Materials / Compare
Plastic PLA vs. Stainless 303
Compare Plastic PLA 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 | 52.5MPasourcetypical | 275MPasourceOutokumpu typical (product P = hot rolled plate, transverse) |
| Ultimate tensile strength | 52.5MPasourcetypical, peak stress (= stress at yield) | 585MPasourceOutokumpu typical |
| Flexural strength | 96.8MPasourcetypical | not sourced |
| Elongation at break | 7.8%sourcetypical | 35%sourceOutokumpu typical, A5 |
| Young's modulus (stiffness) | 3.25GPasourcetypical | 200GPasourceat RT (Table 12) |
| Density | 1,240kg/m³sourcetypical | 7,900kg/m³sourceat RT |
| Strength to weight | 42.3kN·m/kg22% higher | 34.8kN·m/kg |
| Stiffness to weight | 2.62MN·m/kg | 25.3MN·m/kg9.66x higher |
| Poisson's ratio | not sourced | 0.3sourcedesign value (structural stainless steels) |
| Shear modulus | not sourced | 76.9GPa |
| Bulk modulus | not sourced | 167GPa |
| Speed of sound | 1,619m/s | 5,032m/s |
| Thermal | ||
| Thermal conductivity | 0.13W/m·Ksourcebase material: NatureWorks Ingeo biopolymer, amorphous sheet, 25 °C | 15W/m·Ksourceat RT |
| Thermal expansion | not sourced | 16µm/m·Ksourcemean, 20–100 °C |
| 100 mm part over a 50 °C swing | not sourced | 80µm growth |
| Specific heat | 1,200J/kg·Ksourcebase material: NatureWorks Ingeo biopolymer, amorphous sheet, 25 °C | 500J/kg·Ksourceat RT |
| Heats up and cools (diffusivity) | 0.0874mm²/s | 3.8mm²/s43.5x faster |
| Thermal shock resistance | not sourced | 902W/m |
| Melting point | 152°Csourcetypical | not sourced |
| Glass transition | 59.1°Csourcetypical | not sourced |
| Max service temperature | 58.8°CsourceHDT 0.455 MPa (printed specimens) | 871°Csourcecontinuous, scaling limit |
| Values for | 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. | 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 PLA is 3D printed: its properties depend on build direction and print settings; these are typical values.
Questions
Is Plastic PLA stronger than Stainless 303?
Stainless 303 is stronger: its yield strength is 275 MPa against 52.5 MPa for Plastic PLA (5.24x).
Which is lighter, Plastic PLA or Stainless 303?
Plastic PLA is lighter: 1,240 kg/m³ against 7,900 kg/m³ for Stainless 303.
Which is stiffer, Plastic PLA or Stainless 303?
Stainless 303 is stiffer: Young's modulus 200 GPa against 3.25 GPa for Plastic PLA, so the same part in Stainless 303 deflects less under the same load.
Which is lighter for the same job, Plastic PLA or Stainless 303?
For the same stiffness or strength: Plastic PLA 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 PLA | Stainless 303 |
|---|---|---|
| Stiff rod or tie (tension) | 9.66x heavier | lighter |
| Stiff beam (bending) | 23% heavier | lighter |
| Stiff panel or plate | lighter | 1.61x heavier |
| Strong rod or tie | lighter | 22% heavier |
| Strong beam | lighter | 2.11x heavier |
| Strong panel or plate | lighter | 2.78x 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 PLA or Stainless 303?
Stainless 303 conducts heat better: 15 W/m·K against 0.13 W/m·K for Plastic PLA.