Designing with the process in mind, not adapting to it afterwards.
Design for Additive Manufacturing (DfAM) is the practice of designing a part with the additive process in mind from the start, rather than adapting a design created for machining or moulding after the fact. Because 3D printing builds parts differently to traditional manufacturing, a design that accounts for this can end up simpler, lighter or more reliable to produce than one that doesn't.
How a part is oriented on the build platform can influence its surface finish, its need for support structures, and the strength of the finished part along different axes. Considering orientation early, rather than as a final production step, can help a design print more reliably and perform more predictably in use.
Wall thickness, overhangs and fine features all behave differently in additive manufacturing than they do in machining or moulding. Reviewing these aspects of a design against the process being used can help avoid features that are difficult to print consistently.
Overhanging or unsupported geometry often needs temporary support material during printing, which adds post-processing work and can affect surface finish where it's removed. Where a design can be adjusted to reduce reliance on supports without compromising its function, that's usually worth doing.
Additive manufacturing builds a part by adding material only where it's needed, which opens up opportunities to reduce material usage through internal structures, infill strategies and geometry that a traditional process couldn't produce as easily.
Where a part's application allows for it, additive manufacturing can create opportunities to reduce weight through internal lattice or shell structures rather than a fully solid section. Whether this is appropriate depends on the part's mechanical requirements, so it's evaluated case by case rather than applied by default.
In some designs, several separate components can potentially be combined into a single printed part, which may simplify assembly. This isn't always the right choice — it depends on the parts involved — but it's one of the design options additive manufacturing makes available.
We review designs against these considerations before a project goes into production, so any changes that would meaningfully improve how a part prints or performs are raised while they're still easy to make.
Share your CAD file and our engineering team will review it for manufacturability before your project goes into production.