Materials / Compare
Plastic Nylon vs. Stainless 304
Compare Plastic Nylon vs. Stainless 304 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 | 241MPasourcetypical, annealed, 70 °F (21 °C) |
| Ultimate tensile strength | 63.1MPasourcetypical, peak stress (= stress at yield) | 586MPasourcetypical, annealed, 70 °F (21 °C) |
| Flexural strength | 82.9MPasourcetypical | not sourced |
| Elongation at break | not sourced | 55%sourcetypical, annealed, in 2 in. (50.8 mm) |
| Young's modulus (stiffness) | 2.33GPasourcetypical | 193GPasourcetypical, in tension |
| Density | 1,140kg/m³sourcetypical7.04x lighter | 8,030kg/m³sourcetypical |
| Strength to weight | 55.4kN·m/kg1.84x higher | 30kN·m/kg |
| Stiffness to weight | 2.04MN·m/kg | 24MN·m/kg11.8x 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 | 74.2GPa89.2x stiffer in shear |
| Bulk modulus | 3.89GPa | 161GPa |
| Speed of sound | 1,430m/s | 4,903m/s |
| Thermal | ||
| Thermal conductivity | 0.33W/m·Ksourcebase material: unreinforced BASF Ultramid PA66 (A3K) and PA6 (B3S), 23 C (same value for both) | 16.2W/m·Ksourceat 100 °C |
| Thermal expansion | 98–102µm/m·Ksourcebase material: unreinforced BASF Ultramid PA66 (A3K, 98) and PA6 (B3S, 102), 23-55 C | 16.9µm/m·Ksourcemean, 0–100 °C |
| 100 mm part over a 50 °C swing | 500µm growth | 84.5µm growth5.92x less |
| Specific heat | 1,700J/kg·Ksourcebase material: unreinforced BASF Ultramid PA66 (A3K) and PA6 (B3S), 23 C (same value for both) | 500J/kg·Ksourcemean, 0–100 °C |
| Heats up and cools (diffusivity) | 0.17mm²/s | 4.03mm²/s23.7x faster |
| Thermal shock resistance | 53.6W/m | 838W/m15.6x more resistant |
| Melting point | 188°Csourcetypical | 1,399–1,454°Csourcemelting range |
| Glass transition | 55.1°Csourcetypical | not sourced |
| Max service temperature | 89.2°CsourceHDT 0.455 MPa (printed specimens) | 899°Csourcecontinuous, oxidation (scaling) limit in air |
| 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. | Type 304, annealed flat-rolled (Cleveland-Cliffs 304/304L Product Data Bulletin, May 2021); Poisson's ratio from the Nickel Institute/SCI structural stainless design manual |
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 304?
Stainless 304 is stronger: its yield strength is 241 MPa against 63.1 MPa for Plastic Nylon (3.82x).
Which is lighter, Plastic Nylon or Stainless 304?
Plastic Nylon is lighter: 1,140 kg/m³ against 8,030 kg/m³ for Stainless 304.
Which is stiffer, Plastic Nylon or Stainless 304?
Stainless 304 is stiffer: Young's modulus 193 GPa against 2.33 GPa for Plastic Nylon, so the same part in Stainless 304 deflects less under the same load.
Which is lighter for the same job, Plastic Nylon or Stainless 304?
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 304 is lighter for a stiff rod or tie (tension), stiff beam (bending).
| Part that must be | Plastic Nylon | Stainless 304 |
|---|---|---|
| Stiff rod or tie (tension) | 11.8x heavier | lighter |
| Stiff beam (bending) | 29% heavier | lighter |
| Stiff panel or plate | lighter | 1.62x heavier |
| Strong rod or tie | lighter | 1.84x heavier |
| Strong beam | lighter | 2.88x heavier |
| Strong panel or plate | lighter | 3.6x 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 304?
Stainless 304 conducts heat better: 16.2 W/m·K against 0.33 W/m·K for Plastic Nylon.
Which expands less with temperature?
Stainless 304 expands less: 16.9 µm/m·K against 100 µm/m·K for Plastic Nylon.