Materials / Compare
Plastic PLA vs. Plastic TPU
Compare Plastic PLA vs. Plastic TPU 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 | not given (tensile used) |
| Ultimate tensile strength | 52.5MPasourcetypical, peak stress (= stress at yield) | 23.7MPasourcetypical, stress at break |
| Flexural strength | 96.8MPasourcetypical23.6x stronger in bending | 4.1MPasourcetypical |
| Elongation at break | 7.8%sourcetypical | not sourced |
| Young's modulus (stiffness) | 3.25GPasourcetypical48.5x stiffer | 0.067GPasourcetypical |
| Density | 1,240kg/m³sourcetypical | 1,220kg/m³sourcetypical |
| Strength to weight | 42.3kN·m/kg2.18x higher | 19.4kN·m/kg |
| Stiffness to weight | 2.62MN·m/kg47.7x higher | 0.0549MN·m/kg |
| Poisson's ratio | not sourced | not sourced |
| Shear modulus | not sourced | not sourced |
| Bulk modulus | not sourced | not sourced |
| Speed of sound | 1,619m/s | 234m/s |
| Thermal | ||
| Thermal conductivity | 0.13W/m·Ksourcebase material: NatureWorks Ingeo biopolymer, amorphous sheet, 25 °C | not sourced |
| Thermal expansion | not sourced | not sourced |
| 100 mm part over a 50 °C swing | not sourced | not sourced |
| Specific heat | 1,200J/kg·Ksourcebase material: NatureWorks Ingeo biopolymer, amorphous sheet, 25 °C | not sourced |
| Heats up and cools (diffusivity) | 0.0874mm²/s | not sourced |
| Thermal shock resistance | not sourced | not sourced |
| Melting point | 152°Csourcetypical | 217°Csourcetypical |
| Glass transition | 59.1°Csourcetypical | not sourced |
| Max service temperature | 58.8°CsourceHDT 0.455 MPa (printed specimens)17% hotter | 50.3°CsourceHDT 0.455 MPa (printed specimens) |
| 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. | Ultimaker TPU 95A, 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 (file v5.00), April 29, 2022. |
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 Plastic TPU are 3D printed: their properties depend on build direction and print settings; these are typical values.
Questions
Is Plastic PLA stronger than Plastic TPU?
Plastic PLA is stronger: its yield strength is 52.5 MPa against tensile strength 23.7 MPa for Plastic TPU (2.22x).
Which is lighter, Plastic PLA or Plastic TPU?
Plastic TPU is lighter: 1,220 kg/m³ against 1,240 kg/m³ for Plastic PLA.
Which is stiffer, Plastic PLA or Plastic TPU?
Plastic PLA is stiffer: Young's modulus 3.25 GPa against 0.067 GPa for Plastic TPU, so the same part in Plastic PLA deflects less under the same load.
Which is lighter for the same job, Plastic PLA or Plastic TPU?
For the same stiffness or strength: Plastic PLA 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 PLA | Plastic TPU |
|---|---|---|
| Stiff rod or tie (tension) | lighter | 47.7x heavier |
| Stiff beam (bending) | lighter | 6.85x heavier |
| Stiff panel or plate | lighter | 3.59x heavier |
| Strong rod or tie | lighter | 2.18x heavier |
| Strong beam | lighter | 1.67x heavier |
| Strong panel or plate | lighter | 46% 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 handles higher temperatures, Plastic PLA or Plastic TPU?
Plastic PLA does: 58.8 °C against 50.3 °C for Plastic TPU, both HDT 0.455 MPa (printed specimens).