Materials / Compare
Aluminum ADC12 vs. FDM Polycarbonate
Compare Aluminum ADC12 vs. FDM Polycarbonate 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 | 149MPasourceone test result, 0.2% proof stress, as cast, ASTM tensile bar (Daiki) | 53.3MPasourcetypical |
| Ultimate tensile strength | 345MPasourceone test result, as cast, ASTM tensile bar (Daiki) | 53.3MPasourcetypical, peak stress (= stress at yield) |
| Flexural strength | not sourced | 89.4MPasourcetypical |
| Elongation at break | 2.3%sourceone test result, as cast, ASTM tensile bar (Daiki) | 9.2%sourcetypical |
| Young's modulus (stiffness) | 79.8GPasourcestandard value (S.S.Aluminum) | 2.39GPasourcetypical |
| Density | 2,680kg/m³sourcemeasured (Daiki) | 1,180–1,200kg/m³sourcerange |
| Strength to weight | 55.6kN·m/kg24% higher | 44.8kN·m/kg |
| Stiffness to weight | 29.8MN·m/kg14.8x higher | 2.01MN·m/kg |
| Poisson's ratio | not sourced | 0.38sourcebase material: polycarbonate family typical (Covestro Part and Mold Design guide, Table 3-1) |
| Shear modulus | not sourced | 0.867GPa |
| Bulk modulus | not sourced | 3.33GPa |
| Speed of sound | 5,457m/s | 1,418m/s |
| Thermal | ||
| Thermal conductivity | 125W/m·Ksourcemeasured on specimens cut from a 50 x 100 x 5 mm flat die casting (Daiki) | 0.2W/m·Ksourcebase material: Covestro Makrolon 2405 injection-molding PC, typical, through-plane, 23 °C |
| Thermal expansion | 21µm/m·Ksourcemeasured, temperature range not stated (Daiki) | 65µm/m·Ksourcebase material: Covestro Makrolon 2405 injection-molding PC, typical, 23-55 °C, parallel |
| 100 mm part over a 50 °C swing | 105µm growth3.1x less | 325µm growth |
| Specific heat | 911J/kg·Ksourcemeasured (Daiki) | not sourced |
| Heats up and cools (diffusivity) | 51.2mm²/s | not sourced |
| Thermal shock resistance | not sourced | 42.5W/m |
| Melting point | 515–582°Csourcesolidus-liquidus (Daiki) | not sourced |
| Glass transition | not sourced | 108°Csourcetypical |
| Max service temperature | not sourced | 105°CsourceHDT 0.455 MPa (printed specimens) |
| Values for | JIS ADC12 (Al-Si-Cu, about A383 / EN AC-46100) high-pressure die-casting alloy, as cast; physical properties from Daiki Aluminium Industry (ADC12 ingot producer) measured values; modulus from S.S.Aluminum (ADC12 ingot producer) standard values. | Ultimaker PC, 3D-printed specimens, XY (flat); 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 (file v5.00), 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.
FDM Polycarbonate is 3D printed: its properties depend on build direction and print settings; these are typical values.
Questions
Is Aluminum ADC12 stronger than FDM Polycarbonate?
Aluminum ADC12 is stronger: its yield strength is 149 MPa against 53.3 MPa for FDM Polycarbonate (2.8x).
Which is lighter, Aluminum ADC12 or FDM Polycarbonate?
FDM Polycarbonate is lighter: 1,190 kg/m³ against 2,680 kg/m³ for Aluminum ADC12.
Which is stiffer, Aluminum ADC12 or FDM Polycarbonate?
Aluminum ADC12 is stiffer: Young's modulus 79.8 GPa against 2.39 GPa for FDM Polycarbonate, so the same part in Aluminum ADC12 deflects less under the same load.
Which is lighter for the same job, Aluminum ADC12 or FDM Polycarbonate?
For the same stiffness or strength: Aluminum ADC12 is lighter for a stiff rod or tie (tension), stiff beam (bending), stiff panel or plate, strong rod or tie; FDM Polycarbonate is lighter for a strong beam, strong panel or plate.
| Part that must be | Aluminum ADC12 | FDM Polycarbonate |
|---|---|---|
| Stiff rod or tie (tension) | lighter | 14.8x heavier |
| Stiff beam (bending) | lighter | 2.56x heavier |
| Stiff panel or plate | lighter | 43% heavier |
| Strong rod or tie | lighter | 24% heavier |
| Strong beam | 13% heavier | lighter |
| Strong panel or plate | 35% 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 conducts heat better, Aluminum ADC12 or FDM Polycarbonate?
Aluminum ADC12 conducts heat better: 125 W/m·K against 0.2 W/m·K for FDM Polycarbonate.
Which expands less with temperature?
Aluminum ADC12 expands less: 21 µm/m·K against 65 µm/m·K for FDM Polycarbonate.