Materials / Compare
Brass C360 vs. FDM Polycarbonate
Compare Brass C360 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 | 310MPasourcetypical, 0.5% extension under load | 53.3MPasourcetypical |
| Ultimate tensile strength | 400MPasourcetypical | 53.3MPasourcetypical, peak stress (= stress at yield) |
| Flexural strength | not sourced | 89.4MPasourcetypical |
| Elongation at break | 25%sourcetypical, 1 in. rod | 9.2%sourcetypical |
| Young's modulus (stiffness) | 96.5GPasourcetypical, temper-independent | 2.39GPasourcetypical |
| Density | 8,498kg/m³sourcenominal | 1,180–1,200kg/m³sourcerange |
| Strength to weight | 36.5kN·m/kg | 44.8kN·m/kg23% higher |
| Stiffness to weight | 11.4MN·m/kg5.64x higher | 2.01MN·m/kg |
| Poisson's ratio | 0.34sourcebase material: leaded free-machining brass CuZn39Pb2 (C37700), Wieland-Z30 rolled products, reference value at room temperature | 0.38sourcebase material: polycarbonate family typical (Covestro Part and Mold Design guide, Table 3-1) |
| Shear modulus | 36GPa41.5x stiffer in shear | 0.867GPa |
| Bulk modulus | 101GPa | 3.33GPa |
| Speed of sound | 3,370m/s | 1,418m/s |
| Thermal | ||
| Thermal conductivity | 116W/m·Ksourcetypical, 20 °C | 0.2W/m·Ksourcebase material: Covestro Makrolon 2405 injection-molding PC, typical, through-plane, 23 °C |
| Thermal expansion | 20.5µm/m·Ksourcetypical, mean 20-300 °C | 65µm/m·Ksourcebase material: Covestro Makrolon 2405 injection-molding PC, typical, 23-55 °C, parallel |
| 100 mm part over a 50 °C swing | 103µm growth3.17x less | 325µm growth |
| Specific heat | 377J/kg·Ksourcetypical, 20 °C | not sourced |
| Heats up and cools (diffusivity) | 36.2mm²/s | not sourced |
| Thermal shock resistance | 11,997W/m282x more resistant | 42.5W/m |
| Melting point | 888–899°Csourcesolidus-liquidus | not sourced |
| Glass transition | not sourced | 108°Csourcetypical |
| Max service temperature | not sourced | 105°CsourceHDT 0.455 MPa (printed specimens) |
| Values for | C36000 free-cutting brass, H02 half-hard rod 1 in. section (20% cold work), copper.org typical 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 Brass C360 stronger than FDM Polycarbonate?
Brass C360 is stronger: its yield strength is 310 MPa against 53.3 MPa for FDM Polycarbonate (5.82x).
Which is lighter, Brass C360 or FDM Polycarbonate?
FDM Polycarbonate is lighter: 1,190 kg/m³ against 8,498 kg/m³ for Brass C360.
Which is stiffer, Brass C360 or FDM Polycarbonate?
Brass C360 is stiffer: Young's modulus 96.5 GPa against 2.39 GPa for FDM Polycarbonate, so the same part in Brass C360 deflects less under the same load.
Which is lighter for the same job, Brass C360 or FDM Polycarbonate?
For the same stiffness or strength: Brass C360 is lighter for a stiff rod or tie (tension); FDM Polycarbonate 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 | FDM Polycarbonate |
|---|---|---|
| Stiff rod or tie (tension) | lighter | 5.64x heavier |
| Stiff beam (bending) | 12% heavier | lighter |
| Stiff panel or plate | 2.08x heavier | lighter |
| Strong rod or tie | 23% heavier | lighter |
| Strong beam | 2.21x heavier | lighter |
| Strong panel or plate | 2.96x 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 FDM Polycarbonate?
Brass C360 conducts heat better: 116 W/m·K against 0.2 W/m·K for FDM Polycarbonate.
Which expands less with temperature?
Brass C360 expands less: 20.5 µm/m·K against 65 µm/m·K for FDM Polycarbonate.