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Quick Design Reference for 3D Printing
This brief overview of design features and process specifications is created to help you:
- Design your parts efficiently.
- Compare different 3D printing processes to determine which technology best suits your design.
- Maintain functionality while improving the quality and durability of your parts.
This quick guide is a summary of further sections. You can interactively choose processes to compare and see feature sizes and limitations achievable with each 3D printing process. Further sections provide detailed explanations about each feature for every process.
Comparison Table
in the side menu.
MJF
HP Multi Jet Fusion
SLS
Selective Laser Sintering
FDM
Fused Deposition Modeling
SLA
Stereolithography
PJ
Polyjet
Carbon DLS
Carbon DLS™
DMLS
Direct Metal Laser Sintering
MBJ
Metal Binder Jetting
Description Multi Jet Fusion (MJF) 3D printing is one of the most widely used industrial additive manufacturing processes. Like SLS, MJF is used to produce strong, functional plastic parts. |
Best Use Case Strong and functional prototypes & low-volume production |
 Maximum Part Size 380 × 284 × 380 mm |
 Minimum Part Size 7.5 × 7.5 × 2.54 mm |
 General Tolerance 0.3% |
 Minimum Feature Size 0.5 mm |
 Minimal wall thickness (Supported) 0.7 mm |
 Minimal wall thickness (Unsupported) 0.7 mm |
 Maximum Wall Thickness 7 mm |
 Minimum Gap Between Walls 0.5 mm |
 Minimum Hole Diameter at 1mm Thickness 0.8 mm |
 Minimum Shaft Diameter at 1mm Height 0.5 mm |
 Minimum Embossed Text Height 1 mm |
 Minimum Debossed Text Depth 0.5 mm |
 Minimum Font Size (Character Height) 2.1 mm |
 Requires Support Structures No |
 Horizontal Bridges, Maximum Unsupported Length N/A |
 Maximum Unsupported Overhang Size N/A |
 Unsupported Angle from Vertical N/A |
 Minimum Clearance for Moving Parts 0.7 mm |
 Standard Layer Thickness 0.08 mm |
 Infill Options Solid |
Advantages
|
Disadvantages
|
Description Selective Laser Sintering (SLS) 3D printing is one of the most widely used industrial additive manufacturing processes. Like MJF, SLS is used to produce strong, functional plastic parts. |
Best Use Case Strong and functional prototypes & low-volume production |
Maximum Part Size 700 × 380 × 580 mm |
Minimum Part Size 12.7 × 7.5 × 2.54 mm |
General Tolerance 0.3% |
Minimum Feature Size 0.5 mm |
Minimal wall thickness (Supported) 0.5 mm |
Minimal wall thickness (Unsupported) 0.6 mm |
Maximum Wall Thickness 7 mm |
Minimum Gap Between Walls 0.5 mm |
Minimum Hole Diameter at 1mm Thickness 0.8 mm |
Minimum Shaft Diameter at 1mm Height 0.6 mm |
Minimum Embossed Text Height 1 mm |
Minimum Debossed Text Depth 0.5 mm |
Minimum Font Size (Character Height) 2.1 mm |
Requires Support Structures No |
Horizontal Bridges, Maximum Unsupported Length N/A |
Maximum Unsupported Overhang Size N/A |
Unsupported Angle from Vertical N/A |
Minimum Clearance for Moving Parts 0.7 mm |
Standard Layer Thickness 0.1-0.12 mm |
Infill Options Solid |
Advantages
|
Disadvantages
|
Description Fused Deposition Modeling (FDM) 3D printing is cost-effective and widely known for its great material selection, accuracy, and the possibility to print large, functional plastic parts. |
Best Use Case Affordable & large format prototypes and end-use parts |
Maximum Part Size 900 × 600 × 900 mm |
Minimum Part Size 5 × 5 × 0.75 mm |
General Tolerance 0.5% |
Minimum Feature Size 1.2 mm |
Minimal wall thickness (Supported) 0.75 mm |
Minimal wall thickness (Unsupported) 1 mm |
Maximum Wall Thickness – |
Minimum Gap Between Walls 0.5 mm |
Minimum Hole Diameter at 1mm Thickness 1 mm |
Minimum Shaft Diameter at 1mm Height 1.2 mm |
Minimum Embossed Text Height 0.5 mm |
Minimum Debossed Text Depth 0.5 mm |
Minimum Font Size (Character Height) 3.5 mm |
Requires Support Structures Yes |
Horizontal Bridges, Maximum Unsupported Length 10 mm |
Maximum Unsupported Overhang Size 2 mm |
Unsupported Angle from Vertical 45° |
Minimum Clearance for Moving Parts 0.5 mm |
Standard Layer Thickness 0.25-0.33 mm |
Infill Options Ultralight, Light, Solid |
Advantages
|
Disadvantages
|
Description Stereolithography (SLA) 3D printing utilizes light-curable thermoset resins to build highly accurate, high-resolution parts. Its surface finish is one of the highest standards in the industry and recommended for aesthetic prototypes. |
Best Use Case Visual prototypes with high resolution |
Maximum Part Size 736 × 635 × 533 mm |
Minimum Part Size 3 × 2 × 1 mm |
General Tolerance 0.2% |
Minimum Feature Size 0.51 mm |
Minimal wall thickness (Supported) 0.4 mm |
Minimal wall thickness (Unsupported) 0.6 mm |
Maximum Wall Thickness 7 mm |
Minimum Gap Between Walls 0.50 mm |
Minimum Hole Diameter at 1mm Thickness 0.75 mm |
Minimum Shaft Diameter at 1mm Height 0.5 mm |
Minimum Embossed Text Height 0.3 mm |
