Compare Engineering Materials by Properties and Manufacturing Process
Compare aluminum alloys, stainless steels, and engineering polymers by tensile strength, stiffness, density, manufacturing process, and relative cost. Screen candidate materials, estimate part mass, and identify properties that require grade-specific verification.
Compare data-backed material examples, then verify your selected grade and production conditions.
Material Selection Criteria
Enter your part and manufacturing constraints.
Matching Engineering Materials
Ranked candidates after process and numeric screening. Use the checkboxes to compare up to 3 materials.
| Compare | Material / reference grade | Density (g/cm³) | Tensile (MPa) | Modulus (GPa) | Mass (g) | Cost band* | Screening |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Loading material data… | |||||||
* Cost band 1 to 5 is a non-quoted, qualitative raw-material indication, not a finished-part cost. Source data may use different test methods, grades and process conditions.
Side-by-Side Material Comparison
Compare selected grades, process compatibility and engineering risks.
Select materials from the screening table to compare them here.
Material Selection for 3D Printing
For material selection for 3d printing, assess the actual printing technology and the qualified build specification. FDM, SLA, SLS and MJF values are not interchangeable with properties of molded or machined stock.
- FDM: Evaluate filament grade, raster direction, build orientation, infill and interlayer strength. A general ABS material datasheet does not certify printed-part strength.
- SLA: Confirm resin generation, cleaning and post-cure schedule. The SLA example uses post-cured values for a specific resin formulation.
- SLS: Check nylon powder generation, powder refresh rate, X/Y and Z testing, moisture uptake and actual printer parameters.
- MJF: Confirm the PA12 formulation, printer family and XY/Z material test results. Powder bulk density is not printed-part density.
How to Interpret the Screening Results
- Screened: Published reference values meet the entered room-temperature tensile, modulus and density limits. This does not prove part safety or compliance.
- Review service: Corrosion, moisture or thermal exposure requires further checks. No material is automatically approved for a specific chemical.
- Verify grade: The material/process combination is relevant, but no transferable numerical reference was assigned. Obtain the exact grade datasheet.
- Mass: Calculated as material density × net solid CAD volume. It excludes supports, fasteners, infill voids, trapped powder and porosity.
Engineering handoff: Verify yield and fatigue limits, impact, creep, operating temperature, surface finish, tolerances, certificates and application-specific regulations before final selection.
Example Reference Data and Sources
These named manufacturer and product references identify the origin of illustrative material properties. Validate all values using the current controlled technical data sheet before selecting a production grade.
- Kaiser Aluminum 6061-T6 product data
- Outokumpu stainless steel grade specifications
- Ensinger POM-C and PEEK stock material data
- Formlabs Nylon 12 SLS material data
- Formlabs Tough 2000 V2 SLA material data
- HP MJF PA12 printed-part reference values
Engineering Material Selection Questions
Why can the same polymer have different strengths by process?
Molded, extruded, cast and printed forms have different molecular orientation, void content, cooling histories, cure states and test specimens. Use process- and grade-specific values.
Does the highest tensile strength mean the best material?
No. Yield stress, elastic deflection, fatigue, impact, wear, corrosion, joining methods and finished-part cost may control the choice.
Can I use the mass result to estimate shipping weight?
Use it only for nominal solid-part mass. Packaging, inserts, supports, trapped powder and assembly hardware must be added separately.
Can stainless steel or anodized aluminum be approved for saltwater service here?
No. Chlorides can create pitting or crevice-corrosion risks, and surface treatment quality matters. Review actual concentration, temperature, geometry and exposure duration.
Reference-property screening only. Published strength values may represent ultimate tensile stress, yield stress or supplier minima under different test standards. They are shown as labelled supplier reference values, never design allowables. No factor of safety, temperature derating or chemical compatibility pass is calculated.
For certified design work, request an actual material specification, condition, orientation, test report and supplier approval. Cost bands are editorial heuristics and are not comparable estimates of part price, tool cost or lead time.
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