Materials / Compare

DMLS 17-4PH Stainless Steel vs. Iron

Compare DMLS 17-4PH Stainless Steel vs. Iron strength, stiffness, weight and thermal properties.

Change either side
DMLS 17-4PH Stainless Steel3D printed metal (DMLS)
IronWrought
Try it on a partA bracket to run stress or thermal on, free in your browserOpen in LessCADOpen in LessCAD
Mechanical
Yield strength861MPasourcemean, as built, horizontal (N=72)186MPasourcetypical (0.2% YS), hot rolled + SRA/recrystallization anneal
Ultimate tensile strength886MPasourcemean, as built, horizontal (N=72)290MPasourcetypical, SRA/recrystallization anneal
Elongation at break19.9%sourcemean at break, as built, horizontal38%sourcetypical, gauge 4D0
Young's modulus (stiffness)197GPasourcebase material: wrought 17-4 PH, Condition H 900 (Cleveland-Cliffs)207GPasourcetypical, after SRA/recrystallization anneal
Density7,790kg/m³sourcemean part density (ISO 3369)7,860kg/m³sourcetypical
Strength to weight110kN·m/kg4.67x higher23.7kN·m/kg
Stiffness to weight25.3MN·m/kg26.3MN·m/kg4% higher
Poisson's ratio0.272sourcebase material: wrought 17-4 PH, all conditions (Cleveland-Cliffs)0.282sourceNIST critically evaluated best value (polycrystalline iron)
Shear modulus77.4GPa80.7GPa4% stiffer in shear
Bulk modulus144GPa158GPa
Speed of sound5,029m/s5,132m/s
Thermal
Thermal conductivity17.9W/m·Ksourcebase material: wrought 17-4 PH, Condition H 900, at 149 °C (Cleveland-Cliffs)73.2W/m·Ksourcetypical at 20 °C
Thermal expansion10.4µm/m·Ksourcemean 25-100 °C, ASTM E228, AFTER atmospheric heat treatment (as-built value not published)13.7µm/m·Ksourcemean, 20-399 °C
100 mm part over a 50 °C swing52µm growth32% less68.5µm growth
Specific heat460J/kg·Ksourcebase material: wrought 17-4 PH, Condition A, 0-100 °C (Cleveland-Cliffs)450J/kg·Ksourcetypical
Heats up and cools (diffusivity)5mm²/s20.7mm²/s4.14x faster
Thermal shock resistance5,474W/m1.59x more resistant3,447W/m
Melting pointnot sourced1,532°Csourcetypical
Values forEOS StainlessSteel 17-4PH IndustryLine (powder 9011-0041), EOS M 290, 40 µm, default job 17-4PH_040_StainlessM291_100, as built, horizontal; ISO 6892 & ASTM E8MCleveland-Cliffs / AK Steel ARMCO Pure Iron Product Data Bulletin (07/2022): Table 1 typical physical properties, Table 2 typical mechanical properties after SRA/recrystallization anneal.

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.

DMLS 17-4PH Stainless Steel is 3D printed: its properties depend on build direction and print settings; these are typical values.

Questions

Is DMLS 17-4PH Stainless Steel stronger than Iron?

DMLS 17-4PH Stainless Steel is stronger: its yield strength is 861 MPa against 186 MPa for Iron (4.63x).

Which is lighter, DMLS 17-4PH Stainless Steel or Iron?

DMLS 17-4PH Stainless Steel is lighter: 7,790 kg/m³ against 7,860 kg/m³ for Iron.

Which is stiffer, DMLS 17-4PH Stainless Steel or Iron?

Iron is stiffer: Young's modulus 207 GPa against 197 GPa for DMLS 17-4PH Stainless Steel, so the same part in Iron deflects less under the same load.

Which is lighter for the same job, DMLS 17-4PH Stainless Steel or Iron?

For the same stiffness or strength: DMLS 17-4PH Stainless Steel is lighter for a strong rod or tie, strong beam, strong panel or plate; Iron is lighter for a stiff rod or tie (tension), stiff beam (bending).

Part that must beDMLS 17-4PH Stainless SteelIron
Stiff rod or tie (tension)4% heavierlighter
Stiff beam (bending)2% heavierlighter
Stiff panel or plateabout equalabout equal
Strong rod or tielighter4.67x heavier
Strong beamlighter2.8x heavier
Strong panel or platelighter2.17x heavier

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, DMLS 17-4PH Stainless Steel or Iron?

Iron conducts heat better: 73.2 W/m·K against 17.9 W/m·K for DMLS 17-4PH Stainless Steel.

Which expands less with temperature?

DMLS 17-4PH Stainless Steel expands less: 10.4 µm/m·K against 13.7 µm/m·K for Iron.

Among 59 materials

1k10k0.1110100Density (kg/m³)Young's modulus (GPa)Plastic PLAPlastic PETGPlastic ABSPlastic TPUPlastic NylonAluminumSteelTitaniumSteel AISI 1018Stainless Steel 304Stainless Steel 316Aluminum 6061-T6Aluminum 7075-T6Brass C360Copper C110GlassSteel AISI 1045Steel AISI 4340Steel A992Stainless Steel 303Stainless Steel 17-4PHAluminum 2024-T351Aluminum 5052-H32Aluminum 7050-T7451Titanium Ti-6Al-4VBrass C260Nickel Inconel 718Magnesium AZ31B-H24Zinc Zamak 3Plastic ABS (bulk/injection)Plastic PolycarbonatePlastic POM/AcetalPlastic Nylon PA6Plastic Nylon PA66Plastic PEEKPlastic UHMWPEPlastic HDPEPlastic PolypropylenePlastic PMMAFDM ASAFDM PolycarbonateFDM PAHT-CFFDM HIPSSLA Resin Tough 2000SLS PA12 NylonDMLS AlSi10Mg AluminumDMLS Ti-6Al-4V ELI TitaniumDMLS 316L Stainless SteelDMLS 17-4PH Stainless SteelIron
Stiffness against density
1k10k101001kDensity (kg/m³)Yield strength (MPa)Plastic PLAPlastic PETGPlastic ABSPlastic TPUPlastic NylonRubberAluminumSteelTitaniumSteel AISI 1018Stainless Steel 304Stainless Steel 316Aluminum 6061-T6Aluminum 7075-T6Brass C360Copper C110GlassSteel AISI 1045Steel AISI 4340Steel A992Stainless Steel 303Stainless Steel 17-4PHAluminum 2024-T351Aluminum 5052-H32Aluminum 7050-T7451Titanium Ti-6Al-4VBrass C260Nickel Inconel 718Magnesium AZ31B-H24Zinc Zamak 3Plastic ABS (bulk/injection)Plastic PolycarbonatePlastic POM/AcetalPlastic Nylon PA6Plastic Nylon PA66Plastic PEEKPlastic PTFEPlastic UHMWPEPlastic HDPEPlastic PolypropylenePlastic PMMAFDM ASAFDM PolycarbonateFDM PAHT-CFFDM HIPSSLA Resin Tough 2000SLA Resin Elastic 50ASLS PA12 NylonDMLS AlSi10Mg AluminumDMLS Ti-6Al-4V ELI TitaniumDMLS 316L Stainless SteelBrickDMLS 17-4PH Stainless SteelIron
Strength against density

Related comparisons