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Plastic ABS vs. Steel AISI 4340 Compare Plastic ABS vs. Steel AISI 4340 strength, stiffness, weight and thermal properties.
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Plastic PLA Plastic PETG Plastic ABS Plastic TPU Plastic Nylon Plastic ABS (bulk/injection) Plastic Polycarbonate Plastic POM/Acetal Plastic Nylon PA6 Plastic Nylon PA66 Plastic PEEK Plastic PTFE Plastic UHMWPE Plastic HDPE Plastic Polypropylene Plastic PMMA Plastic PBT GF30 Plastic PPS GF40 Plastic LCP GF30 Rubber Wood Aluminum Aluminum 6061-T6 Aluminum 7075-T6 Aluminum 2024-T351 Aluminum 5052-H32 Aluminum 7050-T7451 Aluminum A380 Aluminum 6063-T6 Aluminum 1100-O Aluminum ADC12 Steel Steel AISI 1018 Steel AISI 1045 Steel AISI 4340 Steel A992 Iron Titanium Titanium Ti-6Al-4V Stainless Steel 304 Stainless Steel 316 Stainless Steel 303 Stainless Steel 17-4PH Brass C360 Brass C260 Copper C110 Glass Nickel Inconel 718 Magnesium AZ31B-H24 Magnesium AZ91D Zinc Zamak 3 FDM ASA FDM Polycarbonate FDM PAHT-CF FDM HIPS SLA Resin Standard SLA Resin Tough 2000 SLA Resin Elastic 50A SLS PA12 Nylon DMLS AlSi10Mg Aluminum DMLS Ti-6Al-4V ELI Titanium DMLS 316L Stainless Steel DMLS 17-4PH Stainless Steel Concrete Brick Plywood Drywall PCB Laminate FR-4 Silicon Ceramic Alumina 96% Ceramic Aluminum Nitride Solder SAC305 Plastic ABS 3D printed (FDM) Plastic PLA Plastic PETG Plastic ABS Plastic TPU Plastic Nylon Plastic ABS (bulk/injection) Plastic Polycarbonate Plastic POM/Acetal Plastic Nylon PA6 Plastic Nylon PA66 Plastic PEEK Plastic PTFE Plastic UHMWPE Plastic HDPE Plastic Polypropylene Plastic PMMA Plastic PBT GF30 Plastic PPS GF40 Plastic LCP GF30 Rubber Wood Aluminum Aluminum 6061-T6 Aluminum 7075-T6 Aluminum 2024-T351 Aluminum 5052-H32 Aluminum 7050-T7451 Aluminum A380 Aluminum 6063-T6 Aluminum 1100-O Aluminum ADC12 Steel Steel AISI 1018 Steel AISI 1045 Steel AISI 4340 Steel A992 Iron Titanium Titanium Ti-6Al-4V Stainless Steel 304 Stainless Steel 316 Stainless Steel 303 Stainless Steel 17-4PH Brass C360 Brass C260 Copper C110 Glass Nickel Inconel 718 Magnesium AZ31B-H24 Magnesium AZ91D Zinc Zamak 3 FDM ASA FDM Polycarbonate FDM PAHT-CF FDM HIPS SLA Resin Standard SLA Resin Tough 2000 SLA Resin Elastic 50A SLS PA12 Nylon DMLS AlSi10Mg Aluminum DMLS Ti-6Al-4V ELI Titanium DMLS 316L Stainless Steel DMLS 17-4PH Stainless Steel Concrete Brick Plywood Drywall PCB Laminate FR-4 Silicon Ceramic Alumina 96% Ceramic Aluminum Nitride Solder SAC305 Steel AISI 4340 Wrought 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 38.1 MPa source typical 1,035 MPa source typical, transverse Ultimate tensile strength 38.1 MPa source typical, peak stress (= stress at yield) 1,140 MPa source typical, transverse Flexural strength 61.1 MPa source typical not sourced Elongation at break 4.6 % source typical 18 % source typical, transverse Young's modulus (stiffness) 1.96 GPa source typical 200 GPa source MIL-HDBK-5J design value (AISI 4340, quenched and tempered) Density 1,100 kg/m³ source typical 7.13x lighter 7,840 kg/m³ source typical Strength to weight 34.6 kN·m/kg 132 kN·m/kg 3.81x higher Stiffness to weight 1.78 MN·m/kg 25.5 MN·m/kg 14.3x higher Poisson's ratio 0.39 source base material: ABS family typical (Covestro Part and Mold Design guide, Table 3-1) 0.32 source MIL-HDBK-5J design value (AISI 4340, quenched and tempered) Shear modulus 0.706 GPa 75.7 GPa 107x stiffer in shear Bulk modulus 2.97 GPa 185 GPa Speed of sound 1,336 m/s 5,049 m/s Thermal Thermal conductivity 0.17 W/m·K source base material: INEOS Styrolution Terluran GP-22 injection-molding ABS, typical 37.5 W/m·K source typical Thermal expansion 80–110 µm/m·K source base material: INEOS Styrolution Terluran GP-22 injection-molding ABS, range 11.3 µm/m·K source mean, -18 to 93 °C 100 mm part over a 50 °C swing 475 µm growth 56.5 µm growth 8.41x less Specific heat not sourced 448 J/kg·K source typical Heats up and cools (diffusivity) not sourced 10.7 mm²/s Thermal shock resistance 21.2 W/m 11,678 W/m 551x more resistant Glass transition 101 °C source typical not sourced Max service temperature 86.6 °C source HDT 0.455 MPa (printed specimens) not sourced Values for Ultimaker ABS, 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 v5.00, April 20, 2022. Carpenter (Latrobe) Lescalloy 4340 VAC-ARC datasheet; mechanical row for 1100 °F temper; physical properties grade-level
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 ABS is 3D printed: its properties depend on build direction and print settings; these are typical values.
