conducts heat better, Aluminum 3003-O or DMLS 316L Stainless Steel?
Aluminum 3003-O conducts heat better: 193 W/m·K against 16.2 W/m·K for DMLS 316L Stainless Steel.
Which expands less with temperature?
DMLS 316L Stainless Steel expands less: 15.7 µm/m·K against 23.2 µm/m·K for Aluminum 3003-O.