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Plastic POM/Acetal vs. DMLS 17-4PH Stainless Steel

Compare Plastic POM/Acetal vs. DMLS 17-4PH Stainless Steel strength, stiffness, weight and thermal properties.

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Plastic POM/AcetalBulk polymer (molded or machined)
DMLS 17-4PH Stainless Steel3D printed metal (DMLS)
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Mechanical
Yield strength69MPasourcetypical (single ASTM D638 tensile strength)861MPasourcemean, as built, horizontal (N=72)
Ultimate tensile strength69MPasourcetypical886MPasourcemean, as built, horizontal (N=72)
Compressive strength124MPasourcecompressive stress at 10% deformationnot sourced
Flexural strength99MPasourceflexural yield strength, typicalnot sourced
Elongation at break75%sourcetypical19.9%sourcemean at break, as built, horizontal
Young's modulus (stiffness)2.8GPasourcetypical197GPasourcebase material: wrought 17-4 PH, Condition H 900 (Cleveland-Cliffs)
Density1,420kg/m³sourcetypical (DuPont product information for Delrin 100 NC010; 'The data listed here fall within the normal range of product properties')7,790kg/m³sourcemean part density (ISO 3369)
Strength to weight48.6kN·m/kg110kN·m/kg2.27x higher
Stiffness to weight1.97MN·m/kg25.3MN·m/kg12.8x higher
Poisson's ratio0.35sourcetypical0.272sourcebase material: wrought 17-4 PH, all conditions (Cleveland-Cliffs)
Shear modulus1.04GPa77.4GPa74.7x stiffer in shear
Bulk modulus3.11GPa144GPa
Speed of sound1,404m/s5,029m/s
Thermal
Thermal conductivity0.4W/m·Ksourcetypical17.9W/m·Ksourcebase material: wrought 17-4 PH, Condition H 900, at 149 °C (Cleveland-Cliffs)
Thermal expansion122µm/m·Ksourcemean, 29 to 60 °C10.4µm/m·Ksourcemean 25-100 °C, ASTM E228, AFTER atmospheric heat treatment (as-built value not published)
100 mm part over a 50 °C swing610µm growth52µm growth11.7x less
Specific heat1,465J/kg·Ksourceaverage -18 to 100 °C, Delrin acetal resins (not grade-specific)460J/kg·Ksourcebase material: wrought 17-4 PH, Condition A, 0-100 °C (Cleveland-Cliffs)
Heats up and cools (diffusivity)0.192mm²/s5mm²/s26x faster
Thermal shock resistance52.5W/m5,474W/m104x more resistant
Melting point175°Csourcecrystalline melting pointnot sourced
Max service temperature125°CsourceHDT 1.8 MPa (annealed)not sourced
Values forDuPont Delrin 100 acetal homopolymer, Table 2 'Typical Properties of Delrin Acetal Resins' (ASTM methods), Delrin Design Guide Module III hosted on delrin.comEOS StainlessSteel 17-4PH IndustryLine (powder 9011-0041), EOS M 290, 40 µm, default job 17-4PH_040_StainlessM291_100, as built, horizontal; ISO 6892 & ASTM E8M

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.

DMLS 17-4PH Stainless Steel is 3D printed: its properties depend on build direction and print settings; these are typical values.

Questions

Is Plastic POM/Acetal stronger than DMLS 17-4PH Stainless Steel?

DMLS 17-4PH Stainless Steel is stronger: its yield strength is 861 MPa against 69 MPa for Plastic POM/Acetal (12.5x).

Which is lighter, Plastic POM/Acetal or DMLS 17-4PH Stainless Steel?

Plastic POM/Acetal is lighter: 1,420 kg/m³ against 7,790 kg/m³ for DMLS 17-4PH Stainless Steel.

Which is stiffer, Plastic POM/Acetal or DMLS 17-4PH Stainless Steel?

