Materials / Compare
Plastic PETG vs. Titanium
Compare Plastic PETG vs. Titanium 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 | 46.2MPasourcetypical | 885MPasourcetypical, plate (>0.187 in), annealed, 0.2% offset |
| Ultimate tensile strength | 46.2MPasourcetypical, peak stress (= stress at yield) | 940MPasourcetypical, plate, annealed |
| Flexural strength | 78.9MPasourcetypical | not sourced |
| Elongation at break | 7.6%sourcetypical | 16%sourcetypical, in 2 in., plate annealed |
| Young's modulus (stiffness) | 1.94GPasourcetypical | 107–122GPasourcetypical range, 20 °C |
| Density | 1,270kg/m³sourcetypical | 4,430kg/m³sourcenominal |
| Strength to weight | 36.4kN·m/kg | 200kN·m/kg5.49x higher |
| Stiffness to weight | 1.53MN·m/kg | 25.8MN·m/kg16.9x higher |
| Poisson's ratio | not sourced | 0.342sourcemean of TIMET measurements |
| Shear modulus | not sourced | 42.7GPa |
| Bulk modulus | not sourced | 121GPa |
| Speed of sound | 1,236m/s | 5,084m/s |
| Thermal | ||
| Thermal conductivity | 0.21W/m·Ksourcebase material: Eastman Eastar Copolyester 6763 (PETG), typical | 6.6W/m·Ksourcetypical, 20 °C, mill annealed |
| Thermal expansion | 51µm/m·Ksourcebase material: Eastman Eastar Copolyester 6763 (PETG), typical | 9µm/m·Ksourcetypical, mean 0-100 °C |
| 100 mm part over a 50 °C swing | 255µm growth | 45µm growth5.67x less |
| Specific heat | 1,300J/kg·Ksourcebase material: Eastman Eastar Copolyester 6763 (PETG), DSC at 60 °C (lowest temperature listed) | 580J/kg·Ksourcetypical, 20 °C |
| Heats up and cools (diffusivity) | 0.127mm²/s | 2.57mm²/s20.2x faster |
| Thermal shock resistance | not sourced | 3,730W/m |
| Melting point | not sourced | 1,630–1,650°Csourcemelting range |
| Glass transition | 77.4°Csourcetypical | not sourced |
| Max service temperature | 76.2°CsourceHDT 0.455 MPa (printed specimens) | 400°Csourceupper recommended use temperature |
| Values for | Ultimaker PETG, 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 v1.00, April 29, 2022. | TIMETAL 6-4 (Ti-6Al-4V Grade 5) annealed plate typical (TIMET properties manual) + TIMET datasheet TMC-0150 physical properties |
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 PETG is 3D printed: its properties depend on build direction and print settings; these are typical values.
Questions
Is Plastic PETG stronger than Titanium?
Titanium is stronger: its yield strength is 885 MPa against 46.2 MPa for Plastic PETG (19.2x).
Which is lighter, Plastic PETG or Titanium?
Plastic PETG is lighter: 1,270 kg/m³ against 4,430 kg/m³ for Titanium.
Which is stiffer, Plastic PETG or Titanium?
Titanium is stiffer: Young's modulus 115 GPa against 1.94 GPa for Plastic PETG, so the same part in Titanium deflects less under the same load.
Which is lighter for the same job, Plastic PETG or Titanium?
For the same stiffness or strength: Titanium 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 | Plastic PETG | Titanium |
|---|---|---|
| Stiff rod or tie (tension) | 16.9x heavier | lighter |
| Stiff beam (bending) | 2.2x heavier | lighter |
| Stiff panel or plate | 12% heavier | lighter |
| Strong rod or tie | 5.49x heavier | lighter |
| Strong beam | 2.05x heavier | lighter |
| Strong panel or plate | 25% heavier | lighter |
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 PETG or Titanium?
Titanium conducts heat better: 6.6 W/m·K against 0.21 W/m·K for Plastic PETG.
Which expands less with temperature?
Titanium expands less: 9 µm/m·K against 51 µm/m·K for Plastic PETG.