Materials / Compare

Aluminum 6063-T6 vs. Plastic PPS GF40

Compare Aluminum 6063-T6 vs. Plastic PPS GF40 strength, stiffness, weight and thermal properties.

Aluminum 6063-T6Wrought
Plastic PPS GF40Bulk polymer (molded or machined)
MechanicalAluminum 6063-T6Plastic PPS GF40
Yield strength215MPa1not given (tensile used)
Ultimate tensile strength240MPa123% strongertensile strength195MPa2
Flexural strengthnot sourced285MPa2
Elongation at break12%16.32x more ductilestrain at break1.9%2
Young's modulus (stiffness)69GPa14.69x stiffer14.7GPa2
Density2,700kg/m³11,650kg/m³21.64x lighter
Strength to weight79.6kN·m/kg118kN·m/kg48% higher
Stiffness to weight25.6MN·m/kg2.87x higher8.91MN·m/kg
Poisson's rationot sourced0.353
Shear modulusnot sourced5.44GPa
Bulk modulusnot sourced16.3GPa
Speed of sound5,055m/s1.69x faster2,985m/s
1k10k0.1110100Density (kg/m³)Young's modulus (GPa)Plastic PLAPlastic PETGPlastic ABSPlastic TPUPlastic NylonWoodAluminumSteelIronTitaniumSteel AISI 1018Stainless Steel 304Stainless Steel 316Aluminum 6061-T6Aluminum 7075-T6Brass C360Copper C110Copper C10100Copper C12200GlassSteel AISI 1045Steel AISI 4340Steel A992Stainless Steel 303Stainless Steel 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 StandardSLA Resin Tough 2000SLS PA12 NylonDMLS AlSi10Mg AluminumDMLS Ti-6Al-4V ELI TitaniumDMLS 316L Stainless SteelDMLS 17-4PH Stainless SteelConcretePCB Laminate FR-4SiliconCeramic Alumina 96%Ceramic Aluminum NitrideAluminum A380Aluminum 1100-OAluminum 3003-OAluminum ADC12Magnesium AZ91DSolder SAC305Plastic PBT GF30Plastic LCP GF30Aluminum 6063-T6Plastic PPS GF40
Stiffness against densityHigher and further left: stiffer for its weight
1k10k101001kDensity (kg/m³)Yield strength (MPa)Plastic PLAPlastic PETGPlastic ABSPlastic TPUPlastic NylonRubberWoodAluminumSteelIronTitaniumSteel AISI 1018Stainless Steel 304Stainless Steel 316Aluminum 6061-T6Aluminum 7075-T6Brass C360Copper C110Copper C10100Copper C12200GlassSteel AISI 1045Steel AISI 4340Steel A992Stainless Steel 303Stainless Steel 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 StandardSLA Resin Tough 2000SLA Resin Elastic 50ASLS PA12 NylonDMLS AlSi10Mg AluminumDMLS Ti-6Al-4V ELI TitaniumDMLS 316L Stainless SteelDMLS 17-4PH Stainless SteelBrickPCB Laminate FR-4SiliconCeramic Alumina 96%Aluminum A380Aluminum 1100-OAluminum 3003-OAluminum ADC12Magnesium AZ91DSolder SAC305Plastic PBT GF30Plastic LCP GF30Aluminum 6063-T6Plastic PPS GF40
Strength against densityHigher and further left: stronger for its weight
ThermalAluminum 6063-T6Plastic PPS GF40
Thermal conductivity201W/m·K11,005x more heat through a fin0.2W/m·K3
Thermal expansion23.4µm/m·K1parallel12µm/m·K21.95x less
100 mm part over a 50 °C swing117µm growth60µm growth1.95x less
Specific heat901J/kg·K4not sourced
Heats up and cools (diffusivity)82.6mm²/snot sourced
Thermal shock resistancenot sourced144W/m
Melting pointmelting range615–655°C1DSC280°C2
Glass transitionnot sourcedDSC90°C2
Max service temperaturenot sourcedHDT 1.8 MPa270°C2
1k10k0.1110100Density (kg/m³)Thermal conductivity (W/m·K)Plastic PLAPlastic PETGPlastic ABSPlastic NylonRubberWoodAluminumSteelIronTitaniumSteel AISI 1018Stainless Steel 304Stainless Steel 316Aluminum 6061-T6Aluminum 7075-T6Brass C360Copper C110Copper C10100Copper C12200GlassSteel AISI 1045Steel AISI 4340Steel A992Stainless Steel 303Stainless Steel 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 HIPSSLA Resin StandardDMLS AlSi10Mg AluminumDMLS Ti-6Al-4V ELI TitaniumDMLS 316L Stainless SteelDMLS 17-4PH Stainless SteelConcreteBrickPCB Laminate FR-4SiliconCeramic Alumina 96%Ceramic Aluminum NitrideAluminum A380Aluminum 1100-OAluminum 3003-OAluminum ADC12Magnesium AZ91DSolder SAC305Plastic PBT GF30Plastic LCP GF30Aluminum 6063-T6Plastic PPS GF40
Thermal conductivity against densityHigher and further left: spreads more heat for its weight
0.111010010100Thermal conductivity (W/m·K)Thermal expansion (µm/m·K)Plastic PETGPlastic ABSPlastic NylonWoodAluminumSteelIronTitaniumSteel AISI 1018Stainless Steel 304Stainless Steel 316Aluminum 6061-T6Aluminum 7075-T6Brass C360Copper C110Copper C10100Copper C12200GlassSteel AISI 1045Steel AISI 4340Steel A992Stainless Steel 303Stainless Steel 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 HIPSSLA Resin StandardDMLS AlSi10Mg AluminumDMLS Ti-6Al-4V ELI TitaniumDMLS 316L Stainless SteelDMLS 17-4PH Stainless SteelConcreteBrickPlywoodPCB Laminate FR-4SiliconCeramic Alumina 96%Ceramic Aluminum NitrideAluminum A380Aluminum 1100-OAluminum 3003-OAluminum ADC12Magnesium AZ91DSolder SAC305Plastic PBT GF30Plastic LCP GF30Aluminum 6063-T6Plastic PPS GF40
Thermal expansion against thermal conductivityLower and further right: warps less when heated
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Sources4 documents: Kaiser Aluminum, Celanese, Hydro
Aluminum 6063-T6
6063-T6 extruded tube, Kaiser Aluminum Tube & Pipe Alloy 6063 Technical Data (Rev. 05/06), typical properties; specific heat from Hydro EN AW-6063 extruded-products datasheet (Rev.4, 03/2023).
Plastic PPS GF40
Celanese Fortron 1140L4 (PPS, 40% glass fibre), injection moulding; FORTRON PPS Short-Term Properties Guide (PPS-012, 2016); thermal conductivity and Poisson for 40% glass-reinforced Fortron from the Fortron PPS Design Manual (PPS-050, 2013).
  1. 1
    Alloy 6063 Tube & Pipe Technical Data, Rev. 05/06Kaiser Aluminumarchived copyAluminum 6063-T6 · Yield strength: typical, T6, 0.0625 in specimenAluminum 6063-T6 · Ultimate tensile strength: typical, T6Aluminum 6063-T6 · Elongation at break: typical, T6, in 4DAluminum 6063-T6 · Young's modulus (stiffness): typicalAluminum 6063-T6 · Density: nominal, 20 °CAluminum 6063-T6 · Thermal conductivity: typical, T6, 20 °CAluminum 6063-T6 · Thermal expansion: typical, mean 20-100 °CAluminum 6063-T6 · Melting point: melting range
  2. 2
    Fortron PPS Short-Term Properties Guide (PPS-012)CelanesePlastic PPS GF40 · Ultimate tensile strength: tensile strength, 5 mm/minPlastic PPS GF40 · Flexural strength: flexural strength at breakPlastic PPS GF40 · Elongation at break: strain at break, 5 mm/minPlastic PPS GF40 · Young's modulus (stiffness): typical, 1 mm/minPlastic PPS GF40 · Density: typicalPlastic PPS GF40 · Thermal expansion: parallel (flow), mean -50 to 90 °CPlastic PPS GF40 · Melting point: DSC, 10 °C/minPlastic PPS GF40 · Glass transition: DSC, 10 °C/minPlastic PPS GF40 · Max service temperature: HDT 1.8 MPa
  3. 3
    Fortron PPS Design Manual (PPS-050)CelanesePlastic PPS GF40 · Poisson's ratio: glass-reinforced Fortron PPS (class value, not grade-specific)Plastic PPS GF40 · Thermal conductivity: 40% glass-reinforced Fortron, 25 °C (not grade-specific)
  4. 4
    Technical Datasheet, Extruded Products: Alloy EN AW-6063 (Rev. 4, 2023)Hydroarchived copyAluminum 6063-T6 · Specific heat: typical, 20 °C (Hydro EN AW-6063)

