Materials / Compare

DMLS 17-4PH Stainless Steel vs. PCB Board FR-4, 2 copper planes

Compare DMLS 17-4PH Stainless Steel vs. PCB Board FR-4, 2 copper planes strength, stiffness, weight and thermal properties.

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DMLS 17-4PH Stainless Steel3D printed metal (DMLS)

PCB Board FR-4, 2 copper planesComposite

Mechanical
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Yield strength	861MPasourcemean, as built, horizontal (N=72)	not given (tensile used)
Ultimate tensile strength	886MPasourcemean, as built, horizontal (N=72)	246–385MPasourcethe bare laminate's (fr4-370hr), in-plane: cross direction .. length direction (ASTM D3039)
Elongation at break	19.9%sourcemean at break, as built, horizontal	not sourced
Young's modulus (stiffness)	197GPasourcebase material: wrought 17-4 PH, Condition H 900 (Cleveland-Cliffs)	21.9–25.8GPasourcethe bare laminate's (fr4-370hr), in-plane: cross direction .. length direction (ASTM D790-15e2); the copper planes are left out
Density	7,790kg/m³sourcemean part density (ISO 3369)	not sourced
Strength to weight	110kN·m/kg	not sourced
Stiffness to weight	25.3MN·m/kg	not sourced
Poisson's ratio	0.272sourcebase material: wrought 17-4 PH, all conditions (Cleveland-Cliffs)	0.171–0.177sourcethe bare laminate's (fr4-370hr), in-plane: cross direction .. length direction
Shear modulus	77.4GPa7.62x stiffer in shear	10.2GPa
Bulk modulus	144GPa	12.2GPa
Speed of sound	5,029m/s	not sourced
Thermal
Thermal conductivity	17.9W/m·Ksourcebase material: wrought 17-4 PH, Condition H 900, at 149 °C (Cleveland-Cliffs)	not sourced
Thermal expansion	10.4µm/m·Ksourcemean 25-100 °C, ASTM E228, AFTER atmospheric heat treatment (as-built value not published)	13–14µm/m·Ksourcethe bare laminate's (fr4-370hr), in-plane X/Y-axis, below Tg (IPC-TM-650 2.4.24C)
100 mm part over a 50 °C swing	52µm growth30% less	67.5µm growth
Specific heat	460J/kg·Ksourcebase material: wrought 17-4 PH, Condition A, 0-100 °C (Cleveland-Cliffs)	not sourced
Heats up and cools (diffusivity)	5mm²/s	not sourced
Thermal shock resistance	5,474W/m	not sourced
Values for	EOS 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 E8M	A whole circuit board read as one orthotropic plate: the JEDEC high-K thermal test board (JESD51-7, "2s2p"), 0.062 in (1.575 mm) thick with two internal solid copper planes 0.0014 in (1 oz) thick, as Texas Instruments SZZA017A Table 1 gives it. Copper C110 and the Isola 370HR laminate from this library; the layers conduct in parallel along the board and in series through it (boardStackup.ts). Its two 0.0028 in trace layers cover little of the board and are left out; vias are ignored. Mechanical values are the bare laminate's.

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 PCB Board FR-4, 2 copper planes?

DMLS 17-4PH Stainless Steel is stronger: its yield strength is 861 MPa against tensile strength 315 MPa for PCB Board FR-4, 2 copper planes (2.73x).

Which is stiffer, DMLS 17-4PH Stainless Steel or PCB Board FR-4, 2 copper planes?

DMLS 17-4PH Stainless Steel is stiffer: Young's modulus 197 GPa against 23.9 GPa for PCB Board FR-4, 2 copper planes, so the same part in DMLS 17-4PH Stainless Steel deflects less under the same load.

Which expands less with temperature?

DMLS 17-4PH Stainless Steel expands less: 10.4 µm/m·K against 13.5 µm/m·K for PCB Board FR-4, 2 copper planes.

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Stiffness against density

Strength against density