Materials / Compare
Plastic PLA vs. Steel AISI 1045
Compare Plastic PLA vs. Steel AISI 1045 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 | 531MPasourceproducer-stated, cold drawn |
| Ultimate tensile strength | 52.5MPasourcetypical, peak stress (= stress at yield) | 627MPasourceproducer-stated, cold drawn |
| Flexural strength | 96.8MPasourcetypical | not sourced |
| Elongation at break | 7.8%sourcetypical | 12%sourcein 2 in (50.8 mm) |
| Young's modulus (stiffness) | 3.25GPasourcetypical | 210GPasourcetypical64.6x stiffer |
| Density | 1,240kg/m³sourcetypical6.29x lighter | 7,800kg/m³sourcetypical |
| Strength to weight | 42.3kN·m/kg | 68.1kN·m/kg1.61x higher |
| Stiffness to weight | 2.62MN·m/kg | 26.9MN·m/kg10.3x higher |
| Poisson's ratio | not sourced | 0.3sourcetypical |
| Shear modulus | not sourced | 80.8GPa |
| Bulk modulus | not sourced | 175GPa |
| Speed of sound | 1,619m/s | 5,189m/s |
| Thermal | ||
| Thermal conductivity | 0.13W/m·Ksourcebase material: NatureWorks Ingeo biopolymer, amorphous sheet, 25 °C | 40–45W/m·Ksourcetypical range, ambient |
| Thermal expansion | not sourced | 12µm/m·Ksourcetypical, mean 20-300 °C |
| 100 mm part over a 50 °C swing | not sourced | 60µm growth |
| Specific heat | 1,200J/kg·Ksourcebase material: NatureWorks Ingeo biopolymer, amorphous sheet, 25 °C | 460–480J/kg·Ksourcetypical range, 50/100 °C |
| Heats up and cools (diffusivity) | 0.0874mm²/s | 11.6mm²/s133x faster |
| Thermal shock resistance | not sourced | 6,269W/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) | not sourced |
| 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. | AISI 1045 cold drawn bar (Niagara LaSalle) for mechanical; Ovako C45 (lists 'SAE 1045' as a similar designation) for physical constants |
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 Steel AISI 1045?
Steel AISI 1045 is stronger: its yield strength is 531 MPa against 52.5 MPa for Plastic PLA (10.1x).
Which is lighter, Plastic PLA or Steel AISI 1045?
Plastic PLA is lighter: 1,240 kg/m³ against 7,800 kg/m³ for Steel AISI 1045.
Which is stiffer, Plastic PLA or Steel AISI 1045?
Steel AISI 1045 is stiffer: Young's modulus 210 GPa against 3.25 GPa for Plastic PLA, so the same part in Steel AISI 1045 deflects less under the same load.
Which is lighter for the same job, Plastic PLA or Steel AISI 1045?
For the same stiffness or strength: Plastic PLA is lighter for a stiff panel or plate, strong beam, strong panel or plate; Steel AISI 1045 is lighter for a stiff rod or tie (tension), stiff beam (bending), strong rod or tie.
| Part that must be | Plastic PLA | Steel AISI 1045 |
|---|---|---|
| Stiff rod or tie (tension) | 10.3x heavier | lighter |
| Stiff beam (bending) | 28% heavier | lighter |
| Stiff panel or plate | lighter | 1.57x heavier |
| Strong rod or tie | 1.61x heavier | lighter |
| Strong beam | lighter | 34% heavier |
| Strong panel or plate | lighter | 1.98x 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 Steel AISI 1045?
Steel AISI 1045 conducts heat better: 42.5 W/m·K against 0.13 W/m·K for Plastic PLA.