Materials / Compare
Stainless 304 vs. DMLS 316L Stainless Steel
Compare Stainless 304 vs. DMLS 316L Stainless Steel 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 | 241MPasourcetypical, annealed, 70 °F (21 °C) | 530MPasourcetypical, as manufactured, horizontal |
| Ultimate tensile strength | 586MPasourcetypical, annealed, 70 °F (21 °C) | 640MPasourcetypical, as manufactured, horizontal |
| Elongation at break | 55%sourcetypical, annealed, in 2 in. (50.8 mm) | 40%sourcetypical at break, as manufactured, horizontal |
| Young's modulus (stiffness) | 193GPasourcetypical, in tension | 185GPasourcetypical, as built, horizontal (XY); EOSINT M280-400W / M290-400W, 316L_Surface 1.0, 20 µm (2014 sheet) |
| Density | 8,030kg/m³sourcetypical | 7,900kg/m³sourcepart density (ISO 3369, not labelled min or typical), EOS M 290, 40 µm FlexLine |
| Strength to weight | 30kN·m/kg | 67.1kN·m/kg2.24x higher |
| Stiffness to weight | 24MN·m/kg3% higher | 23.4MN·m/kg |
| Poisson's ratio | 0.3sourcedesign value (structural stainless steels) | 0.3sourcebase material: austenitic stainless steels incl. 1.4404 (316L), design value |
| Shear modulus | 74.2GPa4% stiffer in shear | 71.2GPa |
| Bulk modulus | 161GPa | 154GPa |
| Speed of sound | 4,903m/s | 4,839m/s |
| Thermal | ||
| Thermal conductivity | 16.2W/m·Ksourceat 100 °C | 16.2W/m·Ksourcebase material: wrought 316/316L (Cleveland-Cliffs), at 100 °C |
| Thermal expansion | 16.9µm/m·Ksourcemean, 0–100 °C | 15.7µm/m·Ksourcemean 25-100 °C, ASTM E228 |
| 100 mm part over a 50 °C swing | 84.5µm growth | 78.6µm growth8% less |
| Specific heat | 500J/kg·Ksourcemean, 0–100 °C | 500J/kg·Ksourcebase material: wrought 316/316L (Cleveland-Cliffs), 0-100 °C |
| Heats up and cools (diffusivity) | 4.03mm²/s | 4.1mm²/s2% faster |
| Thermal shock resistance | 838W/m | 2,067W/m2.47x more resistant |
| Melting point | 1,399–1,454°Csourcemelting range | not sourced |
| Max service temperature | 899°Csourcecontinuous, oxidation (scaling) limit in air | not sourced |
| Values for | Type 304, annealed flat-rolled (Cleveland-Cliffs 304/304L Product Data Bulletin, May 2021); Poisson's ratio from the Nickel Institute/SCI structural stainless design manual | EOS StainlessSteel 316L (powder 9011-0032), EOS M 290, ParameterSet 316L 20µm Surface M290/400W, as manufactured, horizontal; ISO 6892-1 |
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 316L Stainless Steel is 3D printed: its properties depend on build direction and print settings; these are typical values.
Questions
Is Stainless 304 stronger than DMLS 316L Stainless Steel?
DMLS 316L Stainless Steel is stronger: its yield strength is 530 MPa against 241 MPa for Stainless 304 (2.2x).
Which is lighter, Stainless 304 or DMLS 316L Stainless Steel?
DMLS 316L Stainless Steel is lighter: 7,900 kg/m³ against 8,030 kg/m³ for Stainless 304.
Which is stiffer, Stainless 304 or DMLS 316L Stainless Steel?
Stainless 304 is stiffer: Young's modulus 193 GPa against 185 GPa for DMLS 316L Stainless Steel, so the same part in Stainless 304 deflects less under the same load.
Which is lighter for the same job, Stainless 304 or DMLS 316L Stainless Steel?
For the same stiffness or strength: Stainless 304 is lighter for a stiff rod or tie (tension); DMLS 316L Stainless Steel is lighter for a strong rod or tie, strong beam, strong panel or plate.
| Part that must be | Stainless 304 | DMLS 316L Stainless Steel |
|---|---|---|
| Stiff rod or tie (tension) | lighter | 3% heavier |
| Stiff beam (bending) | about equal | about equal |
| Stiff panel or plate | about equal | about equal |
| Strong rod or tie | 2.24x heavier | lighter |
| Strong beam | 1.72x heavier | lighter |
| Strong panel or plate | 1.51x 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, Stainless 304 or DMLS 316L Stainless Steel?
Stainless 304 conducts heat better: 16.2 W/m·K against 16.2 W/m·K for DMLS 316L Stainless Steel.
Which expands less with temperature?
DMLS 316L Stainless Steel expands less: 15.7 µm/m·K against 16.9 µm/m·K for Stainless 304.