Materials / Compare

Steel AISI 1018 vs. DMLS Ti-6Al-4V ELI Titanium

Compare Steel AISI 1018 vs. DMLS Ti-6Al-4V ELI Titanium strength, stiffness, weight and thermal properties.

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Steel AISI 1018Wrought
DMLS Ti-6Al-4V ELI Titanium3D printed metal (DMLS)
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Mechanical
Yield strength372MPasourceproducer-stated, cold drawn1,100MPasourcetypical, as built, average of horizontal + vertical (M400)
Ultimate tensile strength441MPasourceproducer-stated, cold drawn1,270MPasourcetypical, as built, average of horizontal + vertical (M400)
Elongation at break15%sourcein 2 in (50.8 mm)8.7%sourcetypical at break, as built (M400)
Young's modulus (stiffness)200GPasourcebase material: AISI 1025 plain carbon steel (MIL-HDBK-5J design value; ASTM A108 bar is the cold-finished carbon-steel bar spec that also covers 1018)110GPasourcesame maker and process, sibling grade: EOS Titanium Ti64 (Grade 5) on EOS M 290, as built, XY and Z, typical
Density7,861kg/m³sourcebase material: AISI 1025 plain carbon steel (MIL-HDBK-5J design value; ASTM A108 bar is the cold-finished carbon-steel bar spec that also covers 1018)4,400kg/m³sourcetypical part density (ISO 3369), M400
Strength to weight47.3kN·m/kg250kN·m/kg5.28x higher
Stiffness to weight25.4MN·m/kg2% higher25MN·m/kg
Poisson's ratio0.32sourcebase material: AISI 1025 plain carbon steel (MIL-HDBK-5J design value; ASTM A108 bar is the cold-finished carbon-steel bar spec that also covers 1018)0.342sourcewrought TIMETAL 6-4 (TIMET measurement, mean of 10); composition-level, not DMLS-measured
Shear modulus75.7GPa1.85x stiffer in shear41GPa
Bulk modulus185GPa116GPa
Speed of sound5,043m/s5,000m/s
Thermal
Thermal conductivity51.9W/m·Ksourcebase material: AISI 1025 plain carbon steel (MIL-HDBK-5J design value; ASTM A108 bar is the cold-finished carbon-steel bar spec that also covers 1018)6.6W/m·Ksourcebase material: wrought Ti-6Al-4V / 6-4 ELI (TIMET datasheet), 20 °C
Thermal expansion12µm/m·Ksourcebase material: unalloyed carbon steel, Ovako family table (S275JR, 'none alloyed structural steels', C <= 0.21%); mean 20-300 °C9µm/m·Ksourcemean 25-100 °C, ASTM E228; EOS Ti64 Grade 23 (=ELI) on EOS M 290 40 µm; condition not stated (sheet's mechanical data are heat treated)
100 mm part over a 50 °C swing60µm growth45µm growth33% less
Specific heat486J/kg·Ksourcebase material: AISI 1025 plain carbon steel (MIL-HDBK-5J design value; ASTM A108 bar is the cold-finished carbon-steel bar spec that also covers 1018)580J/kg·Ksourcebase material: wrought Ti-6Al-4V / 6-4 ELI (TIMET datasheet), 20 °C
Heats up and cools (diffusivity)13.6mm²/s5.25x faster2.59mm²/s
Thermal shock resistance5,473W/m13% more resistant4,825W/m
Melting pointnot sourced1,630–1,650°Csourcemelting range, wrought TIMETAL 6-4 (composition-level)
Values forAISI 1018 cold drawn bar (Niagara LaSalle, cold-finished bar producer)EOS Titanium Ti64ELI (powder 9011-0040; ASTM F136/F3001, i.e. Grade 23) on EOS M400 SF, parameter set Ti64ELI_030_FlexM400_100, 30 µm, as built; ISO 6892-1 A14

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 Ti-6Al-4V ELI Titanium is 3D printed: its properties depend on build direction and print settings; these are typical values.

Questions

Is Steel AISI 1018 stronger than DMLS Ti-6Al-4V ELI Titanium?

DMLS Ti-6Al-4V ELI Titanium is stronger: its yield strength is 1,100 MPa against 372 MPa for Steel AISI 1018 (2.96x).

Which is lighter, Steel AISI 1018 or DMLS Ti-6Al-4V ELI Titanium?

DMLS Ti-6Al-4V ELI Titanium is lighter: 4,400 kg/m³ against 7,861 kg/m³ for Steel AISI 1018.

Which is stiffer, Steel AISI 1018 or DMLS Ti-6Al-4V ELI Titanium?

Steel AISI 1018 is stiffer: Young's modulus 200 GPa against 110 GPa for DMLS Ti-6Al-4V ELI Titanium, so the same part in Steel AISI 1018 deflects less under the same load.

Which is lighter for the same job, Steel AISI 1018 or DMLS Ti-6Al-4V ELI Titanium?

For the same stiffness or strength: Steel AISI 1018 is lighter for a stiff rod or tie (tension); DMLS Ti-6Al-4V ELI Titanium is lighter for a stiff beam (bending), stiff panel or plate, strong rod or tie, strong beam, strong panel or plate.

Part that must beSteel AISI 1018DMLS Ti-6Al-4V ELI Titanium
Stiff rod or tie (tension)lighter2% heavier
Stiff beam (bending)33% heavierlighter
Stiff panel or plate46% heavierlighter
Strong rod or tie5.28x heavierlighter
Strong beam3.68x heavierlighter
Strong panel or plate3.07x 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, Steel AISI 1018 or DMLS Ti-6Al-4V ELI Titanium?

Steel AISI 1018 conducts heat better: 51.9 W/m·K against 6.6 W/m·K for DMLS Ti-6Al-4V ELI Titanium.

Which expands less with temperature?

DMLS Ti-6Al-4V ELI Titanium expands less: 9 µm/m·K against 12 µm/m·K for Steel AISI 1018.

Among 59 materials

1k10k0.1110100Density (kg/m³)Young's modulus (GPa)Plastic PLAPlastic PETGPlastic ABSPlastic TPUPlastic NylonAluminumSteelIronTitaniumStainless 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 316L Stainless SteelDMLS 17-4PH Stainless SteelSteel AISI 1018DMLS Ti-6Al-4V ELI Titanium
Stiffness against density
1k10k101001kDensity (kg/m³)Yield strength (MPa)Plastic PLAPlastic PETGPlastic ABSPlastic TPUPlastic NylonRubberAluminumSteelIronTitaniumStainless 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 316L Stainless SteelDMLS 17-4PH Stainless SteelBrickSteel AISI 1018DMLS Ti-6Al-4V ELI Titanium
Strength against density

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