Materials / Compare
Plastic TPU vs. Zinc Zamak 3
Compare Plastic TPU vs. Zinc Zamak 3 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) | 221MPasourcetypical |
| Ultimate tensile strength | 23.7MPasourcetypical, stress at break | 283MPasourcetypical |
| Flexural strength | 4.1MPasourcetypical | not sourced |
| Elongation at break | not sourced | 10%sourcetypical, in 2 in. |
| Young's modulus (stiffness) | 0.067GPasourcetypical | 85.5GPasourcetypical1,276x stiffer |
| Density | 1,220kg/m³sourcetypical5.41x lighter | 6,600kg/m³sourcetypical |
| Strength to weight | 19.4kN·m/kg | 33.5kN·m/kg1.72x higher |
| Stiffness to weight | 0.0549MN·m/kg | 13MN·m/kg236x higher |
| Poisson's ratio | not sourced | 0.27sourcetypical, Zamak 3 hot-chamber die cast |
| Shear modulus | not sourced | 33.7GPa |
| Bulk modulus | not sourced | 62GPa |
| Speed of sound | 234m/s | 3,599m/s |
| Thermal | ||
| Thermal conductivity | not sourced | 113W/m·Ksourcetypical |
| Thermal expansion | not sourced | 27.4µm/m·Ksourcetypical |
| 100 mm part over a 50 °C swing | not sourced | 137µm growth |
| Specific heat | not sourced | 419J/kg·Ksourcetypical |
| Heats up and cools (diffusivity) | not sourced | 40.9mm²/s |
| Thermal shock resistance | not sourced | 7,782W/m |
| Melting point | 217°Csourcetypical | 381–387°Csourcemelting range |
| Max service temperature | 50.3°CsourceHDT 0.455 MPa (printed specimens) | not sourced |
| 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. | Zamak 3 (ASTM B86 die cast), Nathan Trotter (zinc alloy producer) technical data sheet, typical values |
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 Zinc Zamak 3?
Zinc Zamak 3 is stronger: its yield strength is 221 MPa against tensile strength 23.7 MPa for Plastic TPU (9.32x).
Which is lighter, Plastic TPU or Zinc Zamak 3?
Plastic TPU is lighter: 1,220 kg/m³ against 6,600 kg/m³ for Zinc Zamak 3.
Which is stiffer, Plastic TPU or Zinc Zamak 3?
Zinc Zamak 3 is stiffer: Young's modulus 85.5 GPa against 0.067 GPa for Plastic TPU, so the same part in Zinc Zamak 3 deflects less under the same load.
Which is lighter for the same job, Plastic TPU or Zinc Zamak 3?
For the same stiffness or strength: Plastic TPU is lighter for a strong beam, strong panel or plate; Zinc Zamak 3 is lighter for a stiff rod or tie (tension), stiff beam (bending), stiff panel or plate, strong rod or tie.
| Part that must be | Plastic TPU | Zinc Zamak 3 |
|---|---|---|
| Stiff rod or tie (tension) | 236x heavier | lighter |
| Stiff beam (bending) | 6.6x heavier | lighter |
| Stiff panel or plate | 2x heavier | lighter |
| Strong rod or tie | 1.72x heavier | lighter |
| Strong beam | lighter | 22% heavier |
| Strong panel or plate | lighter | 1.77x 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).