Materials / Compare
FDM Polycarbonate vs. Solder SAC305
Compare FDM Polycarbonate vs. Solder SAC305 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 | 53.3MPasourcetypical2.42x stronger | 22MPasourcetypical |
| Ultimate tensile strength | 53.3MPasourcetypical, peak stress (= stress at yield) | 39.6MPasourcetypical |
| Flexural strength | 89.4MPasourcetypical | not sourced |
| Elongation at break | 9.2%sourcetypical | 49%sourcetypical5.33x more ductile |
| Young's modulus (stiffness) | 2.39GPasourcetypical | 6.9GPasourcetypical, temperature and strain rate not stated |
| Density | 1,180–1,200kg/m³sourcerange | 7,350kg/m³sourcetypical |
| Strength to weight | 44.8kN·m/kg15x higher | 2.99kN·m/kg |
| Stiffness to weight | 2.01MN·m/kg2.14x higher | 0.939MN·m/kg |
| Poisson's ratio | 0.38sourcebase material: polycarbonate family typical (Covestro Part and Mold Design guide, Table 3-1) | 0.35sourcetypical |
| Shear modulus | 0.867GPa | 2.56GPa2.95x stiffer in shear |
| Bulk modulus | 3.33GPa | 7.67GPa |
| Speed of sound | 1,418m/s | 969m/s |
| Thermal | ||
| Thermal conductivity | 0.2W/m·Ksourcebase material: Covestro Makrolon 2405 injection-molding PC, typical, through-plane, 23 °C | 61W/m·Ksourcetypical, temperature not stated |
| Thermal expansion | 65µm/m·Ksourcebase material: Covestro Makrolon 2405 injection-molding PC, typical, 23-55 °C, parallel | 21.9µm/m·Ksourcemean, 20-100 °C (MacDermid Alpha) |
| 100 mm part over a 50 °C swing | 325µm growth | 110µm growth2.97x less |
| Specific heat | not sourced | 232J/kg·Ksourcetypical (MacDermid Alpha) |
| Heats up and cools (diffusivity) | not sourced | 35.8mm²/s |
| Thermal shock resistance | 42.5W/m | 5,773W/m136x more resistant |
| Melting point | not sourced | 217–220°Csourcesolidus-liquidus |
| Glass transition | 108°Csourcetypical | not sourced |
| Max service temperature | 105°CsourceHDT 0.455 MPa (printed specimens) | not sourced |
| Values for | 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. | SAC305 (Sn96.5Ag3.0Cu0.5) solder alloy, bulk; Indium Corporation Indalloy 256 (SAC305) for Preforms product data sheet (Form No. 100346 R0, 2024), selected properties, test temperature not stated; expansion and specific heat from MacDermid Alpha VACULOY SAC TDS (06 September 2023). |
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 FDM Polycarbonate stronger than Solder SAC305?
FDM Polycarbonate is stronger: its yield strength is 53.3 MPa against 22 MPa for Solder SAC305 (2.42x).
Which is lighter, FDM Polycarbonate or Solder SAC305?
FDM Polycarbonate is lighter: 1,190 kg/m³ against 7,350 kg/m³ for Solder SAC305.
Which is stiffer, FDM Polycarbonate or Solder SAC305?
Solder SAC305 is stiffer: Young's modulus 6.9 GPa against 2.39 GPa for FDM Polycarbonate, so the same part in Solder SAC305 deflects less under the same load.
Which is lighter for the same job, FDM Polycarbonate or Solder SAC305?
For the same stiffness or strength: FDM Polycarbonate is lighter for a stiff rod or tie (tension), stiff beam (bending), stiff panel or plate, strong rod or tie, strong beam, strong panel or plate.
| Part that must be | FDM Polycarbonate | Solder SAC305 |
|---|---|---|
| Stiff rod or tie (tension) | lighter | 2.14x heavier |
| Stiff beam (bending) | lighter | 3.64x heavier |
| Stiff panel or plate | lighter | 4.34x heavier |
| Strong rod or tie | lighter | 15x heavier |
| Strong beam | lighter | 11.1x heavier |
| Strong panel or plate | lighter | 9.61x 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 is more ductile, FDM Polycarbonate or Solder SAC305?
Solder SAC305 stretches further before it breaks: 49% elongation at break against 9.2% for FDM Polycarbonate.
Which conducts heat better, FDM Polycarbonate or Solder SAC305?
Solder SAC305 conducts heat better: 61 W/m·K against 0.2 W/m·K for FDM Polycarbonate.
Which expands less with temperature?
Solder SAC305 expands less: 21.9 µm/m·K against 65 µm/m·K for FDM Polycarbonate.