Materials / Compare
Plastic PLA vs. DMLS Ti-6Al-4V ELI Titanium
Compare Plastic PLA vs. DMLS Ti-6Al-4V ELI 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 | 52.5MPasourcetypical | 1,100MPasourcetypical, as built, average of horizontal + vertical (M400) |
| Ultimate tensile strength | 52.5MPasourcetypical, peak stress (= stress at yield) | 1,270MPasourcetypical, as built, average of horizontal + vertical (M400) |
| Flexural strength | 96.8MPasourcetypical | not sourced |
| Elongation at break | 7.8%sourcetypical | 8.7%sourcetypical at break, as built (M400) |
| Young's modulus (stiffness) | 3.25GPasourcetypical | 110GPasourcesame maker and process, sibling grade: EOS Titanium Ti64 (Grade 5) on EOS M 290, as built, XY and Z, typical |
| Density | 1,240kg/m³sourcetypical | 4,400kg/m³sourcetypical part density (ISO 3369), M400 |
| Strength to weight | 42.3kN·m/kg | 250kN·m/kg5.9x higher |
| Stiffness to weight | 2.62MN·m/kg | 25MN·m/kg9.54x higher |
| Poisson's ratio | not sourced | 0.342sourcewrought TIMETAL 6-4 (TIMET measurement, mean of 10); composition-level, not DMLS-measured |
| Shear modulus | not sourced | 41GPa |
| Bulk modulus | not sourced | 116GPa |
| Speed of sound | 1,619m/s | 5,000m/s |
| Thermal | ||
| Thermal conductivity | 0.13W/m·Ksourcebase material: NatureWorks Ingeo biopolymer, amorphous sheet, 25 °C | 6.6W/m·Ksourcebase material: wrought Ti-6Al-4V / 6-4 ELI (TIMET datasheet), 20 °C |
| Thermal expansion | not sourced | 9µm/m·Ksourcemean 25-100 °C, ASTM E228; EOS Ti64 Grade 23 (=ELI) on EOS M 290 40 µm; condition not stated (sheet's mechanical data are heat treated) |
| 100 mm part over a 50 °C swing | not sourced | 45µm growth |
| Specific heat | 1,200J/kg·Ksourcebase material: NatureWorks Ingeo biopolymer, amorphous sheet, 25 °C | 580J/kg·Ksourcebase material: wrought Ti-6Al-4V / 6-4 ELI (TIMET datasheet), 20 °C |
| Heats up and cools (diffusivity) | 0.0874mm²/s | 2.59mm²/s29.6x faster |
| Thermal shock resistance | not sourced | 4,825W/m |
| Melting point | 152°Csourcetypical | 1,630–1,650°Csourcemelting range, wrought TIMETAL 6-4 (composition-level) |
| 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. | EOS Titanium Ti64ELI (powder 9011-0040; ASTM F136/F3001, i.e. Grade 23) on EOS M400 SF, parameter set Ti64ELI_030_FlexM400_100, 30 µm, as built; ISO 6892-1 A14 |
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 and DMLS Ti-6Al-4V ELI Titanium are 3D printed: their properties depend on build direction and print settings; these are typical values.
Questions
Is Plastic PLA stronger than DMLS Ti-6Al-4V ELI Titanium?
DMLS Ti-6Al-4V ELI Titanium is stronger: its yield strength is 1,100 MPa against 52.5 MPa for Plastic PLA (21x).
Which is lighter, Plastic PLA or DMLS Ti-6Al-4V ELI Titanium?
Plastic PLA is lighter: 1,240 kg/m³ against 4,400 kg/m³ for DMLS Ti-6Al-4V ELI Titanium.
Which is stiffer, Plastic PLA or DMLS Ti-6Al-4V ELI Titanium?
DMLS Ti-6Al-4V ELI Titanium is stiffer: Young's modulus 110 GPa against 3.25 GPa for Plastic PLA, so the same part in DMLS Ti-6Al-4V ELI Titanium deflects less under the same load.
Which is lighter for the same job, Plastic PLA or DMLS Ti-6Al-4V ELI Titanium?
For the same stiffness or strength: Plastic PLA is lighter for a stiff panel or plate; DMLS Ti-6Al-4V ELI Titanium is lighter for a stiff rod or tie (tension), stiff beam (bending), strong rod or tie, strong beam, strong panel or plate.
| Part that must be | Plastic PLA | DMLS Ti-6Al-4V ELI Titanium |
|---|---|---|
| Stiff rod or tie (tension) | 9.54x heavier | lighter |
| Stiff beam (bending) | 1.64x heavier | lighter |
| Stiff panel or plate | lighter | 10% heavier |
| Strong rod or tie | 5.9x heavier | lighter |
| Strong beam | 2.14x heavier | lighter |
| Strong panel or plate | 29% 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 PLA or DMLS Ti-6Al-4V ELI Titanium?
DMLS Ti-6Al-4V ELI Titanium conducts heat better: 6.6 W/m·K against 0.13 W/m·K for Plastic PLA.
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