Benchmark · 4 materials
Zenite vs ABS vs HDPE vs LDPE
Side-by-side benchmark of 4 polymer grades.
PropertiesHow to read this table
- The best value in each row is in bold.
- Values are typical room-temperature figures for the default condition (temper / grade as listed).
- Relative cost is a market tier, not a price — it moves with region and volume.
- Confirm against the certified mill / resin datasheet before design release.
How to read this table
- The best value in each row is in bold.
- Values are typical room-temperature figures for the default condition (temper / grade as listed).
- Relative cost is a market tier, not a price — it moves with region and volume.
- Confirm against the certified mill / resin datasheet before design release.
| Property | Zenite | ABS | HDPE | LDPE |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Yield strengthMPaksi | — | 30 MPa4 ksi | 25 MPa4 ksi | 10 MPa1 ksi |
| Tensile strengthMPaksi | — | 40 MPa6 ksi | 30 MPa4 ksi | 15 MPa2 ksi |
| Specific strengthMPa·cm³/g | — | 29 | 26 | 11 |
| Densityg/cm³lb/in³ | — | 1.04 g/cm³0.038 lb/in³ | 0.95 g/cm³0.034 lb/in³ | 0.92 g/cm³0.033 lb/in³ |
| Max service temp°C°F | — | 80 °C176 °F | 80 °C176 °F | 70 °C158 °F |
| Min service temp°C°F | — | -20 °C-4 °F | -50 °C-58 °F | -50 °C-58 °F |
| Electrical conductivity% IACS | — | < 0.001 % IACSinsulator | < 0.001 % IACSinsulator | < 0.001 % IACSinsulator |
| Machinability/100 | — | Excellent90 / 100 | Good65 / 100 | Fair40 / 100 |
| Weldability/100 | — | Excellent95 / 100 | Fair35 / 100 | Fair35 / 100 |
| Formability/100 | — | Excellent90 / 100 | Excellent85 / 100 | Excellent90 / 100 |
| Relative cost | — | $ Budget | $ Budget | $ Budget |
| Processes | CNC, Sheet, Molding, 3DP | CNC, Sheet, Molding | Sheet, Molding |
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 strength—
5 MPa1 ksifamily median 50 MPa7 ksi89 MPa13 ksi
Tensile strength—
11 MPa2 ksifamily median 55 MPa8 ksi95 MPa14 ksi
Density—
0.97 g/cm³0.035 lb/in³family median 1.2 g/cm³0.043 lb/in³1.59 g/cm³0.057 lb/in³
Hardness (HB equiv.)—
65 HBfamily median 170 HB481 HB
Max service temp—
72 °C161 °Ffamily median 100 °C212 °F257 °C495 °F
Electrical conductivity—
< 0.001 % IACSfamily median < 0.001 % IACS< 0.001 % IACS
Machinability—
20 / 100family median 70 / 10085 / 100
Relative cost—
14family median 2899
ZeniteABSHDPELDPE
Strength versus weight
Manufacturing and finishing
| Capability | Zenite | ABS | HDPE | LDPE |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| CNC machining | — | Yes | Yes | — |
| Sheet metal | — | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Injection molding | — | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| 3D printing | — | Yes | — | — |
| Default condition | — | Unfilled | FDA Compliant | Unfilled |
| Min. machined wall | — | 0.5 mm | 0.5 mm | — |
| Best machined surface | — | Ra 0.8 µm | Ra 0.8 µm | — |
| Heat treatments | — | — | — | — |
| Chemical Etching | — | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Chrome Plating (Plastic) | — | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Clear Coating | — | Yes | — | — |
| Conductive Coating | — | Yes | — | — |
| Dot Peen Marking | — | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Dyeing (Nylon) | — | Yes | — | — |
| EMI Shielding Coating | — | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Electro-chemical Etching | — | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Embossing / Debossing | — | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Hot Stamping | — | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| In-Mold Labeling (IML) | — | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Ink Stamping | — | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Laser Marking | — | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Mechanical Engraving | — | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Pad Printing | — | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Painting | — | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Primer Coating | — | Yes | — | — |
| Soft Touch Coating | — | 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.