Benchmark · 4 materials
PVC vs HDPE vs LDPE vs PP
All polymer grades — bands show the family's 10th–90th percentile. The best value in each row is in bold; metric first, imperial in gray.
Properties
| Property | PVC | HDPE | LDPE | PP |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Yield strengthMPa | 50 MPa7 ksi | 25 MPa4 ksi | 10 MPa1 ksi | 30 MPa4 ksi |
| Tensile strengthMPa | 55 MPa8 ksi | 30 MPa4 ksi | 15 MPa2 ksi | 35 MPa5 ksi |
| Specific strengthMPa·cm³/g | 36 | 26 | 11 | 33 |
| Densityg/cm³ | 1.4 g/cm³0.051 lb/in³ | 0.95 g/cm³0.034 lb/in³ | 0.92 g/cm³0.033 lb/in³ | 0.9 g/cm³0.033 lb/in³ |
| Max service temp°C | 60 °C140 °F | 80 °C176 °F | 70 °C158 °F | 80 °C176 °F |
| Min service temp°C | 0 °C32 °F | -50 °C-58 °F | -50 °C-58 °F | 0 °C32 °F |
| Electrical conductivity% IACS | < 0.001 % IACSinsulator | < 0.001 % IACSinsulator | < 0.001 % IACSinsulator | < 0.001 % IACSinsulator |
| Machinability/100 | Excellent85 / 100 | Good65 / 100 | Fair40 / 100 | Very good70 / 100 |
| Weldability/100 | Very good75 / 100 | Fair35 / 100 | Fair35 / 100 | Fair40 / 100 |
| Formability/100 | Excellent85 / 100 | Excellent85 / 100 | Excellent90 / 100 | Very good80 / 100 |
| Relative cost | $ Budget | $ Budget | $ Budget | $ Budget |
| Processes | CNC, Sheet, Molding | CNC, Sheet, Molding | Sheet, Molding | CNC, Sheet, Molding, 3DP |
Where each grade sits
One track per property; coloured markers are the compared grades, the shaded band is the polymer family 10th–90th percentile and the tick its median.
Yield strength50 MPa
5 MPafamily median 50 MPa89 MPa
Tensile strength55 MPa
11 MPafamily median 55 MPa95 MPa
Density1.4 g/cm³
0.97 g/cm³family median 1.2 g/cm³1.59 g/cm³
Hardness (HB equiv.)—
65 HBfamily median 170 HB481 HB
Max service temp60 °C
72 °Cfamily median 100 °C257 °C
Electrical conductivity< 0.001 % IACS
< 0.001 % IACSfamily median < 0.001 % IACS< 0.001 % IACS
Machinability85 / 100
20 / 100family median 70 / 10085 / 100
Relative cost12
14family median 2899
PVCHDPELDPEPP
Strength versus weight
Manufacturing and finishing
| Capability | PVC | HDPE | LDPE | PP |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| CNC machining | Yes | Yes | — | Yes |
| Sheet metal | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Injection molding | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| 3D printing | — | — | — | Yes |
| Default condition | Rigid (Type I) | FDA Compliant | Unfilled | Homopolymer |
| Min. machined wall | 0.5 mm | 0.5 mm | — | 0.5 mm |
| Best machined surface | Ra 0.8 µm | Ra 0.8 µm | — | Ra 0.8 µm |
| Heat treatments | — | — | — | — |
| Chemical Etching | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Chrome Plating (Plastic) | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Clear Coating | — | — | — | Yes |
| Conductive Coating | — | — | — | Yes |
| Dot Peen Marking | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Dyeing (Nylon) | — | — | — | Yes |
| EMI Shielding Coating | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Electro-chemical Etching | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Embossing / Debossing | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Hot Stamping | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| In-Mold Labeling (IML) | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Ink Stamping | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Laser Marking | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Mechanical Engraving | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Pad Printing | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Painting | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Primer Coating | — | — | — | Yes |
| Soft Touch Coating | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
Showing 18 of 24 finishes — the full list is on each grade's datasheet.
Typical handbook values for the default condition, normalised for comparison. Hardness on non-Brinell scales is converted approximately for charting only. Request certified data with your order for design-critical properties.