3D Printing Design Guidelines

1. Wall Thickness

3D Printing process needs to go through alcohol cleaning, supports removing, grinding, sandblasting and so on. So the model needs a certain strength, and the thickness determines the strength of the parts.

In 3D Printing, wall thickness refers to the distance between one surface of your part and the opposite sheer surface. A part made by 3D printing has a minimum wall thickness that is dependent on its overall size. As a guide, we recommend that you increase your wall thickness whenever you scale up your design to a larger size.

2. Embossed and Engraved Details

Min. Embossed Detail

LEDO6060/8000/9000R/8228/Black Resin : 0.5 mm deep & 0.5 mm wide

PA12: 0.5 mm deep & 0.5 mm wide

PAC: 0.8 mm deep & 0.8 mm wide

3201PA-F : 0.8 mm deep & 0.8 mm wide

ABS: 1.0 mm deep & 1.0 mm wide

316L: 1.0 mm deep & 1.0 mm wide

Min. Engraved Detail

LEDO6060/8000/9000R/8228/Black Resin: 0.5 mm deep & 0.5 mm wide

PA12: 0.5 mm deep & 0.5 mm wide

PAC: 0.8 mm deep & 0.8 mm wide

3201PA-F : 0.8 mm deep & 0.8 mm wide

ABS: 1.0 mm deep & 1.0 mm wide

316L: 1.0 mm deep & 1.0 mm wide

3. Thread design

There are two main factors affecting 3D printing of non-standard threads: thread pitch and Helix angle.

The clearance fit of thread needs to refer to model clearance. If there is no clearance fit in the design, it will be unable to assemble. The minimum standard screw is M6.

4. Model clearance

Clearance between parts that will be assembled together

Modules can be printed to be assembled, as long as they meet the minimum clearance as shown below.

Clearance between moving parts

The minimum clearance between two moving or connecting parts.

The above is the minimum clearance for simple structures, which is not applicable to all structures.

5. Escape Holes

Hollow designs need an “escape hole”, so that excess material can escape during the 3D printing process. Most printing services use printers and printing techniques that require at least one escape hole.

(1) The minimum escape hole diameter is 2.5mm.

(2) Two escape holes are required when the escape hole diameter is less than 3mm, otherwise the resin will not flow out and the cavity will not be cleaned, and the part may crack after a period of time.

(3) The size and quantity of escape holes shall be finally determined according to the model size and structure.

(4) The supports in the cavity cannot be totally removed unless the escape hole is designed to be large enough.

6. Holes design

The relationship between aperture (Φ) and hole depth (h):

When the model is designed with micropores and deep holes, please refer to the above standards.

7. Small column design

The relationship between column diameter (D) and column height (H):

When the model is designed with a positioning column, please refer to the above standards.

8. Special-shaped model

The special-shaped model is mainly hollow structure, which occupies a large space, as shown in the following figure.

When it is designed as a special-shaped part and meets the printing requirements, a certain special cost will be appropriately charged.

9. 3D Printing Tolerances

Resin materials: ±0.2mm or within 0.3%

Nylon materials: ±0.3mm or 0.4%

316L : ±0.2mm or within 0.3%

ABS : ± 0.3mm or within 0.4%

Tolerance changes over time:

10. Multiple same parts design

Max 10pcs same small parts could be supported in 1 file, but all the separate parts should be connected and combined in 1 large part (1 shell) to proceed and the wall thickness of the connection area should be more than 1.5mm. Please kindly note: FDM with ABS material and SLM with 316L material are not supported in this way.