Materials / Compare
Plastic TPU vs. Stainless Steel 17-4PH
Compare Plastic TPU vs. Stainless Steel 17-4PH 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 | not given (tensile used) | 1,275MPasourcetypical, transverse, sheet/strip |
| Ultimate tensile strength | 23.7MPasourcetypical, stress at break | 1,379MPasourcetypical, transverse, sheet/strip |
| Flexural strength | 4.1MPasourcetypical | not sourced |
| Elongation at break | not sourced | 9%sourcetypical, transverse, in 2 in. (50.8 mm) |
| Young's modulus (stiffness) | 0.067GPasourcetypical | 197GPasourceH 900 |
| Density | 1,220kg/m³sourcetypical | 7,800kg/m³sourceH 900 |
| Strength to weight | 19.4kN·m/kg | 163kN·m/kg8.41x higher |
| Stiffness to weight | 0.0549MN·m/kg | 25.3MN·m/kg460x higher |
| Poisson's ratio | not sourced | 0.272sourceH 900 (column) |
| Shear modulus | not sourced | 77.4GPa |
| Bulk modulus | not sourced | 144GPa |
| Speed of sound | 234m/s | 5,026m/s |
| Thermal | ||
| Thermal conductivity | not sourced | 17.9W/m·Ksourceat 149 °C (300 °F), H 900 |
| Thermal expansion | not sourced | 10.8µm/m·Ksourcemean, 21–93 °C (70–200 °F), H 900 |
| 100 mm part over a 50 °C swing | not sourced | 54µm growth |
| Specific heat | not sourced | 460J/kg·Ksourcemean, 0–100 °C, H 900 |
| Heats up and cools (diffusivity) | not sourced | 4.99mm²/s |
| Thermal shock resistance | not sourced | 7,809W/m |
| Melting point | 217°Csourcetypical | not sourced |
| Max service temperature | 50.3°CsourceHDT 0.455 MPa (printed specimens) | 316°Csourcestrength-retention limit (not oxidation) |
| Values for | 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. | Cleveland-Cliffs 17-4 PH, Condition H 900, sheet/strip, transverse (Product Data Bulletin, May 2021) |
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 TPU is 3D printed: its properties depend on build direction and print settings; these are typical values.
Questions
Is Plastic TPU stronger than Stainless Steel 17-4PH?
Stainless Steel 17-4PH is stronger: its yield strength is 1,275 MPa against tensile strength 23.7 MPa for Plastic TPU (53.8x).
Which is lighter, Plastic TPU or Stainless Steel 17-4PH?
Plastic TPU is lighter: 1,220 kg/m³ against 7,800 kg/m³ for Stainless Steel 17-4PH.
Which is stiffer, Plastic TPU or Stainless Steel 17-4PH?
Stainless Steel 17-4PH is stiffer: Young's modulus 197 GPa against 0.067 GPa for Plastic TPU, so the same part in Stainless Steel 17-4PH deflects less under the same load.
Which is lighter for the same job, Plastic TPU or Stainless Steel 17-4PH?
For the same stiffness or strength: Stainless Steel 17-4PH 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 TPU | Stainless Steel 17-4PH |
|---|---|---|
| Stiff rod or tie (tension) | 460x heavier | lighter |
| Stiff beam (bending) | 8.48x heavier | lighter |
| Stiff panel or plate | 2.24x heavier | lighter |
| Strong rod or tie | 8.41x heavier | lighter |
| Strong beam | 2.23x heavier | lighter |
| Strong panel or plate | 15% 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).