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

Add 0.1–0.2 mm clearance to snap-fit features to account for material shrinkage.

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.

GuidelineFDMSLAIndustrial SLAMJFFGF
Min wall thickness1.2 mm0.8 mm1.0 mm0.7 mm2.0 mm
Tolerance±0.5 mm±0.25 mm±0.2 mm±0.3 mm±1.0 mm
Layer height0.1–0.3mm0.025–0.1mm0.05–0.15mm0.08mm0.5–2.0mm
Max build size360 × 360 × 360mm335 × 200 × 300mm1000 × 1000 × 600mm380 × 284 × 380mm1200 × 1000 × 1000mm
Min hole diameter2.0 mm0.5 mm0.5 mm1.0 mm5.0 mm
Min feature size1.8 mm0.5 mm0.5 mm0.8 mm3.0 mm
Min clearance0.2 mm0.125 mm0.125 mm0.2 mm2.0 mm
Supports / Overhang50°AlwaysAlwaysSelf-supportingAvoid overhangs
Drain holes—YesYesYes—
Lead timeFrom 1 business dayFrom 2 business daysFrom 7 business daysFrom 5 business daysFrom 7 business days

What each guideline means

Understanding these terms helps you design parts that print successfully on the first attempt.

Min Wall Thickness
The thinnest a wall can be and still print reliably. Walls thinner than this may not form, warp, or break during removal from the build plate.
Min Hole Diameter
The smallest hole that will remain open after printing. Smaller holes tend to close or fuse shut, especially on FDM and powder-based processes.
Min Feature Size
The smallest positive detail (bump, rib, text) that will survive the print. Features smaller than this may not resolve or will break off.
Min Clearance
The gap needed between two parts that move or mate together. Without enough clearance, parts will fuse during printing or not fit during assembly.
Overhang Angle
The steepest angle a wall can extend outward from vertical without needing support material. Beyond this angle, the material sags or fails to print.
Supports
Temporary structures printed to hold up overhanging geometry. Some technologies (MJF, SLS) are self-supporting — no supports needed. SLA and FDM always require them.
Drain Holes
Holes added to hollow parts so uncured resin (SLA) or unfused powder (MJF) can escape. Without them, material gets trapped inside and the part fails.
Layer Height
The thickness of each horizontal slice the printer builds. Lower layer height = smoother surfaces and finer detail, but longer print time.
Max Build Volume
The largest single part the machine can print. Parts larger than this must be split into sections and assembled.
Min Pin Diameter
The thinnest standalone cylindrical feature that will print without snapping. Pins are fragile because they have minimal cross-section.
Bridge Span
The maximum horizontal distance material can span between two supports without sagging. Applies mainly to FDM — resin and powder processes don’t bridge.
Lead Time
The minimum number of business days from file approval to parts shipping. Varies by technology, quantity, and complexity.

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.

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