Materials / Compare
Brass C360 vs. Plastic PLA
Compare Brass C360 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 | 310MPasourcetypical, 0.5% extension under load | 52.5MPasourcetypical |
| Ultimate tensile strength | 400MPasourcetypical | 52.5MPasourcetypical, peak stress (= stress at yield) |
| Flexural strength | not sourced | 96.8MPasourcetypical |
| Elongation at break | 25%sourcetypical, 1 in. rod | 7.8%sourcetypical |
| Young's modulus (stiffness) | 96.5GPasourcetypical, temper-independent | 3.25GPasourcetypical |
| Density | 8,498kg/m³sourcenominal | 1,240kg/m³sourcetypical |
| Strength to weight | 36.5kN·m/kg | 42.3kN·m/kg16% higher |
| Stiffness to weight | 11.4MN·m/kg4.33x higher | 2.62MN·m/kg |
| Poisson's ratio | 0.34sourcebase material: leaded free-machining brass CuZn39Pb2 (C37700), Wieland-Z30 rolled products, reference value at room temperature | not sourced |
| Shear modulus | 36GPa | not sourced |
| Bulk modulus | 101GPa | not sourced |
| Speed of sound | 3,370m/s | 1,619m/s |
| Thermal | ||
| Thermal conductivity | 116W/m·Ksourcetypical, 20 °C | 0.13W/m·Ksourcebase material: NatureWorks Ingeo biopolymer, amorphous sheet, 25 °C |
| Thermal expansion | 20.5µm/m·Ksourcetypical, mean 20-300 °C | not sourced |
| 100 mm part over a 50 °C swing | 103µm 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) | 36.2mm²/s415x faster | 0.0874mm²/s |
| Thermal shock resistance | 11,997W/m | not sourced |
| Melting point | 888–899°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 | C36000 free-cutting brass, H02 half-hard rod 1 in. section (20% cold work), copper.org typical values | 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 C360 stronger than Plastic PLA?
Brass C360 is stronger: its yield strength is 310 MPa against 52.5 MPa for Plastic PLA (5.9x).
Which is lighter, Brass C360 or Plastic PLA?
Plastic PLA is lighter: 1,240 kg/m³ against 8,498 kg/m³ for Brass C360.
Which is stiffer, Brass C360 or Plastic PLA?
Brass C360 is stiffer: Young's modulus 96.5 GPa against 3.25 GPa for Plastic PLA, so the same part in Brass C360 deflects less under the same load.
Which is lighter for the same job, Brass C360 or Plastic PLA?
For the same stiffness or strength: Brass C360 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 C360 | Plastic PLA |
|---|---|---|
| Stiff rod or tie (tension) | lighter | 4.33x heavier |
| Stiff beam (bending) | 26% heavier | lighter |
| Stiff panel or plate | 2.21x heavier | lighter |
| Strong rod or tie | 16% heavier | lighter |
| Strong beam | 2.1x heavier | lighter |
| Strong panel or plate | 2.82x 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 PLA?
Brass C360 conducts heat better: 116 W/m·K against 0.13 W/m·K for Plastic PLA.