DMLS 17-4PH Stainless Steel is stiffer: Young's modulus 197 GPa against 2.8 GPa for Plastic POM/Acetal, so the same part in DMLS 17-4PH Stainless Steel deflects less under the same load.

Which is lighter for the same job, Plastic POM/Acetal or DMLS 17-4PH Stainless Steel?

For the same stiffness or strength: Plastic POM/Acetal is lighter for a stiff panel or plate, strong beam, strong panel or plate; DMLS 17-4PH Stainless Steel is lighter for a stiff rod or tie (tension), stiff beam (bending), strong rod or tie.

Part that must bePlastic POM/AcetalDMLS 17-4PH Stainless Steel
Stiff rod or tie (tension)12.8x heavierlighter
Stiff beam (bending)1.53x heavierlighter
Stiff panel or platelighter33% heavier
Strong rod or tie2.27x heavierlighter
Strong beamlighter2% heavier
Strong panel or platelighter1.55x 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 POM/Acetal or DMLS 17-4PH Stainless Steel?

DMLS 17-4PH Stainless Steel conducts heat better: 17.9 W/m·K against 0.4 W/m·K for Plastic POM/Acetal.

Which expands less with temperature?

DMLS 17-4PH Stainless Steel expands less: 10.4 µm/m·K against 122 µm/m·K for Plastic POM/Acetal.

Among 59 materials

1k10k0.1110100Density (kg/m³)Young's modulus (GPa)Plastic PLAPlastic PETGPlastic ABSPlastic TPUPlastic NylonAluminumSteelIronTitaniumSteel AISI 1018Stainless 304Stainless 316Aluminum 6061-T6Aluminum 7075-T6Brass C360Copper C110GlassSteel AISI 1045Steel AISI 4340Steel A992Stainless 303Stainless 17-4PHAluminum 2024-T351Aluminum 5052-H32Aluminum 7050-T7451Titanium Ti-6Al-4VBrass C260Nickel Inconel 718Magnesium AZ31B-H24Zinc Zamak 3Plastic ABS (bulk/injection)Plastic PolycarbonatePlastic Nylon PA6Plastic Nylon PA66Plastic PEEKPlastic UHMWPEPlastic HDPEPlastic PolypropylenePlastic PMMAFDM ASAFDM PolycarbonateFDM PAHT-CFFDM HIPSSLA Resin Tough 2000SLS PA12 NylonDMLS AlSi10Mg AluminumDMLS Ti-6Al-4V ELI TitaniumDMLS 316L Stainless SteelPlastic POM/AcetalDMLS 17-4PH Stainless Steel
Stiffness against density
1k10k101001kDensity (kg/m³)Yield strength (MPa)Plastic PLAPlastic PETGPlastic ABSPlastic TPUPlastic NylonRubberAluminumSteelIronTitaniumSteel AISI 1018Stainless 304Stainless 316Aluminum 6061-T6Aluminum 7075-T6Brass C360Copper C110GlassSteel AISI 1045Steel AISI 4340Steel A992Stainless 303Stainless 17-4PHAluminum 2024-T351Aluminum 5052-H32Aluminum 7050-T7451Titanium Ti-6Al-4VBrass C260Nickel Inconel 718Magnesium AZ31B-H24Zinc Zamak 3Plastic ABS (bulk/injection)Plastic PolycarbonatePlastic Nylon PA6Plastic Nylon PA66Plastic PEEKPlastic PTFEPlastic UHMWPEPlastic HDPEPlastic PolypropylenePlastic PMMAFDM ASAFDM PolycarbonateFDM PAHT-CFFDM HIPSSLA Resin Tough 2000SLA Resin Elastic 50ASLS PA12 NylonDMLS AlSi10Mg AluminumDMLS Ti-6Al-4V ELI TitaniumDMLS 316L Stainless SteelBrickPlastic POM/AcetalDMLS 17-4PH Stainless Steel
Strength against density

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