Design Guidelines
Design for additive manufacturing (DfAM)
Minimum wall thickness, hole sizes, tolerances, and clearances for each technology. Follow these guidelines and your parts will print right the first time.
General design tips
Watertight mesh
Always verify your mesh is watertight before uploading — open meshes cause print failures.
Wall orientation
Orient thin walls along the build direction (Z axis) for maximum strength.
Snap-fit clearance
Snap-fits take the slip-fit clearance: 0.2–0.3 mm per side on FDM and MJF, 0.125–0.2 mm on SLA. Full table below.
Overhang limits
For FDM, avoid unsupported overhangs steeper than 45° — or design in built-in supports.
Self-supporting MJF
MJF is self-supporting — no support removal marks. Ideal for complex geometries.
Post-cure shrinkage
SLA parts require post-curing. Dimensions may shift 0.05–0.1 mm during curing.
File format
For production orders, submit STEP files — they preserve design intent better than STL.
Engineer review
When in doubt, our engineers review every file before printing and flag issues.
All technologies
Design guidelines side by side. Compare technologies to select the right process for your part.
| Guideline | FDM | SLA | Industrial SLA | MJF | FGF |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Min wall thickness | 1.2 mm | 0.8 mm | 1.0 mm | 0.7 mm | 6.0 mm |
| Tolerance | ±0.5 mm | ±0.2 mm | ±0.2 mm | ±0.3 mm | ±1.0 mm |
| Layer height | 0.1–0.3mm | 0.025–0.1mm | 0.05–0.15mm | 0.08mm | 0.5–2.0mm |
| Max build size | 360 × 360 × 360mm | 335 × 300 × 200mm | 1700 × 800 × 600mm | 380 × 284 × 380mm | 2400 × 2400 × 1000mm |
| Min hole diameter | 2.0 mm | 0.5 mm | 0.5 mm | 1.0 mm | 6.0 mm |
| Min feature size | 1.8 mm | 0.5 mm | 0.5 mm | 0.8 mm | 6.0 mm |
| Min clearance (per side) | 0.2 mm | 0.125 mm | 0.125 mm | 0.2 mm | 2.0 mm |
| Supports / Overhang | 50° | Always | Always | Self-supporting | Avoid overhangs |
| Drain holes | — | Yes | Yes | Yes | — |
| Lead time | From 1 business day | From 2 business days | From 7 business days | From 5 business days | From 7 business days |
Fit clearances
How much gap to leave between two printed parts, per side, depending on how they need to fit together.
| Fit (per side) | FDM | SLA | Industrial SLA | MJF | FGF | TPU (FDM) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Press fitPressed or tapped together, holds without glue | 0.1–0.15 mm | 0–0.05 mm | 0–0.05 mm | 0–0.1 mm | Not recommended | 0.1–0.25 mm undersize, so it stretches on |
| Slip fitGoes together by hand and stays put: glued joints, snap-fits, alignment pins | 0.2–0.3 mm | 0.125–0.2 mm | 0.125–0.2 mm | 0.2–0.3 mm | 2.0 mm | 0.4 mm |
| Moving fitKeeps moving in use: hinges, sliders, anything that turns | 0.3–0.4 mm | 0.2–0.3 mm | 0.2–0.3 mm | 0.3–0.4 mm | Ask us | 0.5 mm |
| Printed assembledMoving parts printed already together | 0.4–0.5 mm, only with no supports between the parts | Not recommended | Not recommended | 0.5 mm minimum, more on long channels | Not recommended | Not recommended |
- Per side means the gap on each side. For a pin in a hole, make the hole larger than the pin by twice the figure.
- Holes on FDM, and small holes on MJF, print slightly undersize. On a critical hole, add 0.1 mm to the radius or plan to ream it.
- Long parts move more. Near the ends of a long MJF or Industrial SLA part, use the top of the range.
- These are starting points, not guarantees. For a critical fit or a production run, order a test print first.
What each guideline means
Understanding these terms helps you design parts that print successfully on the first attempt.
Ready to upload? Make sure your file passes our manufacturability checklist first.
Need help with your design?
Our engineers review every file and flag printability issues before building.