Materials / Compare
Copper C110 vs. FDM Polycarbonate
Compare Copper C110 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 | 69MPasourcetypical, 0.5% extension under load | 53.3MPasourcetypical |
| Ultimate tensile strength | 221MPasourcetypical | 53.3MPasourcetypical, peak stress (= stress at yield) |
| Flexural strength | not sourced | 89.4MPasourcetypical |
| Elongation at break | 55%sourcetypical, 1 in. rod | 9.2%sourcetypical |
| Young's modulus (stiffness) | 117GPasourcetypical49x stiffer | 2.39GPasourcetypical |
| Density | 8,913kg/m³sourcenominal | 1,180–1,200kg/m³sourcerange |
| Strength to weight | 7.74kN·m/kg | 44.8kN·m/kg5.79x higher |
| Stiffness to weight | 13.1MN·m/kg6.54x higher | 2.01MN·m/kg |
| Poisson's ratio | 0.34sourcereference value at room temperature (Wieland-K32 = Cu-ETP = C11000, rolled products) | 0.38sourcebase material: polycarbonate family typical (Covestro Part and Mold Design guide, Table 3-1) |
| Shear modulus | 43.7GPa50.4x stiffer in shear | 0.867GPa |
| Bulk modulus | 122GPa | 3.33GPa |
| Speed of sound | 3,626m/s | 1,418m/s |
| Thermal | ||
| Thermal conductivity | 391W/m·Ksourcetypical, 20 °C | 0.2W/m·Ksourcebase material: Covestro Makrolon 2405 injection-molding PC, typical, through-plane, 23 °C |
| Thermal expansion | 16.9µm/m·Ksourcetypical, mean 20-100 °C | 65µm/m·Ksourcebase material: Covestro Makrolon 2405 injection-molding PC, typical, 23-55 °C, parallel |
| 100 mm part over a 50 °C swing | 84.5µm growth3.85x less | 325µm growth |
| Specific heat | 385J/kg·Ksourcetypical, 20 °C | not sourced |
| Heats up and cools (diffusivity) | 114mm²/s | not sourced |
| Thermal shock resistance | 8,992W/m212x more resistant | 42.5W/m |
| Melting point | 1,065–1,083°Csourcesolidus-liquidus | not sourced |
| Glass transition | not sourced | 108°Csourcetypical |
| Max service temperature | not sourced | 105°CsourceHDT 0.455 MPa (printed specimens) |
| Values for | C11000 ETP copper, annealed to 0.050 mm grain size (OS050), 1 in. rod, 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 Copper C110 stronger than FDM Polycarbonate?
Copper C110 is stronger: its yield strength is 69 MPa against 53.3 MPa for FDM Polycarbonate (29%).
Which is lighter, Copper C110 or FDM Polycarbonate?
FDM Polycarbonate is lighter: 1,190 kg/m³ against 8,913 kg/m³ for Copper C110.
Which is stiffer, Copper C110 or FDM Polycarbonate?
Copper C110 is stiffer: Young's modulus 117 GPa against 2.39 GPa for FDM Polycarbonate, so the same part in Copper C110 deflects less under the same load.
Which is lighter for the same job, Copper C110 or FDM Polycarbonate?
For the same stiffness or strength: Copper C110 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 | Copper C110 | FDM Polycarbonate |
|---|---|---|
| Stiff rod or tie (tension) | lighter | 6.54x heavier |
| Stiff beam (bending) | 7% heavier | lighter |
| Stiff panel or plate | 2.05x heavier | lighter |
| Strong rod or tie | 5.79x heavier | lighter |
| Strong beam | 6.31x heavier | lighter |
| Strong panel or plate | 6.58x 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, Copper C110 or FDM Polycarbonate?
Copper C110 conducts heat better: 391 W/m·K against 0.2 W/m·K for FDM Polycarbonate.
Which expands less with temperature?
Copper C110 expands less: 16.9 µm/m·K against 65 µm/m·K for FDM Polycarbonate.