Materials / Compare
Plastic Nylon vs. Stainless 303
Compare Plastic Nylon vs. Stainless 303 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 | 63.1MPasourcetypical | 275MPasourceOutokumpu typical (product P = hot rolled plate, transverse) |
| Ultimate tensile strength | 63.1MPasourcetypical, peak stress (= stress at yield) | 585MPasourceOutokumpu typical |
| Flexural strength | 82.9MPasourcetypical | not sourced |
| Elongation at break | not sourced | 35%sourceOutokumpu typical, A5 |
| Young's modulus (stiffness) | 2.33GPasourcetypical | 200GPasourceat RT (Table 12) |
| Density | 1,140kg/m³sourcetypical | 7,900kg/m³sourceat RT |
| Strength to weight | 55.4kN·m/kg1.59x higher | 34.8kN·m/kg |
| Stiffness to weight | 2.04MN·m/kg | 25.3MN·m/kg12.4x higher |
| Poisson's ratio | 0.4sourcebase material: unfilled polyamide (PA), conditioned, maker design-guide family value (Covestro Table 3-1) | 0.3sourcedesign value (structural stainless steels) |
| Shear modulus | 0.833GPa | 76.9GPa92.4x stiffer in shear |
| Bulk modulus | 3.89GPa | 167GPa |
| Speed of sound | 1,430m/s | 5,032m/s |
| Thermal | ||
| Thermal conductivity | 0.33W/m·Ksourcebase material: unreinforced BASF Ultramid PA66 (A3K) and PA6 (B3S), 23 C (same value for both) | 15W/m·Ksourceat RT |
| Thermal expansion | 98–102µm/m·Ksourcebase material: unreinforced BASF Ultramid PA66 (A3K, 98) and PA6 (B3S, 102), 23-55 C | 16µm/m·Ksourcemean, 20–100 °C |
| 100 mm part over a 50 °C swing | 500µm growth | 80µm growth6.25x less |
| Specific heat | 1,700J/kg·Ksourcebase material: unreinforced BASF Ultramid PA66 (A3K) and PA6 (B3S), 23 C (same value for both) | 500J/kg·Ksourceat RT |
| Heats up and cools (diffusivity) | 0.17mm²/s | 3.8mm²/s22.3x faster |
| Thermal shock resistance | 53.6W/m | 902W/m16.8x more resistant |
| Melting point | 188°Csourcetypical | not sourced |
| Glass transition | 55.1°Csourcetypical | not sourced |
| Max service temperature | 89.2°CsourceHDT 0.455 MPa (printed specimens) | 871°Csourcecontinuous, scaling limit |
| Values for | Ultimaker Nylon, 3D-printed specimens, XY (flat), conditioned >=24 h at room temperature; 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 v2.00, April 20, 2022. | 1.4305 / UNS S30300, Outokumpu typical values (hot rolled, solution annealed) from 'Steel Grades, Properties and Global Standards'; max service from Carpenter CarTech 303 datasheet |
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.
Plastic Nylon is 3D printed: its properties depend on build direction and print settings; these are typical values.
Questions
Is Plastic Nylon stronger than Stainless 303?
Stainless 303 is stronger: its yield strength is 275 MPa against 63.1 MPa for Plastic Nylon (4.36x).
Which is lighter, Plastic Nylon or Stainless 303?
Plastic Nylon is lighter: 1,140 kg/m³ against 7,900 kg/m³ for Stainless 303.
Which is stiffer, Plastic Nylon or Stainless 303?
Stainless 303 is stiffer: Young's modulus 200 GPa against 2.33 GPa for Plastic Nylon, so the same part in Stainless 303 deflects less under the same load.
Which is lighter for the same job, Plastic Nylon or Stainless 303?
For the same stiffness or strength: Plastic Nylon is lighter for a stiff panel or plate, strong rod or tie, strong beam, strong panel or plate; Stainless 303 is lighter for a stiff rod or tie (tension), stiff beam (bending).
| Part that must be | Plastic Nylon | Stainless 303 |
|---|---|---|
| Stiff rod or tie (tension) | 12.4x heavier | lighter |
| Stiff beam (bending) | 34% heavier | lighter |
| Stiff panel or plate | lighter | 1.57x heavier |
| Strong rod or tie | lighter | 1.59x heavier |
| Strong beam | lighter | 2.6x heavier |
| Strong panel or plate | lighter | 3.32x 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, Plastic Nylon or Stainless 303?
Stainless 303 conducts heat better: 15 W/m·K against 0.33 W/m·K for Plastic Nylon.
Which expands less with temperature?
Stainless 303 expands less: 16 µm/m·K against 100 µm/m·K for Plastic Nylon.