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Plastic HDPE vs. Stainless Steel 316 Compare Plastic HDPE vs. Stainless Steel 316 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 Stainless Steel 316 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 24 MPa source typical, tensile stress at yield 23 °C, 50 mm/min ISO 527 265 MPa source typical (representative), annealed 1.0 mm sheet Ultimate tensile strength not sourced 583 MPa source typical (representative), annealed 1.0 mm sheet Elongation at break not sourced 61 % source typical (representative), annealed, in 2 in. (51 mm) Young's modulus (stiffness) 0.9 GPa source typical, tensile modulus 23 °C ISO 527 200 GPa source typical, in tension Density 950 kg/m³ source typical, ISO 1183 8,027 kg/m³ source typical Strength to weight 25.3 kN·m/kg 33 kN·m/kg 31% higher Stiffness to weight 0.947 MN·m/kg 24.9 MN·m/kg 26.3x higher Poisson's ratio 0.4–0.45 source base material: high-density polyethylene family (INEOS Olefins & Polymers USA, Typical Engineering Properties of HDPE) 0.3 source design value (structural stainless steels) Shear modulus 0.316 GPa 76.9 GPa 244x stiffer in shear Bulk modulus 2 GPa 167 GPa Speed of sound 973 m/s 4,992 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) 14.6 W/m·K source 20–100 °C Thermal expansion 120 µm/m·K source base material: high-density polyethylene family (INEOS Olefins & Polymers USA, Typical Engineering Properties of HDPE) 16.5 µm/m·K source mean, 20–100 °C 100 mm part over a 50 °C swing 600 µm growth 82.5 µm growth 7.27x less Specific heat 2,250 J/kg·K source base material: high-density polyethylene family (INEOS Olefins & Polymers USA, Typical Engineering Properties of HDPE) 450 J/kg·K source at 20 °C Heats up and cools (diffusivity) 0.208 mm²/s 4.04 mm²/s 19.4x faster Thermal shock resistance 56.9 W/m 821 W/m 14.4x more resistant Melting point not sourced 1,390–1,440 °C source melting range Max service temperature not sourced 871–899 °C source oxidation (scaling) limit in air Values for LyondellBasell Hostalen 23050 B high density polyethylene, typical ISO values ATI 316 (UNS S31600), annealed 1.0 mm sheet, ATI technical data sheet (2012); Poisson's ratio from the Nickel Institute/SCI structural stainless design manual
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 Stainless Steel 316? Stainless Steel 316 is stronger: its yield strength is 265 MPa against 24 MPa for Plastic HDPE (11x).
Which is lighter, Plastic HDPE or Stainless Steel 316? Plastic HDPE is lighter: 950 kg/m³ against 8,027 kg/m³ for Stainless Steel 316.
Which is stiffer, Plastic HDPE or Stainless Steel 316? Stainless Steel 316 is stiffer: Young's modulus 200 GPa against 0.9 GPa for Plastic HDPE, so the same part in Stainless Steel 316 deflects less under the same load.
Which is lighter for the same job, Plastic HDPE or Stainless Steel 316? For the same stiffness or strength: Plastic HDPE is lighter for a stiff panel or plate, strong beam, strong panel or plate; Stainless Steel 316 is lighter for a stiff rod or tie (tension), stiff beam (bending), strong rod or tie.
Part that must be Plastic HDPE Stainless Steel 316 Stiff rod or tie (tension) 26.3x heavier lighter Stiff beam (bending) 1.76x heavier lighter Stiff panel or plate lighter 39% heavier Strong rod or tie 31% heavier lighter Strong beam lighter 1.7x heavier Strong panel or plate lighter 2.54x 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 HDPE or Stainless Steel 316? Stainless Steel 316 conducts heat better: 14.6 W/m·K against 0.445 W/m·K for Plastic HDPE.
Which expands less with temperature? Stainless Steel 316 expands less: 16.5 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 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 PA6 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 Stainless Steel 316 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 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 PA6 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 Stainless Steel 316 Strength against density