Materials / Compare
FDM Polycarbonate vs. Stainless 316
Compare FDM Polycarbonate vs. Stainless 316 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 | 53.3MPasourcetypical | 265MPasourcetypical (representative), annealed 1.0 mm sheet |
| Ultimate tensile strength | 53.3MPasourcetypical, peak stress (= stress at yield) | 583MPasourcetypical (representative), annealed 1.0 mm sheet |
| Flexural strength | 89.4MPasourcetypical | not sourced |
| Elongation at break | 9.2%sourcetypical | 61%sourcetypical (representative), annealed, in 2 in. (51 mm) |
| Young's modulus (stiffness) | 2.39GPasourcetypical | 200GPasourcetypical, in tension |
| Density | 1,180–1,200kg/m³sourcerange | 8,027kg/m³sourcetypical |
| Strength to weight | 44.8kN·m/kg36% higher | 33kN·m/kg |
| Stiffness to weight | 2.01MN·m/kg | 24.9MN·m/kg12.4x higher |
| Poisson's ratio | 0.38sourcebase material: polycarbonate family typical (Covestro Part and Mold Design guide, Table 3-1) | 0.3sourcedesign value (structural stainless steels) |
| Shear modulus | 0.867GPa | 76.9GPa88.7x stiffer in shear |
| Bulk modulus | 3.33GPa | 167GPa |
| Speed of sound | 1,418m/s | 4,992m/s |
| Thermal | ||
| Thermal conductivity | 0.2W/m·Ksourcebase material: Covestro Makrolon 2405 injection-molding PC, typical, through-plane, 23 °C | 14.6W/m·Ksource20–100 °C |
| Thermal expansion | 65µm/m·Ksourcebase material: Covestro Makrolon 2405 injection-molding PC, typical, 23-55 °C, parallel | 16.5µm/m·Ksourcemean, 20–100 °C |
| 100 mm part over a 50 °C swing | 325µm growth | 82.5µm growth3.94x less |
| Specific heat | not sourced | 450J/kg·Ksourceat 20 °C |
| Heats up and cools (diffusivity) | not sourced | 4.04mm²/s |
| Thermal shock resistance | 42.5W/m | 821W/m19.3x more resistant |
| Melting point | not sourced | 1,390–1,440°Csourcemelting range |
| Glass transition | 108°Csourcetypical | not sourced |
| Max service temperature | 105°CsourceHDT 0.455 MPa (printed specimens) | 871–899°Csourceoxidation (scaling) limit in air |
| 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. | ATI 316 (UNS S31600), annealed 1.0 mm sheet, ATI technical data sheet (2012); 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.
FDM Polycarbonate is 3D printed: its properties depend on build direction and print settings; these are typical values.
Questions
Is FDM Polycarbonate stronger than Stainless 316?
Stainless 316 is stronger: its yield strength is 265 MPa against 53.3 MPa for FDM Polycarbonate (4.97x).
Which is lighter, FDM Polycarbonate or Stainless 316?
FDM Polycarbonate is lighter: 1,190 kg/m³ against 8,027 kg/m³ for Stainless 316.
Which is stiffer, FDM Polycarbonate or Stainless 316?
Stainless 316 is stiffer: Young's modulus 200 GPa against 2.39 GPa for FDM Polycarbonate, so the same part in Stainless 316 deflects less under the same load.
Which is lighter for the same job, FDM Polycarbonate or Stainless 316?
For the same stiffness or strength: FDM Polycarbonate is lighter for a stiff panel or plate, strong rod or tie, strong beam, strong panel or plate; Stainless 316 is lighter for a stiff rod or tie (tension), stiff beam (bending).
| Part that must be | FDM Polycarbonate | Stainless 316 |
|---|---|---|
| Stiff rod or tie (tension) | 12.4x heavier | lighter |
| Stiff beam (bending) | 36% heavier | lighter |
| Stiff panel or plate | lighter | 1.54x heavier |
| Strong rod or tie | lighter | 36% heavier |
| Strong beam | lighter | 2.32x heavier |
| Strong panel or plate | lighter | 3.03x 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, FDM Polycarbonate or Stainless 316?
Stainless 316 conducts heat better: 14.6 W/m·K against 0.2 W/m·K for FDM Polycarbonate.
Which expands less with temperature?
Stainless 316 expands less: 16.5 µm/m·K against 65 µm/m·K for FDM Polycarbonate.