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Plastic HDPE vs. Plastic Nylon PA6 Compare Plastic HDPE vs. Plastic Nylon PA6 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 HDPE Bulk polymer (molded or machined) 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 Nylon PA6 Bulk polymer (molded or machined) 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 24 MPa source typical, tensile stress at yield 23 °C, 50 mm/min ISO 527 90 MPa source typical, dry Ultimate tensile strength not sourced not sourced Elongation at break not sourced 10 % source nominal strain at break, dry Young's modulus (stiffness) 0.9 GPa source typical, tensile modulus 23 °C ISO 527 3.5 GPa source typical, dry Density 950 kg/m³ source typical, ISO 1183 1,130 kg/m³ source typical Strength to weight 25.3 kN·m/kg 79.6 kN·m/kg 3.15x higher Stiffness to weight 0.947 MN·m/kg 3.1 MN·m/kg 3.27x higher Poisson's ratio 0.4–0.45 source base material: high-density polyethylene family (INEOS Olefins & Polymers USA, Typical Engineering Properties of HDPE) 0.4 source base material: unfilled polyamide (PA), conditioned, maker design-guide family value (Covestro Table 3-1) Shear modulus 0.316 GPa 1.25 GPa 3.96x stiffer in shear Bulk modulus 2 GPa 5.83 GPa Speed of sound 973 m/s 1,760 m/s Thermal Thermal conductivity 0.4–0.49 W/m·K source base material: high-density polyethylene family (INEOS Olefins & Polymers USA, Typical Engineering Properties of HDPE) 0.33 W/m·K source typical Thermal expansion 120 µm/m·K source base material: high-density polyethylene family (INEOS Olefins & Polymers USA, Typical Engineering Properties of HDPE) 102 µm/m·K source longitudinal, 23-55 °C 100 mm part over a 50 °C swing 600 µm growth 510 µm growth 18% less Specific heat 2,250 J/kg·K source base material: high-density polyethylene family (INEOS Olefins & Polymers USA, Typical Engineering Properties of HDPE) 1,700 J/kg·K source typical Heats up and cools (diffusivity) 0.208 mm²/s 21% faster 0.172 mm²/s Thermal shock resistance 56.9 W/m 14% more resistant 49.9 W/m Melting point not sourced 220 °C source DSC Max service temperature not sourced 87 °C source IEC 60216 temperature index, 20000 h Values for LyondellBasell Hostalen 23050 B high density polyethylene, typical ISO values BASF Ultramid B3S (PA6, unreinforced injection-moulding grade), Product Information 02/2026, dry values (ISO methods)
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.
Questions Is Plastic HDPE stronger than Plastic Nylon PA6? Plastic Nylon PA6 is stronger: its yield strength is 90 MPa against 24 MPa for Plastic HDPE (3.75x).
Which is lighter, Plastic HDPE or Plastic Nylon PA6? Plastic HDPE is lighter: 950 kg/m³ against 1,130 kg/m³ for Plastic Nylon PA6.
Which is stiffer, Plastic HDPE or Plastic Nylon PA6? Plastic Nylon PA6 is stiffer: Young's modulus 3.5 GPa against 0.9 GPa for Plastic HDPE, so the same part in Plastic Nylon PA6 deflects less under the same load.
Which is lighter for the same job, Plastic HDPE or Plastic Nylon PA6? For the same stiffness or strength: Plastic Nylon PA6 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 HDPE Plastic Nylon PA6 Stiff rod or tie (tension) 3.27x heavier lighter Stiff beam (bending) 1.66x heavier lighter Stiff panel or plate 32% heavier lighter Strong rod or tie 3.15x heavier lighter Strong beam 2.03x heavier lighter Strong panel or plate 1.63x 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 HDPE or Plastic Nylon PA6? Plastic HDPE conducts heat better: 0.445 W/m·K against 0.33 W/m·K for Plastic Nylon PA6.
Which expands less with temperature? Plastic Nylon PA6 expands less: 102 µm/m·K against 120 µm/m·K for Plastic HDPE.
Among 72 materials 1k 10k 0.1 1 10 100 Density (kg/m³) Young's modulus (GPa) Plastic PLA Plastic PETG Plastic ABS 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 AISI 4340 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 PA66 Plastic PEEK Plastic UHMWPE 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 HDPE Plastic Nylon PA6 Stiffness against density 1k 10k 10 100 1k Density (kg/m³) Yield strength (MPa) Plastic PLA Plastic PETG Plastic ABS 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 AISI 4340 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 PA66 Plastic PEEK Plastic PTFE Plastic UHMWPE 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 HDPE Plastic Nylon PA6 Strength against density