Rapid Prototyping -> Rapid Prototyping Design Guidelines

Rapid Prototyping Design Guidelines

The following guidelines are recommended:

• Since parts are formed by extrusion onto successive layers, surfaces with empty space below require special processing. For example, a part the shape of a drinking glass is fine but if your turn the glass up-side down it becomes more difficult.

• Since the extrusion is .010", it is best to keep dimensions in multiples of this value - especially smaller dimensions (including material, air, diameters, etc.)

• Tolerance:
  - X, Y: .005" + 0.1%
  - Z: .010 + 0.1%

• Min wall:
  - .030" for horizontal walls (e.g. bottom of box)
  - .040" for vertical walls with no holes or cutouts
  - .1" for vertical walls with holes and slots in sides
  - .020" for very low walls that form letters/logos

• Min acute angle: 30 deg.

• Min diameter of holes in side of part: 0.25".

• Min height of horizontal slots in side of part: 0.25".

• Min material between hole and edge or between holes: .04" ideally, .02" absolute min and can create problems.

• Max size: 8" x 8" x 12"

• Long thin objects (max dim / min dim > 10) can't be longer than 8".