Minimum Debossed Text Depth 0.5 mm |
Minimum Font Size (Character Height) 1 mm |
Requires Support Structures Yes |
Horizontal Bridges, Maximum Unsupported Length 20 mm |
Maximum Unsupported Overhang Size 1 mm |
Unsupported Angle from Vertical 19° |
Minimum Clearance for Moving Parts 0.5 mm |
Standard Layer Thickness 0.1 mm |
Infill Options Solid |
Advantages
|
Disadvantages
|
Description PolyJet 3D printing is a photopolymer technology that produces high-detailed models and aesthetic prototypes with incredible precision and speed using multiple materials and colors. |
Best Use Case Look and feel prototypes with high resolution |
Maximum Part Size 490 × 200 × 391 mm |
Minimum Part Size 3 × 2 × 1 mm |
General Tolerance 0.1% |
Minimum Feature Size 1.2 mm |
Minimal wall thickness (Supported) 1 mm |
Minimal wall thickness (Unsupported) 1 mm |
Maximum Wall Thickness 12.7 mm |
Minimum Gap Between Walls 0.5 mm |
Minimum Hole Diameter at 1mm Thickness 0.5 mm |
Minimum Shaft Diameter at 1mm Height 0.5 mm |
Minimum Embossed Text Height 0.5 mm |
Minimum Debossed Text Depth 0.5 mm |
Minimum Font Size (Character Height) 1 mm |
Requires Support Structures Yes |
Horizontal Bridges, Maximum Unsupported Length N/A |
Maximum Unsupported Overhang Size N/A |
Unsupported Angle from Vertical N/A |
Minimum Clearance for Moving Parts 0.5 mm |
Standard Layer Thickness 0.04 mm |
Infill Options Solid |
Advantages
|
Disadvantages
|
Description Carbon Digital Light Synthesis™ (DLS™) 3D printing uses light projection, programmable liquid resins, and oxygen-permeable optics to produce thermoset parts and aesthetic porotypes with exceptional durability, resolution, and surface finish. |
Best Use Case Visual prototypes with high resolution and complex geometry |
Maximum Part Size 119 × 189 × 300 mm |
Minimum Part Size 3 × 2 × 1 mm |
General Tolerance 0.1% |
Minimum Feature Size 0.5 mm |
Minimal wall thickness (Supported) 1 mm |
Minimal wall thickness (Unsupported) 1 mm |
Maximum Wall Thickness 5 mm |
Minimum Gap Between Walls 0.3 mm |
Minimum Hole Diameter at 1mm Thickness 0.4 mm |
Minimum Shaft Diameter at 1mm Height 0.3 mm |
Minimum Embossed Text Height 0.5 mm |
Minimum Debossed Text Depth 0.5 mm |
Minimum Font Size (Character Height) 1 mm |
Requires Support Structures Yes |
Horizontal Bridges, Maximum Unsupported Length 4 mm |
Maximum Unsupported Overhang Size 2 mm |
Unsupported Angle from Vertical 40° |
Minimum Clearance for Moving Parts 0.5 mm |
Standard Layer Thickness 0.1 mm |
Infill Options Solid |
Advantages
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Disadvantages
|
Description Direct Metal Laser Sintering (DMLS) 3D printing fuses together small particles of metal powder to create complex parts using a wide range of metals, from aluminium to stainless steel or nickel alloys like Inconel. |
Best Use Case Fully dense metal parts with complex designs |
Maximum Part Size 400 × 400 × 400 mm |
Minimum Part Size 3 × 2 × 1 mm |
General Tolerance 0.2% |
Minimum Feature Size 0.75 mm |
Minimal wall thickness (Supported) 0.4 mm |
Minimal wall thickness (Unsupported) 0.5 mm |
Maximum Wall Thickness 7 mm |
Minimum Gap Between Walls 0.4 mm |
Minimum Hole Diameter at 1mm Thickness 0.5 mm |
Minimum Shaft Diameter at 1mm Height 0.5 mm |
Minimum Embossed Text Height 0.5 mm |
Minimum Debossed Text Depth 0.5 mm |
Minimum Font Size (Character Height) 1 mm |
Requires Support Structures Yes |
Horizontal Bridges, Maximum Unsupported Length 2 mm |
Maximum Unsupported Overhang Size 0.5 mm |
Unsupported Angle from Vertical 45° |
Minimum Clearance for Moving Parts 0.6 mm |
Standard Layer Thickness 0.02-0.08 mm |
Infill Options Solid |
Advantages
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Disadvantages
|
Description Metal binder jetting is a 3D printing technology used to make complex metal parts with excellent mechanical properties at a fraction of the cost of other metal processes with fewer design limitations. |
Best Use Case Affordable, complex metal parts |
Maximum Part Size 400 × 250 × 250 mm |
Minimum Part Size 4 × 4 × 4 mm |
General Tolerance 0.8% |
Minimum Feature Size 1 mm |
Minimal wall thickness (Supported) 1 mm |
Minimal wall thickness (Unsupported) 1 mm |
Maximum Wall Thickness 5 mm |
Minimum Gap Between Walls 1 mm |
Minimum Hole Diameter at 1mm Thickness 1 mm |
Minimum Shaft Diameter at 1mm Height 1 mm |
Minimum Embossed Text Height 0.5 mm |
Minimum Debossed Text Depth 0.5 mm |
Minimum Font Size (Character Height) 3.5 mm |
Requires Support Structures No |
Horizontal Bridges, Maximum Unsupported Length N/A |
Maximum Unsupported Overhang Size N/A |
Unsupported Angle from Vertical N/A |
Minimum Clearance for Moving Parts 0.5 mm |
Standard Layer Thickness 0.1-0.004 mm |
Infill Options Solid |
Advantages
|
Disadvantages
|
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