3D printing: tolerances, wall thickness and lead times
What SLS, MJF, SLA and FDM realistically hold — including the minimum wall thicknesses our DFM check enforces.
- SLS and MJF hold ±0.3 mm or ±0.3% of the largest dimension, SLA ±0.15 mm and FDM ±0.5 mm. Minimum wall thickness is 0.7 mm for SLS, 1.0 mm for MJF and FDM, and 0.5 mm for SLA; the smallest reliable hole is 1.5 mm in SLS and 0.5 mm in SLA.
Key specifications
- SLS Nylon 3D Printing — tolerantie
- ±0.3 mm of ±0.3% (grootste maat) · fijn ±0.2 mm (kleine features)
- SLS Nylon 3D Printing — min wall / hole
- 0.7 / 1.5 mm
- MJF Nylon 3D Printing — tolerantie
- ±0.3 mm of ±0.3% (grootste maat) · fijn ±0.2 mm (kleine features)
- MJF Nylon 3D Printing — min wall / hole
- 1 / 1 mm
- SLA Resin 3D Printing — tolerantie
- ±0.15 mm of ±0.15% (grootste maat) · fijn ±0.05 mm (kleine features)
- SLA Resin 3D Printing — min wall / hole
- 0.5 / 0.5 mm
- FDM Plastic 3D Printing — tolerantie
- ±0.5 mm of ±0.5% (grootste maat) · fijn ±0.3 mm (kleine features)
- FDM Plastic 3D Printing — min wall / hole
- 1 / 2 mm
Frequently asked questions
- Which technology is the most accurate?
- SLA, at ±0.15 mm or ±0.15% with ±0.05 mm on small features, plus the lowest roughness (Ra ~2 µm as-printed). SLS and MJF are less accurate but mechanically stronger and better suited to functional end-use parts.
- Why does minimum wall thickness differ per technology?
- In SLS the part stays supported by the powder bed, so 0.7 mm works. MJF runs hotter, so thin walls warp sooner — hence 1.0 mm. SLA reaches 0.5 mm with cured resin, but thin SLA walls stay brittle.
- Can printed parts be machined afterwards?
- Yes. For critical fits we print the part with stock and machine those faces afterwards. That combines the geometric freedom of printing with CNC tolerances exactly where they are needed.