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PCB Board FR-4, 2 copper planes vs. Plastic PLA Compare PCB Board FR-4, 2 copper planes vs. Plastic PLA strength, stiffness, weight and thermal properties.
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Plastic PLA Plastic PETG Plastic ABS Plastic TPU Plastic Nylon Plastic ABS (bulk/injection) Plastic Polycarbonate Plastic POM/Acetal Plastic Nylon PA6 Plastic Nylon PA66 Plastic PEEK Plastic PTFE Plastic UHMWPE Plastic HDPE Plastic Polypropylene Plastic PMMA Plastic PBT GF30 Plastic PPS GF40 Plastic LCP GF30 Rubber Wood Aluminum Aluminum 6061-T6 Aluminum 7075-T6 Aluminum 2024-T351 Aluminum 5052-H32 Aluminum 7050-T7451 Aluminum A380 Aluminum 6063-T6 Aluminum 1100-O Aluminum ADC12 Steel Steel AISI 1018 Steel AISI 1045 Steel AISI 4340 Steel A992 Iron Titanium Titanium Ti-6Al-4V Stainless Steel 304 Stainless Steel 316 Stainless Steel 303 Stainless Steel 17-4PH Brass C360 Brass C260 Copper C110 Glass Nickel Inconel 718 Magnesium AZ31B-H24 Magnesium AZ91D Zinc Zamak 3 FDM ASA FDM Polycarbonate FDM PAHT-CF FDM HIPS SLA Resin Standard SLA Resin Tough 2000 SLA Resin Elastic 50A SLS PA12 Nylon DMLS AlSi10Mg Aluminum DMLS Ti-6Al-4V ELI Titanium DMLS 316L Stainless Steel DMLS 17-4PH Stainless Steel Concrete Brick Plywood Drywall PCB Laminate FR-4 PCB Board FR-4, 2 copper planes Silicon Ceramic Alumina 96% Ceramic Aluminum Nitride Solder SAC305 PCB Board FR-4, 2 copper planes Composite Plastic PLA Plastic PETG Plastic ABS Plastic TPU Plastic Nylon Plastic ABS (bulk/injection) Plastic Polycarbonate Plastic POM/Acetal Plastic Nylon PA6 Plastic Nylon PA66 Plastic PEEK Plastic PTFE Plastic UHMWPE Plastic HDPE Plastic Polypropylene Plastic PMMA Plastic PBT GF30 Plastic PPS GF40 Plastic LCP GF30 Rubber Wood Aluminum Aluminum 6061-T6 Aluminum 7075-T6 Aluminum 2024-T351 Aluminum 5052-H32 Aluminum 7050-T7451 Aluminum A380 Aluminum 6063-T6 Aluminum 1100-O Aluminum ADC12 Steel Steel AISI 1018 Steel AISI 1045 Steel AISI 4340 Steel A992 Iron Titanium Titanium Ti-6Al-4V Stainless Steel 304 Stainless Steel 316 Stainless Steel 303 Stainless Steel 17-4PH Brass C360 Brass C260 Copper C110 Glass Nickel Inconel 718 Magnesium AZ31B-H24 Magnesium AZ91D Zinc Zamak 3 FDM ASA FDM Polycarbonate FDM PAHT-CF FDM HIPS SLA Resin Standard SLA Resin Tough 2000 SLA Resin Elastic 50A SLS PA12 Nylon DMLS AlSi10Mg Aluminum DMLS Ti-6Al-4V ELI Titanium DMLS 316L Stainless Steel DMLS 17-4PH Stainless Steel Concrete Brick Plywood Drywall PCB Laminate FR-4 PCB Board FR-4, 2 copper planes Silicon Ceramic Alumina 96% Ceramic Aluminum Nitride Solder SAC305 Plastic PLA 3D printed (FDM) Try it on a partA sample part to run stress or thermal on, free in your browser Open in LessCAD Open in LessCAD Mechanical Yield strength not given (tensile used) 52.5 MPa source typical Ultimate tensile strength 246–385 MPa source the bare laminate's (fr4-370hr), in-plane: cross direction .. length direction (ASTM D3039) 52.5 MPa source typical, peak stress (= stress at yield) Flexural strength not sourced 96.8 MPa source typical Elongation at break not sourced 7.8 % source typical Young's modulus (stiffness) 21.9–25.8 GPa source the bare laminate's (fr4-370hr), in-plane: cross direction .. length direction (ASTM D790-15e2); the copper planes are left out 3.25 GPa source typical Density not sourced 1,240 kg/m³ source typical Strength to weight not sourced 42.3 kN·m/kg Stiffness to weight not sourced 2.62 MN·m/kg Poisson's ratio 0.171–0.177 source the bare laminate's (fr4-370hr), in-plane: cross direction .. length direction not sourced Shear modulus 10.2 GPa not sourced Bulk modulus 12.2 GPa not sourced Speed of sound not sourced 1,619 m/s Thermal Thermal conductivity not sourced 0.13 W/m·K source base material: NatureWorks Ingeo biopolymer, amorphous sheet, 25 °C Thermal expansion 13–14 µm/m·K source the bare laminate's (fr4-370hr), in-plane X/Y-axis, below Tg (IPC-TM-650 2.4.24C) not sourced 100 mm part over a 50 °C swing 67.5 µm growth not sourced Specific heat not sourced 1,200 J/kg·K source base material: NatureWorks Ingeo biopolymer, amorphous sheet, 25 °C Heats up and cools (diffusivity) not sourced 0.0874 mm²/s Thermal shock resistance not sourced not sourced Melting point not sourced 152 °C source typical Glass transition not sourced 59.1 °C source typical Max service temperature not sourced 58.8 °C source HDT 0.455 MPa (printed specimens) Values for A whole circuit board read as one orthotropic plate: the JEDEC high-K thermal test board (JESD51-7, "2s2p"), 0.062 in (1.575 mm) thick with two internal solid copper planes 0.0014 in (1 oz) thick, as Texas Instruments SZZA017A Table 1 gives it. Copper C110 and the Isola 370HR laminate from this library; the layers conduct in parallel along the board and in series through it (boardStackup.ts). Its two 0.0028 in trace layers cover little of the board and are left out; vias are ignored. Mechanical values are the bare laminate's. Ultimaker PLA, 3D-printed specimens, XY (flat) orientation; 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 dated April 20, 2022.
