Design Guidelines

Optimizing Your Designs for 3D Printing Success

Adhering to industry standards and leveraging design philosophies tailored for additive manufacturing can significantly enhance the performance and manufacturability of your products.

Download Design Specifications

For precise guidelines on hole sizes, wall thicknesses, and other critical dimensions, download the comprehensive design guidelines sheet

General Design Philosophies for Additive Manufacturing

Material Efficiency

Less Material Usage: Take advantage of the design freedom offered by 3D printing to create lightweight structures with optimized geometries. This not only reduces material costs but also decreases the weight of the final product, which can be crucial in applications like aerospace and automotive industries.

Two topology-optimized 3D-printed metal parts designed for lightweight and structural efficiency.

Part Integration

Reduce Assembly Times: Design parts to integrate multiple components into a single printed piece. This reduces the need for assembly and minimizes potential weak points caused by fasteners or adhesives.

Cutaway view of a cylindrical 3D printed component showing integrated internal channels that reduce assembly needs and improve part performance.

Complex Geometries

Enhanced Functionality: Leverage the ability to print complex geometries that are impossible to achieve with traditional manufacturing methods. This can include internal channels for cooling, lattice structures for strength-to-weight optimization, and more.

Complex 3D-printed nylon structure demonstrating design freedom in additive manufacturing.

Tolerances and Fits

Design for Tolerances: Ensure your design accounts for the tolerances of the 3D printing process. This is particularly important for parts that need to fit together precisely. Check Design Specification Sheet for more Information

Person measuring a 3D-printed part with a caliper next to technical drawings, illustrating design for tolerances.

Tailored for Powder Bed Fusion

Thermal Management

Warped black 3D-printed plastic part showing deformation from thermal stress during printing.

Avoid Warping: Large flat surfaces may warp during the printing process due to thermal stresses. Consider segmenting large areas or incorporating support structures to mitigate this effect.

Material Usage

Optimize Material Usage: Avoid designing large, thick sections with a lot of material. Not only does this save costs, but it also ensures better quality by reducing the risk of internal defects and making powder removal easier.

3D-printed polymer parts demonstrating optimized design with reduced material usage and efficient geometry.

Powder Removal

Facilitate Powder Removal: Design parts with sufficient openings to allow for the easy removal of unfused powder from internal cavities. This is particularly important for intricate designs with internal channels or complex geometries.

Gloved hand brushing excess powder from a 3D-printed part during post-processing to illustrate powder removal.
Desktop computer monitor with blank white screen, isolated on white background.

Need Help with Your Design?

Have questions about optimizing your design for additive manufacturing? We’re here to help. Contact us today to discuss your project and get expert guidance.

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Frequently Asked Questions

What are the most important design considerations when creating parts for PBF?
Uniform wall thickness, proper clearances, and avoiding massive blocks of material are core PBF design rules that also include minimum wall thickness recommendations.
How can I avoid common design issues such as warping, trapped powder or overly thick sections?
Use balanced walls, escape holes, fillets, and avoid unsupported heat-heavy areas which are the standard ways to avoid warping in 3D printing.
How do tolerances and fits work for 3D printed parts, and what should I adjust in my design?
Allow 0.2–0.4 mm clearance for connecting fits and 0.4–0.7 mm for moving parts depending on geometry which reflects typical 3D printing tolerances.

Why Choose Norra AM?

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