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DMLS 316L Stainless Steel vs. Titanium

Compare DMLS 316L Stainless Steel vs. Titanium strength, stiffness, weight and thermal properties.

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DMLS 316L Stainless Steel3D printed metal (DMLS)
TitaniumWrought
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Mechanical
Yield strength530MPasourcetypical, as manufactured, horizontal885MPasourcetypical, plate (>0.187 in), annealed, 0.2% offset
Ultimate tensile strength640MPasourcetypical, as manufactured, horizontal940MPasourcetypical, plate, annealed
Elongation at break40%sourcetypical at break, as manufactured, horizontal16%sourcetypical, in 2 in., plate annealed
Young's modulus (stiffness)185GPasourcetypical, as built, horizontal (XY); EOSINT M280-400W / M290-400W, 316L_Surface 1.0, 20 µm (2014 sheet)107–122GPasourcetypical range, 20 °C
Density7,900kg/m³sourcepart density (ISO 3369, not labelled min or typical), EOS M 290, 40 µm FlexLine4,430kg/m³sourcenominal
Strength to weight67.1kN·m/kg200kN·m/kg2.98x higher
Stiffness to weight23.4MN·m/kg25.8MN·m/kg10% higher
Poisson's ratio0.3sourcebase material: austenitic stainless steels incl. 1.4404 (316L), design value0.342sourcemean of TIMET measurements
Shear modulus71.2GPa1.67x stiffer in shear42.7GPa
Bulk modulus154GPa121GPa
Speed of sound4,839m/s5,084m/s
Thermal
Thermal conductivity16.2W/m·Ksourcebase material: wrought 316/316L (Cleveland-Cliffs), at 100 °C6.6W/m·Ksourcetypical, 20 °C, mill annealed
Thermal expansion15.7µm/m·Ksourcemean 25-100 °C, ASTM E2289µm/m·Ksourcetypical, mean 0-100 °C
100 mm part over a 50 °C swing78.6µm growth45µm growth1.75x less
Specific heat500J/kg·Ksourcebase material: wrought 316/316L (Cleveland-Cliffs), 0-100 °C580J/kg·Ksourcetypical, 20 °C
Heats up and cools (diffusivity)4.1mm²/s1.6x faster2.57mm²/s
Thermal shock resistance2,067W/m3,730W/m1.8x more resistant
Melting pointnot sourced1,630–1,650°Csourcemelting range
Max service temperaturenot sourced400°Csourceupper recommended use temperature
Values forEOS StainlessSteel 316L (powder 9011-0032), EOS M 290, ParameterSet 316L 20µm Surface M290/400W, as manufactured, horizontal; ISO 6892-1TIMETAL 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.

DMLS 316L Stainless Steel is 3D printed: its properties depend on build direction and print settings; these are typical values.

Questions

Is DMLS 316L Stainless Steel stronger than Titanium?

Titanium is stronger: its yield strength is 885 MPa against 530 MPa for DMLS 316L Stainless Steel (1.67x).

Which is lighter, DMLS 316L Stainless Steel or Titanium?

Titanium is lighter: 4,430 kg/m³ against 7,900 kg/m³ for DMLS 316L Stainless Steel.

Which is stiffer, DMLS 316L Stainless Steel or Titanium?

DMLS 316L Stainless Steel is stiffer: Young's modulus 185 GPa against 115 GPa for Titanium, so the same part in DMLS 316L Stainless Steel deflects less under the same load.

Which is lighter for the same job, DMLS 316L Stainless Steel or Titanium?

For the same stiffness or strength: Titanium 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 beDMLS 316L Stainless SteelTitanium
Stiff rod or tie (tension)10% heavierlighter
Stiff beam (bending)40% heavierlighter
Stiff panel or plate1.52x heavierlighter
Strong rod or tie2.98x heavierlighter
Strong beam2.51x heavierlighter
Strong panel or plate2.3x heavierlighter

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, DMLS 316L Stainless Steel or Titanium?

DMLS 316L Stainless Steel conducts heat better: 16.2 W/m·K against 6.6 W/m·K for Titanium.

Which expands less with temperature?

Titanium expands less: 9 µm/m·K against 15.7 µm/m·K for DMLS 316L Stainless Steel.

Among 59 materials

1k10k0.1110100Density (kg/m³)Young's modulus (GPa)Plastic PLAPlastic PETGPlastic ABSPlastic TPUPlastic NylonAluminumSteelIronSteel 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 POM/AcetalPlastic 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 17-4PH Stainless SteelDMLS 316L Stainless SteelTitanium
Stiffness against density
1k10k101001kDensity (kg/m³)Yield strength (MPa)Plastic PLAPlastic PETGPlastic ABSPlastic TPUPlastic NylonRubberAluminumSteelIronSteel 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 POM/AcetalPlastic 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 17-4PH Stainless SteelBrickDMLS 316L Stainless SteelTitanium
Strength against density

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