Materials / Compare
Brass C260 vs. Plastic PLA
Compare Brass C260 vs. Plastic PLA 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 | 345MPasourcenominal, strip/flat, 0.5% extension (not 0.2% offset) | 52.5MPasourcetypical |
| Ultimate tensile strength | 427MPasourcenominal, strip/flat | 52.5MPasourcetypical, peak stress (= stress at yield) |
| Flexural strength | not sourced | 96.8MPasourcetypical |
| Elongation at break | 23%sourcenominal, in 2.0 in., strip/flat | 7.8%sourcetypical |
| Young's modulus (stiffness) | 110GPasourcetypical, temper-independent | 3.25GPasourcetypical |
| Density | 8,525kg/m³sourcenominal | 1,240kg/m³sourcetypical |
| Strength to weight | 40.5kN·m/kg | 42.3kN·m/kg5% higher |
| Stiffness to weight | 12.9MN·m/kg4.94x higher | 2.62MN·m/kg |
| Poisson's ratio | 0.34sourcereference value at room temperature (Wieland-M30 = CuZn30 = C26000, rolled products) | not sourced |
| Shear modulus | 41.2GPa | not sourced |
| Bulk modulus | 115GPa | not sourced |
| Speed of sound | 3,597m/s | 1,619m/s |
| Thermal | ||
| Thermal conductivity | 121W/m·Ksourcetypical, 20 °C | 0.13W/m·Ksourcebase material: NatureWorks Ingeo biopolymer, amorphous sheet, 25 °C |
| Thermal expansion | 20µm/m·Ksourcetypical, mean 20-300 °C | not sourced |
| 100 mm part over a 50 °C swing | 100µm growth | not sourced |
| Specific heat | 377J/kg·Ksourcetypical, 20 °C | 1,200J/kg·Ksourcebase material: NatureWorks Ingeo biopolymer, amorphous sheet, 25 °C |
| Heats up and cools (diffusivity) | 37.7mm²/s432x faster | 0.0874mm²/s |
| Thermal shock resistance | 12,510W/m | not sourced |
| Melting point | 916–954°Csourcesolidus-liquidus | 152°Csourcetypical |
| Glass transition | not sourced | 59.1°Csourcetypical |
| Max service temperature | not sourced | 58.8°CsourceHDT 0.455 MPa (printed specimens) |
| Values for | C26000 cartridge brass, H02 half hard flat/strip: CDA Electronic Connector Design Guide (mechanical) + CDA alloy page (physical) | Ultimaker PLA, 3D-printed specimens, XY (flat) orientation; 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 dated 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.
Plastic PLA is 3D printed: its properties depend on build direction and print settings; these are typical values.
Questions
Is Brass C260 stronger than Plastic PLA?
Brass C260 is stronger: its yield strength is 345 MPa against 52.5 MPa for Plastic PLA (6.57x).
Which is lighter, Brass C260 or Plastic PLA?
Plastic PLA is lighter: 1,240 kg/m³ against 8,525 kg/m³ for Brass C260.
Which is stiffer, Brass C260 or Plastic PLA?
Brass C260 is stiffer: Young's modulus 110 GPa against 3.25 GPa for Plastic PLA, so the same part in Brass C260 deflects less under the same load.
Which is lighter for the same job, Brass C260 or Plastic PLA?
For the same stiffness or strength: Brass C260 is lighter for a stiff rod or tie (tension); Plastic PLA is lighter for a stiff beam (bending), stiff panel or plate, strong rod or tie, strong beam, strong panel or plate.
| Part that must be | Brass C260 | Plastic PLA |
|---|---|---|
| Stiff rod or tie (tension) | lighter | 4.94x heavier |
| Stiff beam (bending) | 18% heavier | lighter |
| Stiff panel or plate | 2.12x heavier | lighter |
| Strong rod or tie | 5% heavier | lighter |
| Strong beam | 1.96x heavier | lighter |
| Strong panel or plate | 2.68x 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, Brass C260 or Plastic PLA?
Brass C260 conducts heat better: 121 W/m·K against 0.13 W/m·K for Plastic PLA.