Materials / Compare
Plastic TPU vs. Titanium Ti-6Al-4V
Compare Plastic TPU vs. Titanium Ti-6Al-4V 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) | 885MPasourcetypical, plate (>0.187 in), annealed, 0.2% offset |
| Ultimate tensile strength | 23.7MPasourcetypical, stress at break | 940MPasourcetypical, plate, annealed |
| Flexural strength | 4.1MPasourcetypical | not sourced |
| Elongation at break | not sourced | 16%sourcetypical, in 2 in., plate annealed |
| Young's modulus (stiffness) | 0.067GPasourcetypical | 107–122GPasourcetypical range, 20 °C |
| Density | 1,220kg/m³sourcetypical | 4,430kg/m³sourcenominal |
| Strength to weight | 19.4kN·m/kg | 200kN·m/kg10.3x higher |
| Stiffness to weight | 0.0549MN·m/kg | 25.8MN·m/kg471x higher |
| Poisson's ratio | not sourced | 0.342sourcemean of TIMET measurements |
| Shear modulus | not sourced | 42.7GPa |
| Bulk modulus | not sourced | 121GPa |
| Speed of sound | 234m/s | 5,084m/s |
| Thermal | ||
| Thermal conductivity | not sourced | 6.6W/m·Ksourcetypical, 20 °C, mill annealed |
| Thermal expansion | not sourced | 9µm/m·Ksourcetypical, mean 0-100 °C |
| 100 mm part over a 50 °C swing | not sourced | 45µm growth |
| Specific heat | not sourced | 580J/kg·Ksourcetypical, 20 °C |
| Heats up and cools (diffusivity) | not sourced | 2.57mm²/s |
| Thermal shock resistance | not sourced | 3,730W/m |
| Melting point | 217°Csourcetypical | 1,630–1,650°Csourcemelting range |
| Max service temperature | 50.3°CsourceHDT 0.455 MPa (printed specimens) | 400°Csourceupper recommended use temperature |
| 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. | TIMETAL 6-4 (Ti-6Al-4V Grade 5) annealed plate typical (TIMET properties manual) + TIMET datasheet TMC-0150 physical properties |
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 Titanium Ti-6Al-4V?
Titanium Ti-6Al-4V is stronger: its yield strength is 885 MPa against tensile strength 23.7 MPa for Plastic TPU (37.3x).
Which is lighter, Plastic TPU or Titanium Ti-6Al-4V?
Plastic TPU is lighter: 1,220 kg/m³ against 4,430 kg/m³ for Titanium Ti-6Al-4V.
Which is stiffer, Plastic TPU or Titanium Ti-6Al-4V?
Titanium Ti-6Al-4V is stiffer: Young's modulus 115 GPa against 0.067 GPa for Plastic TPU, so the same part in Titanium Ti-6Al-4V deflects less under the same load.
Which is lighter for the same job, Plastic TPU or Titanium Ti-6Al-4V?
For the same stiffness or strength: Titanium Ti-6Al-4V 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 | Titanium Ti-6Al-4V |
|---|---|---|
| Stiff rod or tie (tension) | 471x heavier | lighter |
| Stiff beam (bending) | 11.4x heavier | lighter |
| Stiff panel or plate | 3.29x heavier | lighter |
| Strong rod or tie | 10.3x heavier | lighter |
| Strong beam | 3.08x heavier | lighter |
| Strong panel or plate | 1.68x 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).