Materials / Compare
Plastic PLA vs. Stainless 304
Compare Plastic PLA 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 | 52.5MPasourcetypical | 241MPasourcetypical, annealed, 70 °F (21 °C) |
| Ultimate tensile strength | 52.5MPasourcetypical, peak stress (= stress at yield) | 586MPasourcetypical, annealed, 70 °F (21 °C) |
| Flexural strength | 96.8MPasourcetypical | not sourced |
| Elongation at break | 7.8%sourcetypical | 55%sourcetypical, annealed, in 2 in. (50.8 mm) |
| Young's modulus (stiffness) | 3.25GPasourcetypical | 193GPasourcetypical, in tension |
| Density | 1,240kg/m³sourcetypical6.48x lighter | 8,030kg/m³sourcetypical |
| Strength to weight | 42.3kN·m/kg41% higher | 30kN·m/kg |
| Stiffness to weight | 2.62MN·m/kg | 24MN·m/kg9.17x higher |
| Poisson's ratio | not sourced | 0.3sourcedesign value (structural stainless steels) |
| Shear modulus | not sourced | 74.2GPa |
| Bulk modulus | not sourced | 161GPa |
| Speed of sound | 1,619m/s | 4,903m/s |
| Thermal | ||
| Thermal conductivity | 0.13W/m·Ksourcebase material: NatureWorks Ingeo biopolymer, amorphous sheet, 25 °C | 16.2W/m·Ksourceat 100 °C |
| Thermal expansion | not sourced | 16.9µm/m·Ksourcemean, 0–100 °C |
| 100 mm part over a 50 °C swing | not sourced | 84.5µm growth |
| Specific heat | 1,200J/kg·Ksourcebase material: NatureWorks Ingeo biopolymer, amorphous sheet, 25 °C | 500J/kg·Ksourcemean, 0–100 °C |
| Heats up and cools (diffusivity) | 0.0874mm²/s | 4.03mm²/s46.2x faster |
| Thermal shock resistance | not sourced | 838W/m |
| Melting point | 152°Csourcetypical | 1,399–1,454°Csourcemelting range |
| Glass transition | 59.1°Csourcetypical | not sourced |
| Max service temperature | 58.8°CsourceHDT 0.455 MPa (printed specimens) | 899°Csourcecontinuous, oxidation (scaling) limit in air |
| 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. | 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 PLA is 3D printed: its properties depend on build direction and print settings; these are typical values.
Questions
Is Plastic PLA stronger than Stainless 304?
Stainless 304 is stronger: its yield strength is 241 MPa against 52.5 MPa for Plastic PLA (4.59x).
Which is lighter, Plastic PLA or Stainless 304?
Plastic PLA is lighter: 1,240 kg/m³ against 8,030 kg/m³ for Stainless 304.
Which is stiffer, Plastic PLA or Stainless 304?
Stainless 304 is stiffer: Young's modulus 193 GPa against 3.25 GPa for Plastic PLA, so the same part in Stainless 304 deflects less under the same load.
Which is lighter for the same job, Plastic PLA or Stainless 304?
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 304 is lighter for a stiff rod or tie (tension), stiff beam (bending).
| Part that must be | Plastic PLA | Stainless 304 |
|---|---|---|
| Stiff rod or tie (tension) | 9.17x heavier | lighter |
| Stiff beam (bending) | 19% heavier | lighter |
| Stiff panel or plate | lighter | 1.66x heavier |
| Strong rod or tie | lighter | 41% heavier |
| Strong beam | lighter | 2.34x heavier |
| Strong panel or plate | lighter | 3.02x 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 304?
Stainless 304 conducts heat better: 16.2 W/m·K against 0.13 W/m·K for Plastic PLA.