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DMLS 17-4PH Stainless Steel vs. Plastic ABS (bulk/injection)

Compare DMLS 17-4PH Stainless Steel vs. Plastic ABS (bulk/injection) strength, stiffness, weight and thermal properties.

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DMLS 17-4PH Stainless Steel3D printed metal (DMLS)
Plastic ABS (bulk/injection)Bulk polymer (molded or machined)
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Mechanical
Yield strength861MPasourcemean, as built, horizontal (N=72)45MPasourcetypical, tensile stress at yield 23 °C
Ultimate tensile strength886MPasourcemean, as built, horizontal (N=72)not sourced
Flexural strengthnot sourced65MPasourcetypical, 23 °C
Elongation at break19.9%sourcemean at break, as built, horizontal10%sourcenominal strain at break, 23 °C
Young's modulus (stiffness)197GPasourcebase material: wrought 17-4 PH, Condition H 900 (Cleveland-Cliffs)2.3GPasourcetypical
Density7,790kg/m³sourcemean part density (ISO 3369)1,040kg/m³sourcetypical
Strength to weight110kN·m/kg2.55x higher43.3kN·m/kg
Stiffness to weight25.3MN·m/kg11.4x higher2.21MN·m/kg
Poisson's ratio0.272sourcebase material: wrought 17-4 PH, all conditions (Cleveland-Cliffs)0.39sourcetypical, ABS family (Covestro Part and Mold Design guide, Table 3-1)
Shear modulus77.4GPa93.6x stiffer in shear0.827GPa
Bulk modulus144GPa3.48GPa
Speed of sound5,029m/s1,487m/s
Thermal
Thermal conductivity17.9W/m·Ksourcebase material: wrought 17-4 PH, Condition H 900, at 149 °C (Cleveland-Cliffs)0.17W/m·Ksourcetypical
Thermal expansion10.4µm/m·Ksourcemean 25-100 °C, ASTM E228, AFTER atmospheric heat treatment (as-built value not published)80–110µm/m·Ksourcerange
100 mm part over a 50 °C swing52µm growth9.13x less475µm growth
Specific heat460J/kg·Ksourcebase material: wrought 17-4 PH, Condition A, 0-100 °C (Cleveland-Cliffs)not sourced
Heats up and cools (diffusivity)5mm²/snot sourced
Thermal shock resistance5,474W/m256x more resistant21.4W/m
Max service temperaturenot sourced94°CsourceHDT 1.8 MPa (annealed 4 h/80 °C)
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 E8MINEOS Styrolution Terluran GP-22 general-purpose injection-molding ABS, ISO typical values (TDS revision 08/01/2022)

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.

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 Plastic ABS (bulk/injection)?

DMLS 17-4PH Stainless Steel is stronger: its yield strength is 861 MPa against 45 MPa for Plastic ABS (bulk/injection) (19.1x).

Which is lighter, DMLS 17-4PH Stainless Steel or Plastic ABS (bulk/injection)?

Plastic ABS (bulk/injection) is lighter: 1,040 kg/m³ against 7,790 kg/m³ for DMLS 17-4PH Stainless Steel.

Which is stiffer, DMLS 17-4PH Stainless Steel or Plastic ABS (bulk/injection)?

DMLS 17-4PH Stainless Steel is stiffer: Young's modulus 197 GPa against 2.3 GPa for Plastic ABS (bulk/injection), so the same part in DMLS 17-4PH Stainless Steel deflects less under the same load.

Which is lighter for the same job, DMLS 17-4PH Stainless Steel or Plastic ABS (bulk/injection)?

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

Part that must beDMLS 17-4PH Stainless SteelPlastic ABS (bulk/injection)
Stiff rod or tie (tension)lighter11.4x heavier
Stiff beam (bending)lighter24% heavier
Stiff panel or plate1.7x heavierlighter
Strong rod or tielighter2.55x heavier
Strong beam5% heavierlighter
Strong panel or plate1.71x heavierlighter

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 Plastic ABS (bulk/injection)?

DMLS 17-4PH Stainless Steel conducts heat better: 17.9 W/m·K against 0.17 W/m·K for Plastic ABS (bulk/injection).

Which expands less with temperature?

DMLS 17-4PH Stainless Steel expands less: 10.4 µm/m·K against 95 µm/m·K for Plastic ABS (bulk/injection).

Among 59 materials

1k10k0.1110100Density (kg/m³)Young's modulus (GPa)Plastic PLAPlastic PETGPlastic ABSPlastic TPUPlastic NylonAluminumSteelIronTitaniumSteel 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 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 SteelPlastic ABS (bulk/injection)
Stiffness against density
1k10k101001kDensity (kg/m³)Yield strength (MPa)Plastic PLAPlastic PETGPlastic ABSPlastic TPUPlastic NylonRubberAluminumSteelIronTitaniumSteel 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 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 SteelPlastic ABS (bulk/injection)
Strength against density

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