Each number points to the document that states it, with the exact basis. Values without a number are computed from the sourced ones. "Not sourced" means no citable source states it (or only a specification minimum); figures computed from it are left out too.

Questions

Mechanical

Is Aluminum 6063-T6 stronger than Plastic PPS GF40?

Aluminum 6063-T6 is stronger: its yield strength is 215 MPa against tensile strength 195 MPa for Plastic PPS GF40 (10%).

Which is lighter, Aluminum 6063-T6 or Plastic PPS GF40?

Plastic PPS GF40 is lighter: 1,650 kg/m³ against 2,700 kg/m³ for Aluminum 6063-T6.

Which is stiffer, Aluminum 6063-T6 or Plastic PPS GF40?

Aluminum 6063-T6 is stiffer: Young's modulus 69 GPa against 14.7 GPa for Plastic PPS GF40, so the same part in Aluminum 6063-T6 deflects less under the same load.

Which is lighter for the same job, Aluminum 6063-T6 or Plastic PPS GF40?

For the same stiffness or strength: Aluminum 6063-T6 is lighter for a stiff rod or tie (tension), stiff beam (bending), stiff panel or plate; Plastic PPS GF40 is lighter for a strong rod or tie, strong beam, strong panel or plate.

Part that must beAluminum 6063-T6Plastic PPS GF40
Stiff rod or tie (tension)lighter2.87x heavier
Stiff beam (bending)lighter32% heavier
Stiff panel or platelighter2% heavier
Strong rod or tie48% heavierlighter
Strong beam1.53x heavierlighter
Strong panel or plate1.56x 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 is more ductile, Aluminum 6063-T6 or Plastic PPS GF40?

Aluminum 6063-T6 stretches further before it breaks: 12% elongation at break against 1.9% for Plastic PPS GF40.

Thermal

Which conducts heat better, Aluminum 6063-T6 or Plastic PPS GF40?

Aluminum 6063-T6 conducts heat better: 201 W/m·K against 0.2 W/m·K for Plastic PPS GF40.

Which expands less with temperature?

Plastic PPS GF40 expands less: 12 µm/m·K against 23.4 µm/m·K for Aluminum 6063-T6.

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