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 PLA is 3D printed: its properties depend on build direction and print settings; these are typical values.
Questions Is PCB Board FR-4, 2 copper planes stronger than Plastic PLA? PCB Board FR-4, 2 copper planes is stronger: its tensile strength is 315 MPa against yield strength 52.5 MPa for Plastic PLA (6.01x).
Which is stiffer, PCB Board FR-4, 2 copper planes or Plastic PLA? PCB Board FR-4, 2 copper planes is stiffer: Young's modulus 23.9 GPa against 3.25 GPa for Plastic PLA, so the same part in PCB Board FR-4, 2 copper planes deflects less under the same load.
Among 73 materials 1k 10k 0.1 1 10 100 Density (kg/m³) Young's modulus (GPa) Plastic PETG Plastic ABS Plastic TPU Plastic Nylon Aluminum Steel Iron Titanium Steel AISI 1018 Stainless Steel 304 Stainless Steel 316 Aluminum 6061-T6 Aluminum 7075-T6 Brass C360 Copper C110 Glass Steel AISI 1045 Steel AISI 4340 Steel A992 Stainless Steel 303 Stainless Steel 17-4PH Aluminum 2024-T351 Aluminum 5052-H32 Aluminum 7050-T7451 Titanium Ti-6Al-4V Brass C260 Nickel Inconel 718 Magnesium AZ31B-H24 Zinc Zamak 3 Plastic ABS (bulk/injection) Plastic Polycarbonate Plastic POM/Acetal Plastic Nylon PA6 Plastic Nylon PA66 Plastic PEEK Plastic UHMWPE Plastic HDPE Plastic Polypropylene Plastic PMMA FDM ASA FDM Polycarbonate FDM PAHT-CF FDM HIPS SLA Resin Tough 2000 SLS PA12 Nylon DMLS AlSi10Mg Aluminum DMLS Ti-6Al-4V ELI Titanium DMLS 316L Stainless Steel DMLS 17-4PH Stainless Steel PCB Laminate FR-4 Silicon Ceramic Alumina 96% Ceramic Aluminum Nitride Aluminum A380 Aluminum 6063-T6 Aluminum 1100-O Aluminum ADC12 Magnesium AZ91D Solder SAC305 Plastic PBT GF30 Plastic PPS GF40 Plastic LCP GF30 Plastic PLA Stiffness against density 1k 10k 10 100 1k Density (kg/m³) Yield strength (MPa) Plastic PETG Plastic ABS Plastic TPU Plastic Nylon Rubber Aluminum Steel Iron Titanium Steel AISI 1018 Stainless Steel 304 Stainless Steel 316 Aluminum 6061-T6 Aluminum 7075-T6 Brass C360 Copper C110 Glass Steel AISI 1045 Steel AISI 4340 Steel A992 Stainless Steel 303 Stainless Steel 17-4PH Aluminum 2024-T351 Aluminum 5052-H32 Aluminum 7050-T7451 Titanium Ti-6Al-4V Brass C260 Nickel Inconel 718 Magnesium AZ31B-H24 Zinc Zamak 3 Plastic ABS (bulk/injection) Plastic Polycarbonate Plastic POM/Acetal Plastic Nylon PA6 Plastic Nylon PA66 Plastic PEEK Plastic PTFE Plastic UHMWPE Plastic HDPE Plastic Polypropylene Plastic PMMA FDM ASA FDM Polycarbonate FDM PAHT-CF FDM HIPS SLA Resin Tough 2000 SLA Resin Elastic 50A SLS PA12 Nylon DMLS AlSi10Mg Aluminum DMLS Ti-6Al-4V ELI Titanium DMLS 316L Stainless Steel DMLS 17-4PH Stainless Steel Brick PCB Laminate FR-4 Silicon Ceramic Alumina 96% Aluminum A380 Aluminum 6063-T6 Aluminum 1100-O Aluminum ADC12 Magnesium AZ91D Solder SAC305 Plastic PBT GF30 Plastic PPS GF40 Plastic LCP GF30 Plastic PLA Strength against density