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DMLS 17-4PH Stainless Steel vs. Plastic POM/Acetal

Compare DMLS 17-4PH Stainless Steel vs. Plastic POM/Acetal strength, stiffness, weight and thermal properties.

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DMLS 17-4PH Stainless Steel3D printed metal (DMLS)
Plastic POM/AcetalBulk polymer (molded or machined)
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Mechanical
Yield strength861MPasourcemean, as built, horizontal (N=72)69MPasourcetypical (single ASTM D638 tensile strength)
Ultimate tensile strength886MPasourcemean, as built, horizontal (N=72)69MPasourcetypical
Compressive strengthnot sourced124MPasourcecompressive stress at 10% deformation
Flexural strengthnot sourced99MPasourceflexural yield strength, typical
Elongation at break19.9%sourcemean at break, as built, horizontal75%sourcetypical
Young's modulus (stiffness)197GPasourcebase material: wrought 17-4 PH, Condition H 900 (Cleveland-Cliffs)2.8GPasourcetypical
Density7,790kg/m³sourcemean part density (ISO 3369)1,420kg/m³sourcetypical (DuPont product information for Delrin 100 NC010; 'The data listed here fall within the normal range of product properties')
Strength to weight110kN·m/kg2.27x higher48.6kN·m/kg
Stiffness to weight25.3MN·m/kg12.8x higher1.97MN·m/kg
Poisson's ratio0.272sourcebase material: wrought 17-4 PH, all conditions (Cleveland-Cliffs)0.35sourcetypical
Shear modulus77.4GPa74.7x stiffer in shear1.04GPa
Bulk modulus144GPa3.11GPa
Speed of sound5,029m/s1,404m/s
Thermal
Thermal conductivity17.9W/m·Ksourcebase material: wrought 17-4 PH, Condition H 900, at 149 °C (Cleveland-Cliffs)0.4W/m·Ksourcetypical
Thermal expansion10.4µm/m·Ksourcemean 25-100 °C, ASTM E228, AFTER atmospheric heat treatment (as-built value not published)122µm/m·Ksourcemean, 29 to 60 °C
100 mm part over a 50 °C swing52µm growth11.7x less610µm growth
Specific heat460J/kg·Ksourcebase material: wrought 17-4 PH, Condition A, 0-100 °C (Cleveland-Cliffs)1,465J/kg·Ksourceaverage -18 to 100 °C, Delrin acetal resins (not grade-specific)
Heats up and cools (diffusivity)5mm²/s26x faster0.192mm²/s
Thermal shock resistance5,474W/m104x more resistant52.5W/m
Melting pointnot sourced175°Csourcecrystalline melting point
Max service temperaturenot sourced125°CsourceHDT 1.8 MPa (annealed)
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 E8MDuPont Delrin 100 acetal homopolymer, Table 2 'Typical Properties of Delrin Acetal Resins' (ASTM methods), Delrin Design Guide Module III hosted on delrin.com

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 POM/Acetal?

DMLS 17-4PH Stainless Steel is stronger: its yield strength is 861 MPa against 69 MPa for Plastic POM/Acetal (12.5x).

Which is lighter, DMLS 17-4PH Stainless Steel or Plastic POM/Acetal?

Plastic POM/Acetal is lighter: 1,420 kg/m³ against 7,790 kg/m³ for DMLS 17-4PH Stainless Steel.

Which is stiffer, DMLS 17-4PH Stainless Steel or Plastic POM/Acetal?

DMLS 17-4PH Stainless Steel is stiffer: Young's modulus 197 GPa against 2.8 GPa for Plastic POM/Acetal, 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 POM/Acetal?

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 POM/Acetal is lighter for a stiff panel or plate, strong beam, strong panel or plate.

Part that must beDMLS 17-4PH Stainless SteelPlastic POM/Acetal
Stiff rod or tie (tension)lighter12.8x heavier
Stiff beam (bending)lighter1.53x heavier
Stiff panel or plate33% heavierlighter
Strong rod or tielighter2.27x heavier
Strong beam2% heavierlighter
Strong panel or plate1.55x 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 POM/Acetal?

DMLS 17-4PH Stainless Steel conducts heat better: 17.9 W/m·K against 0.4 W/m·K for Plastic POM/Acetal.

Which expands less with temperature?

DMLS 17-4PH Stainless Steel expands less: 10.4 µm/m·K against 122 µm/m·K for Plastic POM/Acetal.

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 ABS (bulk/injection)Plastic PolycarbonatePlastic 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 POM/Acetal
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 ABS (bulk/injection)Plastic PolycarbonatePlastic 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 POM/Acetal
Strength against density

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