FDM Specification
| Requirement |
Specification |
| Maximum build size |
550×550×550mm (21.65'' x 21.65'' x 21.65'')* |
| Standard lead time |
4 business days |
| Dimensional accuracy |
±0.25mm to ± 0.35mm |
| Layer height |
60-300 μm |
| Infill |
10-100% |
Materials for FDM
| Group |
Description |
| Prototyping PLA |
PLA is the easiest polymer to print and provides good visual quality. It is very rigid and actually quite strong, but is very brittle. |
| Nylon |
Nylon possesses great mechanical properties, and in particular, the best impact resistance for a non-flexible filament. |
| PETG |
Designers and engineers can take advantage of its transparency, moisture and chemical resistance to make great functional prototypes such as containers for liquids, signage and graphic displays, enclosures for electrical equipment, etc |
| Carbon Fiber |
Carbon Fiber delivers the highest strength and stiffness-to-weight ratio of any our FDM materials, suitable for markets like aerospace, automotive, industrial & recreational manufacturing |
| HIPS |
HIPS is an engineering thermoplastic with good dimensional stability, good impact resistance, excellent machinability and excellent aesthetic qualities. |
| ABS |
ABS is usually picked over PLA when higher temperature resistance and higher toughness is required |
| TPU |
TPU is mostly used for flexible applications, but its very high impact resistance can open for other applications. |
| PC |
PC is the strongest material of all, and can be an interesting alternative to ABS as the properties are quite similar. |
Design guidelines for FDM
The table below summarizes the recommended and technically feasible values for the most common features encountered in 3D printed parts.
| Feature |
Recommended size |
| Unsupported walls |
0.8 mm (0.0315'') |
| Supported walls |
0.8 mm (0.0315'') |
| Minimum feature size |
2.0 mm (0.00787'') |
| Minimum hole diameter |
2.0 mm (0.00787'') |
Ideal FDM applications
- • Product development (Rapid Prototyping)
- • Tooling (Die/Mold)
- • End-use parts
- • Architecture
- • Education
SLS Specification
| Standard capabilities |
Description |
| Maximum build size* |
381×330×460mm (15”x13”x18”) |
| Lead time* |
5 business days |
| Dimensional accuracy |
± 0.15mm to ± 0.20mm |
| Layer thickness |
0.08mm to 0.15mm |
Materials for SLS
| Material |
Description |
| Nylon 12 (PA2200) |
SLS nylon is a robust thermoplastic with all-around excellent physical properties, ideal for functional prototypes and end-use applications. |
| Glass-filled Nylon (PA3200GF) |
Glass-filled SLS nylon is reinforced with glass beads creating parts with higher stiffness and thermal stability than standard nylon. |
Ideal SLS applications
- Functional prototyping
- SLS is ideal for fabricating functional prototypes from durable, chemically resistant engineering thermoplastics.
Requirements :
Strength: Medium/High
Appearance: Smooth surface
- Low-volume production
- SLS is cost-competitive to injection molding for low-volume manufacturing of end-use plastics parts for quantities up to 300 units.
Requirements :
Strength: Medium/High
Appearance: Injection molding-like
- High-performance components
- SLS can produce optimized parts from advanced polymer composites that can be used as replacements to metal components.
Requirements :
Strength: High
Appearance: Smooth surface
MJF Specification
| Capabilities |
Description |
| Maximum build size* |
380×285×380 mm (14.9'' x 11.2'' x 14.9'') |
| Lead time* |
5-6 business days |
| Dimensional accuracy |
± 0.15mm to ± 0.2mm |
| Layer thickness |
100 μm |
Materials for MJF
| Material |
Description |
| HP PA 12 (Nylon 12) |
Nylon 12 is a robust thermoplastic with all-around excellent physical properties and chemical resistance, ideal for functional prototypes and end-use applications. |
Ideal MJF applications
- Functional prototyping
- MJF is ideal for fabricating functional prototypes from durable, chemically resistant engineering thermoplastics.
Requirements :
Strength: Medium/High
Appearance: Smooth surface
- Low-volume production
- MJF is cost-competitive to injection molding for low-volume manufacturing of end-use plastics parts for quantities up to 300 units.
