Different 3D printing processes have different functions and design limitations. In this article, we will discuss key design considerations that apply to all 3D printing processes.
Different 3D printing processes have different functions and design limitations. In this article, we will discuss key design considerations that apply to all 3D printing processes.
We assume that you already have some knowledge about 3D design and modeling. The specific design software used to create 3D models is not important. If you are completely unfamiliar with 3D modeling, there are many excellent software that can introduce beginners to 3D design, and these software also provide a series of powerful video tutorials to help you understand the basics.
Digital and Physics
The most important thing to remember when designing 3D printing is that your digital design will become a physical object. In a digital design environment, there are no laws of physics to follow, such as gravity.
Anything can be "drawn" in 3D on a digital canvas, but not everything can be printed in 3D.
Each 3D printing process has its own limitations. The following are the most important design considerations that apply to all of these projects, and you should remember:
Overall design considerations for 3D printing
Overhang
All 3D printing processes build parts layer by layer. The material cannot deposit in thin air, so each layer must be printed on some underlined material.
Overhang is an area in the model that is partially supported or not supported at all by the underlying layer. There are limits to the angle that each printer can generate without the need for supporting materials. For example, for FDM and SLA, the angle is approximately 45 °.
Limiting the overhang of the model is a good practice, as the layers printed on the support typically have a rougher surface finish.
wall thickness
The second thing to remember when designing 3D printed parts is wall thickness. Each 3D printing process can accurately generate features that are thin to a certain point.
For example, suppose you are an engineer who makes a living designing a hang glider. You have come up with a great new design, and you have decided to shrink it for 3D printing for testing. The 3D modeling program allows you to model the canvas of the wing, but you may encounter problems when trying 3D printing because its thickness is very small.
As a good habit, please always increase the thickness of your model. Walls with a thickness greater than 0.8 millimeters can be successfully printed through all processes.
warping
When designing 3D models, it is often easy to overlook that the materials used for 3D printing undergo physical changes: they are melted, sintered, or scanned and solidified with lasers. Heating and cooling of materials can cause deformation of parts during printing.
A large and flat surface is particularly prone to warping. Warpage can usually be avoided by using the correct machine calibration to have sufficient surface adhesion between the part and the printing machine. A good practice is to avoid using large planes and add rounded corners to the 3D model.
Detail level
When creating a 3D model with complex details, it is important to remember the minimum feature size that can be generated by each 3D printing process. The minimum level of detail is related to the functionality and mechanism of each 3D printing process, as well as the selected layer height.
The process and materials used will have an impact on printing speed and cost, so determining whether smaller details are crucial to the model is an important design decision.
Rule of thumb:
1. Try to use an angle less than 45 ° as much as possible to avoid sagging in the design.
2. Add a wall thickness of at least 0.8 millimeters to your model.
3. Avoid large planes and use rounded corners to avoid warping.
4. Determine the minimum level of detail required for the model and select the 3D printing process accordingly.
We assume that you already have some knowledge about 3D design and modeling. The specific design software used to create 3D models is not important. If you are completely unfamiliar with 3D modeling, there are many excellent software that can introduce beginners to 3D design, and these software also provide a series of powerful video tutorials to help you understand the basics.
Digital and Physics
The most important thing to remember when designing 3D printing is that your digital design will become a physical object. In a digital design environment, there are no laws of physics to follow, such as gravity.
Anything can be "drawn" in 3D on a digital canvas, but not everything can be printed in 3D.
Each 3D printing process has its own limitations. The following are the most important design considerations that apply to all of these projects, and you should remember:
Overall design considerations for 3D printing
Overhang
All 3D printing processes build parts layer by layer. The material cannot deposit in thin air, so each layer must be printed on some underlined material.
Overhang is an area in the model that is partially supported or not supported at all by the underlying layer. There are limits to the angle that each printer can generate without the need for supporting materials. For example, for FDM and SLA, the angle is approximately 45 °.
Limiting the overhang of the model is a good practice, as the layers printed on the support typically have a rougher surface finish.
wall thickness
The second thing to remember when designing 3D printed parts is wall thickness. Each 3D printing process can accurately generate features that are thin to a certain point.
For example, suppose you are an engineer who makes a living designing a hang glider. You have come up with a great new design, and you have decided to shrink it for 3D printing for testing. The 3D modeling program allows you to model the canvas of the wing, but you may encounter problems when trying 3D printing because its thickness is very small.
As a good habit, please always increase the thickness of your model. Walls with a thickness greater than 0.8 millimeters can be successfully printed through all processes.
warping
When designing 3D models, it is often easy to overlook that the materials used for 3D printing undergo physical changes: they are melted, sintered, or scanned and solidified with lasers. Heating and cooling of materials can cause deformation of parts during printing.
A large and flat surface is particularly prone to warping. Warpage can usually be avoided by using the correct machine calibration to have sufficient surface adhesion between the part and the printing machine. A good practice is to avoid using large planes and add rounded corners to the 3D model.
Detail level
When creating a 3D model with complex details, it is important to remember the minimum feature size that can be generated by each 3D printing process. The minimum level of detail is related to the functionality and mechanism of each 3D printing process, as well as the selected layer height.
The process and materials used will have an impact on printing speed and cost, so determining whether smaller details are crucial to the model is an important design decision.
Rule of thumb:
1. Try to use an angle less than 45 ° as much as possible to avoid sagging in the design.
2. Add a wall thickness of at least 0.8 millimeters to your model.
3. Avoid large planes and use rounded corners to avoid warping.
4. Determine the minimum level of detail required for the model and select the 3D printing process accordingly.
