3D PRINTING DESIGN GUIDE
we're committed to helping you bring your visions to life with precision and ease. Our comprehensive guide is crafted to assist you, whether you're a beginner or an advanced designer, in creating parts that are not only functional but perfectly tailored to your needs. In this guide, you'll find detailed instructions on optimizing your designs for 3D printing, including, wall thickness, clearances and many more.
Wall Thickness 0.9mm
Wall thickness influences printability and material properties: below 1.0mm may not print and risks damage; up to ~3mm has flexibility, and beyond this will be stiff. Thick walls may be hollowed out to avoid deformation during manufacturing.
- MINIMUM 1.0mm
Part Size
Parts exceeding or falling below the specified limits are incompatible with our equipment and cannot be produced effectively.
- MINIMUM 8cm³
- MAXIMUM 335 x 285 x 445 (mm
Embossed Detail
Embossed details are shallow raised features on your model, such as texture, patterns and text. Details smaller than 0.8mm in thickness may not be visible on your part.
- MINIMUM 0.8mm
Engraved Detail
Engraved details are imprinted or recessed features on your model. Details must be at least 0.4mm in width and depth for clarity.
- MINIMUM 0.4mm
Through Holes
To prevent blockages a minimum diameter of 1.5mm is recommended, with an increase of 1mm in diameter for every 10mm depth. (e.g., a 30mm hole should be at least 4.5mm wide)
- MINIMUM ø1.5mm
- +DEPTH: ø+1mm per 10mm depth
Blind Holes
Blind holes are more susceptible to blockages than through holes. A minimum diameter of 2mm is recommended, with an increase of 2mm in diameter for every 10mm depth.
- MINIMUM ø2mm
- +DEPTH: ø+2mm per 10mm depth
Assembly Clearance
For parts intended to be assembled post-printing. A free fit offers more space for easy assembly and movement, while a close fit is tighter and may require some force or adjustments to assemble.
- FREE FIT 0.2mm
- CLOSE FIT 0.1mm
Cavities
When designing hollow parts, be sure to use large openings and avoid non-line-of-sight cavities to prevent trapping unsintered material inside.
- MINIMUM 1.0mm
Text Size
It’s important to consider the distance between engraved letters as well as the line weight of embossed text. Any material thickness below 0.8mm may not be visible.
- MINIMUM 0.8mm
Wire Diameter
It's advisable to maintain a minimum thickness of 1.2mm for wires up to 7mm long, increase to 2mm for lengths up to 30mm, and use at least 3mm thickness for anything longer.
- MINIMUM 1.2mm - 3mm
Edge Thickness
To prevent damage during manufacturing, avoid designs with edges that taper to zero thickness. Thin edges are prone to damage; it's recommended to blunt these tapered edges to a minimum thickness of 1mm.
- MINIMUM 1.0mm
File Preparation Guide
Scale
If you model is larger than the printers build volume it must be scaled down to fit. The max print size for SLA resin is 156 x 278 x 290mm. The max print size for FDM is 240 x 240 x 240mm
Wall Thickness
We guarantee parts above 0.9mm in thickness. We can print thinner things, but it’s at your own risk. Thin areas of your model that fall below our minimum thickness may not print. The best-case scenario is that the thin areas do print. In some cases, the entire model prints fine except for the thin areas, and in the worst cases, the thin areas fail to print, causing the entire model to fail. We do our best to check every single model for printing; however, sometimes thinner parts may be missed. To ensure your print succeeds, thicken all walls above 0.9mm.
Non-Manifold Geometry
Non-manifold geometry is the most serious file problem. In some cases, it’s minor, and in others, it renders the file completely unprintable. Non-manifold geometries are those that have shared edges, inverted normals, overlapping faces, shared vertices, missing, and zero-thickness surfaces. Unfortunately, we cannot guarantee that a non-manifold model will print defect-free, if at all. When purchasing, be aware that we cannot be held responsible for any printing problems. A sign that your model is non manifold is if you see missing faces in the preview window and the minimum wall thickness warning triggers as you see above.
File Formats & Data size
The maximum accepted file size is 200 MB per file. STL is the primary 3D printing format; however, our system also accepts OBJ, STP, IGES, and 3MF. If your file is larger than 200 MB, don’t worry! Create a low-resolution version; the cost is the same whether it’s low or high resolution. After completing your order, please email us your high-resolution file via WeTransfer.com.
Single Body Files Only
When uploading files with multiple bodies contained inside, it often prompts the quoting system to fail. In cases where it does give a price, it bypasses our per part pricing parameters which invalidates the cost. Therefore, all files must contain just one body/part.