Requirements :
Strength: Medium/High
Appearance: Injection molding-like
Quantity: 10-300 units
- High-performance components
- MJF can produce optimized parts from advanced polymer composites that can be used as replacements to metal components.
Requirements :
Strength: High
Appearance: Smooth surface
Design guidelines for MJF
| Feature |
Recommended size |
| Unsupported walls |
1.0 mm (0.040'') |
| Supported walls |
0.7 mm (0.030'') |
| Minimum detail size |
0.25 mm (0.010'') |
| Minimum hole size |
1.0 mm (0.040'') |
| Moving parts |
0.5 mm (0.020'') between moving surfaces |
| Assembly clearance |
0.4 mm (0.016'') between mating surfaces |
| Maximum wall thickness |
20 mm (0.8''). Thicker parts must be hollowed and contain at least two escape holes for powder removal with a min. diameter of 8 mm (0.3''). |
SLA Specification
| Requirement |
Specification |
| Maximum build size |
145 × 145 × 175 mm (5.7" x 5.7" x 6.8") |
| Standard lead time |
4 business days |
| Dimensional accuracy |
± 0.15 to ± 0.20mm |
| Layer height |
25-100 um |
Materials for SLA
| Resin |
Description |
| Formlabs Standard Resin |
Matte surface finish and high detail, available in Gray, Black and White. |
| Formlabs Grey Pro Resin |
Offers high precision, moderate elongation, and low creep. This material is great for concept modelling and functional prototyping, especially for parts that will be handled repeatedly. |
| Formlabs Clear Resin |
Great for fluidics and moldmaking, optics, lighting, and any parts requiring translucency or showcasing internal features. Has a semi-transparent appearance |
| Formlabs High Temp resin |
Has high stiffness and excellent temperature resistance. |
| Formlabs Flexible resin |
80-85A Shore hardness material for more rigid flexible parts with a matte-black soft-touch finish. |
| Formlabs Tough resin |
Has properties of ABS and produces parts with improved mechanical properties compared to other resins. Can be used for functional parts. |
| Flexible resin Rubber 65-A BLK |
65A Shore hardness material for flexible parts with a smooth black soft-touch finish |
| Flexible resin Rubber 10 BLK |
95A Shore hardness material for more rigid flexible parts with a smooth black soft-touch finish |
Design guidelines for SLA
| Feature |
Recommended size |
| Unsupported walls |
1.0 mm (0.0393'') |
| Supported walls |
0.8 mm (0.0315'') |
| Minimum feature size |
0.2 mm (0.00787'') |
| Minimum hole diameter |
0.5 mm (0.0197'') |
| Minimum escape hole diameter |
4.0 mm (0.157'') |
Ideal SLA applications
- • Rapid Prototyping
- • Manufacturing
- • Engineering and Product Design
- • Dental
- • Education
- • Healthcare
- • Jewellery
DMLS Specification
| Requirement |
Specification |
| Maximum build size |
250×250×300 mm (9.84'' x 9.84'' x 11.81'') |
| Standard lead time |
10 business days |
| Dimensional accuracy (<10mm) |
± 0.2mm to ± 0.25mm |
| Layer height |
30μm to 60μm |
Materials for DMLS
| Material |
Description |
| Aluminium AlSi10Mg |
Low-density metal with great mechanical and thermal properties and good electrical conductivity. |
| Stainless Steel 316 |
High ductility and excellent corrosion resistance. It produces fully dense parts for industrial applications. |
| SS316L |
Engineering Grade material |
| SS174PH |
Engineering Grade material |
| M300 |
Margin steel- Engineering Grade material |
| CoCr |
Dental grade material |
| Ti6AL4V |
Grade 23 Medical |
| Nickel Alloy |
|
Design guidelines for DMLS
| Feature |
Recommended size |
| Unsupported walls |
0.4 mm (0.0157'') |
| Supported walls |
0.5 mm (0.0196'') |
| Minimum feature size |
0.6 mm (0.0236'') |
| Minimum hole diameter |
1.5 mm (0.0596'') |
| Escape hole diameter |
5 mm (0.196'') |
Ideal DMLS applications
- • Automotive industry
- • Aerospace industry
- • Functional prototypes
- • Thermal Control system
- • End-use parts