Questions Is Plastic ABS stronger than Steel AISI 4340? Steel AISI 4340 is stronger: its yield strength is 1,035 MPa against 38.1 MPa for Plastic ABS (27.2x).
Which is lighter, Plastic ABS or Steel AISI 4340? Plastic ABS is lighter: 1,100 kg/m³ against 7,840 kg/m³ for Steel AISI 4340.
Which is stiffer, Plastic ABS or Steel AISI 4340? Steel AISI 4340 is stiffer: Young's modulus 200 GPa against 1.96 GPa for Plastic ABS, so the same part in Steel AISI 4340 deflects less under the same load.
Which is lighter for the same job, Plastic ABS or Steel AISI 4340? For the same stiffness or strength: Plastic ABS is lighter for a stiff panel or plate, strong panel or plate; Steel AISI 4340 is lighter for a stiff rod or tie (tension), stiff beam (bending), strong rod or tie, strong beam.
Part that must be Plastic ABS Steel AISI 4340 Stiff rod or tie (tension) 14.3x heavier lighter Stiff beam (bending) 42% heavier lighter Stiff panel or plate lighter 1.53x heavier Strong rod or tie 3.81x heavier lighter Strong beam 27% heavier lighter Strong panel or plate lighter 37% 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 ABS or Steel AISI 4340? Steel AISI 4340 conducts heat better: 37.5 W/m·K against 0.17 W/m·K for Plastic ABS.
Which expands less with temperature? Steel AISI 4340 expands less: 11.3 µm/m·K against 95 µm/m·K for Plastic ABS.
Among 72 materials 1k 10k 0.1 1 10 100 Density (kg/m³) Young's modulus (GPa) Plastic PLA Plastic PETG Plastic TPU Plastic Nylon Aluminum Steel Iron Titanium Steel AISI 1018 Stainless Steel 304 Stainless Steel 316 Aluminum 6061-T6 Aluminum 7075-T6 Brass C360 Copper C110 Glass Steel AISI 1045 Steel A992 Stainless Steel 303 Stainless Steel 17-4PH Aluminum 2024-T351 Aluminum 5052-H32 Aluminum 7050-T7451 Titanium Ti-6Al-4V Brass C260 Nickel Inconel 718 Magnesium AZ31B-H24 Zinc Zamak 3 Plastic ABS (bulk/injection) Plastic Polycarbonate Plastic POM/Acetal Plastic Nylon PA6 Plastic Nylon PA66 Plastic PEEK Plastic UHMWPE Plastic HDPE Plastic Polypropylene Plastic PMMA FDM ASA FDM Polycarbonate FDM PAHT-CF FDM HIPS SLA Resin Tough 2000 SLS PA12 Nylon DMLS AlSi10Mg Aluminum DMLS Ti-6Al-4V ELI Titanium DMLS 316L Stainless Steel DMLS 17-4PH Stainless Steel PCB Laminate FR-4 Silicon Ceramic Alumina 96% Ceramic Aluminum Nitride Aluminum A380 Aluminum 6063-T6 Aluminum 1100-O Aluminum ADC12 Magnesium AZ91D Solder SAC305 Plastic PBT GF30 Plastic PPS GF40 Plastic LCP GF30 Plastic ABS Steel AISI 4340 Stiffness against density 1k 10k 10 100 1k Density (kg/m³) Yield strength (MPa) Plastic PLA Plastic PETG Plastic TPU Plastic Nylon Rubber Aluminum Steel Iron Titanium Steel AISI 1018 Stainless Steel 304 Stainless Steel 316 Aluminum 6061-T6 Aluminum 7075-T6 Brass C360 Copper C110 Glass Steel AISI 1045 Steel A992 Stainless Steel 303 Stainless Steel 17-4PH Aluminum 2024-T351 Aluminum 5052-H32 Aluminum 7050-T7451 Titanium Ti-6Al-4V Brass C260 Nickel Inconel 718 Magnesium AZ31B-H24 Zinc Zamak 3 Plastic ABS (bulk/injection) Plastic Polycarbonate Plastic POM/Acetal Plastic Nylon PA6 Plastic Nylon PA66 Plastic PEEK Plastic PTFE Plastic UHMWPE Plastic HDPE Plastic Polypropylene Plastic PMMA FDM ASA FDM Polycarbonate FDM PAHT-CF FDM HIPS SLA Resin Tough 2000 SLA Resin Elastic 50A SLS PA12 Nylon DMLS AlSi10Mg Aluminum DMLS Ti-6Al-4V ELI Titanium DMLS 316L Stainless Steel DMLS 17-4PH Stainless Steel Brick PCB Laminate FR-4 Silicon Ceramic Alumina 96% Aluminum A380 Aluminum 6063-T6 Aluminum 1100-O Aluminum ADC12 Magnesium AZ91D Solder SAC305 Plastic PBT GF30 Plastic PPS GF40 Plastic LCP GF30 Plastic ABS Steel AISI 4340 Strength against density