Materials / Compare
Brass C360 vs. Plastic Nylon PA66
Compare Brass C360 vs. Plastic Nylon PA66 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 | 310MPasourcetypical, 0.5% extension under load | 85MPasourcetypical, dry |
| Ultimate tensile strength | 400MPasourcetypical | not sourced |
| Elongation at break | 25%sourcetypical, 1 in. rod | 30%sourcenominal strain at break, dry |
| Young's modulus (stiffness) | 96.5GPasourcetypical, temper-independent | 3GPasourcetypical, dry |
| Density | 8,498kg/m³sourcenominal | 1,130kg/m³sourcetypical |
| Strength to weight | 36.5kN·m/kg | 75.2kN·m/kg2.06x higher |
| Stiffness to weight | 11.4MN·m/kg4.28x higher | 2.65MN·m/kg |
| Poisson's ratio | 0.34sourcebase material: leaded free-machining brass CuZn39Pb2 (C37700), Wieland-Z30 rolled products, reference value at room temperature | 0.4sourcebase material: unfilled polyamide (PA), conditioned, maker design-guide family value (Covestro Table 3-1) |
| Shear modulus | 36GPa33.6x stiffer in shear | 1.07GPa |
| Bulk modulus | 101GPa | 5GPa |
| Speed of sound | 3,370m/s | 1,629m/s |
| Thermal | ||
| Thermal conductivity | 116W/m·Ksourcetypical, 20 °C | 0.33W/m·Ksourcetypical |
| Thermal expansion | 20.5µm/m·Ksourcetypical, mean 20-300 °C | 98µm/m·Ksourcelongitudinal, 23-55 °C |
| 100 mm part over a 50 °C swing | 103µm growth4.78x less | 490µm growth |
| Specific heat | 377J/kg·Ksourcetypical, 20 °C | 1,700J/kg·Ksourcetypical |
| Heats up and cools (diffusivity) | 36.2mm²/s211x faster | 0.172mm²/s |
| Thermal shock resistance | 11,997W/m210x more resistant | 57.2W/m |
| Melting point | 888–899°Csourcesolidus-liquidus | 260°CsourceDSC |
| Max service temperature | not sourced | 101°CsourceIEC 60216 temperature index, 20000 h |
| Values for | C36000 free-cutting brass, H02 half-hard rod 1 in. section (20% cold work), copper.org typical values | BASF Ultramid A3K (PA66, unreinforced injection-moulding grade), Product Information 02/2026, dry values (ISO methods) |
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.
Questions
Is Brass C360 stronger than Plastic Nylon PA66?
Brass C360 is stronger: its yield strength is 310 MPa against 85 MPa for Plastic Nylon PA66 (3.65x).
Which is lighter, Brass C360 or Plastic Nylon PA66?
Plastic Nylon PA66 is lighter: 1,130 kg/m³ against 8,498 kg/m³ for Brass C360.
Which is stiffer, Brass C360 or Plastic Nylon PA66?
Brass C360 is stiffer: Young's modulus 96.5 GPa against 3 GPa for Plastic Nylon PA66, so the same part in Brass C360 deflects less under the same load.
Which is lighter for the same job, Brass C360 or Plastic Nylon PA66?
For the same stiffness or strength: Brass C360 is lighter for a stiff rod or tie (tension); Plastic Nylon PA66 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 C360 | Plastic Nylon PA66 |
|---|---|---|
| Stiff rod or tie (tension) | lighter | 4.28x heavier |
| Stiff beam (bending) | 33% heavier | lighter |
| Stiff panel or plate | 2.36x heavier | lighter |
| Strong rod or tie | 2.06x heavier | lighter |
| Strong beam | 3.17x heavier | lighter |
| Strong panel or plate | 3.94x 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 C360 or Plastic Nylon PA66?
Brass C360 conducts heat better: 116 W/m·K against 0.33 W/m·K for Plastic Nylon PA66.
Which expands less with temperature?
Brass C360 expands less: 20.5 µm/m·K against 98 µm/m·K for Plastic Nylon PA66.