Design guide
Making a part that prints well
Follow these numbers and your part will fit first time. If you are unsure, send the file and we will check it free before you pay.
What we hold
| Tolerance | ±0.3 mm, or ±0.5% on dimensions over 60 mm |
| Largest part | 256 × 256 × 256 mm in one piece; larger parts are split and joined |
| Layer height | 0.2 mm standard; 0.12 mm on request for finer surfaces |
| Strength options | Light, Standard (two walls, 15% infill) or Strong (four walls, 40% infill) |
Design rules
| Feature | Rule |
|---|---|
| Wall thickness | 1.2 mm minimum; 2 mm or more for parts that take load |
| Smallest detail | 0.8 mm; embossed text at least 1 mm wide and 0.6 mm high |
| Hole for a screw to pass through | Screw diameter + 0.4 mm |
| Sliding fit on a shaft | Shaft diameter + 0.2 to 0.3 mm |
| Lid or sleeve over a part | 0.2 mm gap on each side |
| Overhangs | Up to 45° prints cleanly. Steeper needs supports, which leave small marks. |
| Bridges | Flat spans up to about 30 mm print without support |
| Clips and tabs | Tell us the direction they flex, so we print layers along them and not across |
| Sharp inside corners | Add a 1 mm radius where a part takes load |
These are starting values for a 0.4 mm nozzle. For a tight fit, tell us what the part mates with and we will print a test piece first.
Files
- Best: STEP. We can adjust fits and fix problems.
- Fine: STL, 3MF or OBJ. Export in millimetres at a fine resolution.
- No need to slice. Send the model; we choose orientation, supports and settings.
- No file: see the design service.
Tell us with your order
- Which faces or holes must be accurate.
- Which face should look best.
- Whether the part will see heat, sun, water or load. See materials.
Ready when you are
Upload a file for an instant price, or send a photo and we will design the part.