Thermal conductivity against densityHigher and further left: spreads more heat for its weightThermal expansion against thermal conductivityLower and further right: warps less when heated
Try it on a partA sample part to run stress or thermal on, free in your browser
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.
Plastic POM/Acetal
DuPont Delrin 100 acetal homopolymer, Table 2 'Typical Properties of Delrin Acetal Resins' (ASTM methods), Delrin Design Guide Module III hosted on delrin.com
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
Delrin 100 Product Data SheetDuPontPlastic POM/Acetal · Density: typical (DuPont product information for Delrin 100 NC010; 'The data listed here fall within the normal range of product properties')
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.
Questions
Mechanical
Is Aluminum 3003-O stronger than Plastic POM/Acetal?
Plastic POM/Acetal is stronger: its yield strength is 69 MPa against 40 MPa for Aluminum 3003-O (1.73x).
Which is lighter, Aluminum 3003-O or Plastic POM/Acetal?
Plastic POM/Acetal is lighter: 1,420 kg/m³ against 2,730 kg/m³ for Aluminum 3003-O.
Which is stiffer, Aluminum 3003-O or Plastic POM/Acetal?
Aluminum 3003-O is stiffer: Young's modulus 69 GPa against 2.8 GPa for Plastic POM/Acetal, so the same part in Aluminum 3003-O deflects less under the same load.
Which is lighter for the same job, Aluminum 3003-O or Plastic POM/Acetal?
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; Plastic POM/Acetal is lighter for a strong rod or tie, strong beam, strong panel or plate.
Part that must be
Aluminum 3003-O
Plastic POM/Acetal
Stiff rod or tie (tension)
lighter
12.8x heavier
Stiff beam (bending)
lighter
2.58x heavier
Stiff panel or plate
lighter
1.51x heavier
Strong rod or tie
3.32x heavier
lighter
Strong beam
2.77x heavier
lighter
Strong panel or plate
2.53x 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 Plastic POM/Acetal?
Plastic POM/Acetal stretches further before it breaks: 75% elongation at break against 30% for Aluminum 3003-O.
Thermal
Which conducts heat better, Aluminum 3003-O or Plastic POM/Acetal?
Aluminum 3003-O conducts heat better: 193 W/m·K against 0.4 W/m·K for Plastic POM/Acetal.
Which expands less with temperature?
Aluminum 3003-O expands less: 23.2 µm/m·K against 122 µm/m·K for Plastic POM/Acetal.