Materials / Compare
DMLS 316L Stainless Steel vs. Steel A992
Compare DMLS 316L Stainless Steel vs. Steel A992 strength, stiffness, weight and thermal properties.
| Mechanical | DMLS 316L Stainless Steel | Steel A992 |
|---|---|---|
| Yield strength | 530MPa138% stronger | 385MPa2 |
| Ultimate tensile strength | 640MPa127% stronger | 505MPa2 |
| Elongation at break | 40%11.65x more ductile | 24.2%2 |
| Young's modulus (stiffness) | 185GPa3 | design value200GPa4 |
| Density | part density7,900kg/m³5 | 7,850kg/m³6 |
| Strength to weight | 67.1kN·m/kg37% higher | 49kN·m/kg |
| Stiffness to weight | 23.4MN·m/kg | 25.5MN·m/kg9% higher |
| Poisson's ratio | base material0.37 | design value0.34 |
| Shear modulus | 71.2GPa | 76.9GPa8% stiffer in shear |
| Bulk modulus | 154GPa | 167GPa8% higher |
| Speed of sound | 4,839m/s | 5,048m/s4% faster |
| Thermal | DMLS 316L Stainless Steel | Steel A992 |
|---|---|---|
| Thermal conductivity | base material16.2W/m·K8 | 48W/m·K62.96x more heat through a fin |
| Thermal expansion | mean 25-100 °C15.7µm/m·K1 | 12µm/m·K631% less |
| 100 mm part over a 50 °C swing | 78.6µm growth | 60µm growth31% less |
| Specific heat | base material500J/kg·K8 | base material460–480J/kg·K9 |
| Heats up and cools (diffusivity) | 4.1mm²/s | 13mm²/s3.17x faster |
| Thermal shock resistance | 2,067W/m | 5,390W/m2.61x more resistant |
| Try it on a partA bracket to run stress or thermal on, free in your browser | Open in LessCAD | Open in LessCAD |
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Sources9 documents: EOS GmbH, American Institute of Steel Construction, bauforumstahl (ArcelorMittal), Steel Construction Institute, Cleveland-Cliffs, Ovako
- DMLS 316L Stainless Steel
- EOS StainlessSteel 316L (powder 9011-0032), EOS M 290, ParameterSet 316L 20µm Surface M290/400W, as manufactured, horizontal; ISO 6892-1
- Steel A992
- ASTM A992 W-shapes; Fy/Fu specified minimums from AISC publications (AISC 360-16 Commentary; Modern Steel Construction); elastic constants AISC 360; physical constants from the bauforumstahl structural-steel EPD, which names A992 among covered product standards.
- 1EOS StainlessSteel 316L Material Data SheetEOS GmbHarchived copyDMLS 316L Stainless Steel · Yield strength: typical, as manufactured, horizontalDMLS 316L Stainless Steel · Ultimate tensile strength: typical, as manufactured, horizontalDMLS 316L Stainless Steel · Elongation at break: typical at break, as manufactured, horizontalDMLS 316L Stainless Steel · Thermal expansion: mean 25-100 °C, ASTM E228
- 2Updating Standard Shape Material Properties Database for Design and ReliabilityAmerican Institute of Steel Constructionarchived copySteel A992 · Yield strength: typical: mean of 20,295 A992 flange mill-test coupons (1998 SSPC survey), as reported by AISCSteel A992 · Ultimate tensile strength: typical: mean of 20,295 A992 flange mill-test coupons (1998 SSPC survey)Steel A992 · Elongation at break: typical: mean of 24,847 A992 mill-test elongations, web and flange (1998 SSPC mill data), as reported by AISC
- 3EOS StainlessSteel 316L Material Data Sheet, M 280 and M 290 (2014)EOS GmbHarchived copyDMLS 316L Stainless Steel · Young's modulus (stiffness): typical, as built, horizontal (XY); EOSINT M280-400W / M290-400W, 316L_Surface 1.0, 20 µm (2014 sheet)
- 4ANSI/AISC 360-16 Specification for Structural Steel Buildings, with CommentaryAmerican Institute of Steel Constructionarchived copySteel A992 · Young's modulus (stiffness): design value (AISC 360-16)Steel A992 · Poisson's ratio: design value (AISC 360-16 Commentary)
- 5EOS StainlessSteel 316L Material Data Sheet, FlexLine, M 290 (2016)EOS GmbHarchived copyDMLS 316L Stainless Steel · Density: part density (ISO 3369, not labelled min or typical), EOS M 290, 40 µm FlexLine
- 6Environmental Product Declaration: Structural Steel Sections and Merchant Bars (2023)bauforumstahl (ArcelorMittal)archived copySteel A992 · Density: nominal (constructional data)Steel A992 · Thermal conductivity: nominal at 20 °CSteel A992 · Thermal expansion: nominal (constructional data, no temperature range stated)
- 7Design Manual for Structural Stainless Steel, 4th Edition (P413)Steel Construction Institutearchived copyDMLS 316L Stainless Steel · Poisson's ratio: base material: austenitic stainless steels incl. 1.4404 (316L), design value
- 8316/316L Stainless Steel Product Data Bulletin (2021)Cleveland-CliffsDMLS 316L Stainless Steel · Thermal conductivity: base material: wrought 316/316L (Cleveland-Cliffs), at 100 °CDMLS 316L Stainless Steel · Specific heat: base material: wrought 316/316L (Cleveland-Cliffs), 0-100 °C
- 9S275JR Steel GradeOvakoSteel A992 · Specific heat: base material: EN S275JR unalloyed structural steel (the EN counterpart of A36), typical, 50/100 °C
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.
DMLS 316L Stainless Steel is 3D printed: its properties depend on build direction and print settings; these are typical values.
Questions
Mechanical
Is DMLS 316L Stainless Steel stronger than Steel A992?
DMLS 316L Stainless Steel is stronger: its yield strength is 530 MPa against 385 MPa for Steel A992 (38%).
Which is lighter, DMLS 316L Stainless Steel or Steel A992?
Steel A992 is lighter: 7,850 kg/m³ against 7,900 kg/m³ for DMLS 316L Stainless Steel.
Which is stiffer, DMLS 316L Stainless Steel or Steel A992?
Steel A992 is stiffer: Young's modulus 200 GPa against 185 GPa for DMLS 316L Stainless Steel, so the same part in Steel A992 deflects less under the same load.
Which is lighter for the same job, DMLS 316L Stainless Steel or Steel A992?
For the same stiffness or strength: DMLS 316L Stainless Steel is lighter for a strong rod or tie, strong beam, strong panel or plate; Steel A992 is lighter for a stiff rod or tie (tension), stiff beam (bending), stiff panel or plate.
| Part that must be | DMLS 316L Stainless Steel | Steel A992 |
|---|---|---|
| Stiff rod or tie (tension) | 9% heavier | lighter |
| Stiff beam (bending) | 5% heavier | lighter |
| Stiff panel or plate | 3% heavier | lighter |
| Strong rod or tie | lighter | 37% heavier |
| Strong beam | lighter | 23% heavier |
| Strong panel or plate | lighter | 17% 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).
Which is more ductile, DMLS 316L Stainless Steel or Steel A992?
DMLS 316L Stainless Steel stretches further before it breaks: 40% elongation at break against 24.2% for Steel A992.
Thermal
Which conducts heat better, DMLS 316L Stainless Steel or Steel A992?
Steel A992 conducts heat better: 48 W/m·K against 16.2 W/m·K for DMLS 316L Stainless Steel.
Which expands less with temperature?
Steel A992 expands less: 12 µm/m·K against 15.7 µm/m·K for DMLS 316L Stainless Steel.